HEALTH AND OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS AMONG WOMEN RAG PICKERS IN CHENNAI DUMP YARDS: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i1.2024.5735Keywords:
Women Ragpickers, Occupational Health, Urban Marginality, Environmental Risk, Social Protection, Informal Labour, Gender and WorkAbstract [English]
This study looks at the health and work-related problems faced by women ragpickers in Chennai’s two largest dumping grounds, Kodungaiyur and Pallikaranai. The research used a cross-sectional survey approach. Out of an estimated 525 women, 351 were randomly selected and interviewed with a structured questionnaire. The findings show that more than half of these women suffer from serious health problems linked to their work, mainly breathing troubles, skin diseases, and pain in muscles and joints. These issues are made worse because most women do not have any safety gear and must work in risky conditions. The chances of falling ill increase as the women get older, showing the harmful effects of long-term work in such an environment. Most women depend on government hospitals for treatment and spend a good part of their small earnings on medical costs. The study uses ideas from urban theory to show that the problems faced by these women are the result of many social, economic, and policy failures coming together. The article ends with suggestions for better safety, social welfare, and health support specially meant for this neglected group of workers.
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