CASE STUDY
Improving OSH service for female workers
Occupational safety and health for female workers engaged in
manual handling (1991-1999)
by Le Kim Dung, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social
Affairs
1. Introduction
Few investigations of women’s working conditions have
looked at manual handling in Viet Nam. On the basis of the limited data
available, however, it seems clear that many women workers are involved in
occupations that require manual handling, and related working conditions are
generally poor. These women often suffer back pain, miscarriages, and varicose
veins, occupational hazards reflecting the inadequacy of protective measures for
manual handling.
Between 1991 and 1999, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and
Social Affairs (MOLISA), in collaboration with other ministries, conducted a
number of studies involving visits to enterprises, questionnaires aimed at
enterprises and individuals, and assessments of the working environment.
The questionnaires were designed to elicit the following information:
range of weights handled;
frequency of manual handling;
time and distance over which an object is handled;
availability of mechanical aids;
condition of workplace environment;
work organization;
postural requirements imposed by manual handling;
nature of the objects being handled;
employee education;
the legal framework; and
results of health examinations.
Investigations addressed a limited number of enterprises,
seeking to survey different industries at different times, but always applying
the same enterprise and individual questionnaires and protocols. Most of the
locations investigated were state enterprises. Due to limited funds, private and
small to medium-size enterprises were not covered in these studies.
Nevertheless, the research suggests that female workers are
commonly engaged in manual handling. This report proposes a number of measures
designed to improve OSH for these workers.
2. OSH among women workers engaged in manual handling
Since 1991, a variety of studies have looked at women workers
engaged in manual handling.
1991 In 1991, a ministerial investigation was conducted into
working conditions among women workers in heavy and dangerous occupations in 61
state enterprises in the construction, mining, and food processing industries.
Of the total 71,410 employees in the investigated enterprises 27,850 (38.6 per
cent) were women. Approximately 4,625 of these women worked as porters. Analysis
of the data indicated that most women whose jobs involving manual handling had
to carry loads that weighed from 50 to 80 kilograms during more than 50 per cent
of their shift. They also had to work in hazardous environments. For example, in
some workplaces where construction materials were produced, the temperature
ranged between 35oC and 40o C. In most of the investigated
enterprises, noise levels exceeded permitted standards by at least 5 dBA and
even by 17 dBA in some places. Many of the workers suffered from back pain and
other illnesses.
1992 In 1992, MOLISA conducted a survey and evaluation of working
conditions among women whose jobs involved manual handling in four ports and
train stations, including Da Nang Port, Sai Gon Port, a transport service
company, and Giap Bat station. This study involved 1,783 employees, of whom 739
were females involved in manual handling. Most of these women often lifted and
carried loads weighing from 80 to 100 kilograms. For example, direct observation
at a quarry in Phu Ly showed that 180 women worked as porters. They had to carry
large rocks from the quarry to a truck. This involved actions such as bending to
pick up rocks, lifting them to their shoulders, and putting them into the truck.
The work was especially hard because workers had to manage with only rudimentary
tools and methods. Mechanical aids were lacking, and the women often worked
outside in full sun.
1994 In 1994, MOLISA and other ministries conducted a survey and
evaluation of working conditions among women whose jobs involved manual handling
in two food-processing enterprises. The total number of employees in the
investigated enterprises was 690, of whom 280 were women whose jobs involved
manual handling. Most of the women had to lift and carry loads of more than 30
kilograms of fish or food in a cold and humid working environment.
1997 In 1997, MOLISA and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development conducted a survey and evaluation of working conditions among women
whose jobs involved manual handling in feather-processing enterprises. The study
investigated three enterprises with 60 women workers whose jobs involved manual
handling. Most of the women had to carry loads of more than 30 kilograms in a
dusty working environment.
1998-1999 In 1998-1999, MOLISA conducted a survey and evaluation of
working conditions among women whose jobs involved manual handling in chemical
enterprises. This study investigated two chemical enterprises with 300 women
workers whose jobs involved manual handling. Most of the women had to carry
loads of more than 50 kilograms. This task was both heavy and hazardous. In most
chemical enterprises, workers were exposed to carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon
dioxide (CO2). Other potentially harmful substances such as sulphuric
acid (H2SO4), hydrochloric acid (HCL), nitric acid (HNO3),
benzene (C6H6), arsenic (As), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen
dioxide (NO2) and lead gas. Concentrations of these gases sometimes
exceeded the permitted standard by many times.
3. Findings
These studies indicate that working conditions among women engaged in manual
handling are extremely poor. Findings included the following:
Weight handled by women often ranges to more than 50 kilograms.
Such manual handling can constitute more than 50 per cent of a work shift.
Heavy objects are often handled over a distance of one or two metres.
Mechanical aids are often lacking or otherwise inadequate.
Conditions in the workplace environment are poor, with noise, toxic
substances, and dust often exceeding permitted standards.
Work organization is often narrow and inappropriate.
Postural requirements imposed by manual handling are often hazardous to
health.
A variety of objects, from chemicals and feathers to rocks, are handled by
women workers. The nature of the object is immaterial, in terms of its
weight, although other hazards might present themselves from associated dust
or poisons, for example.
These employees have limited education and skills.
The legal framework governing manual handling is inadequate. Circular No.
03 from MOLISA and the MOF (28 January 1994) stipulates that women are not
allowed to manually handle loads of over 50 kilograms in weight. But the
protective measures prescribed for manual handling in this circular are
inadequate – essentially, they merely address manual lifting of more than
50 kilograms. It ignores pushing, levering, pulling, and carrying. It pays
no attention to the frequency, the duration, and distance that material must
be manually moved. Neither does it provide adequate measures to protect
health and safety when a job requires manual handling more generally. It
takes insufficient account of the health of individuals in carrying heavy
loads, among other things setting no maximum permissible load for men.
Results of workers’ health examinations showed that women suffer a high
rate of medical complaints, with ailments such as back pain or prolapsed
disks leaving them at least temporarily unable to work. Problems such as
these are linked to prolonged lifting or carrying of heavy loads. Data from
the Central Commission of Medical Expertise indicated that, from 1989 to
1990, 20.96 per cent of women workers in the 30- to 40-year age group were
forced to take time away from work because of such injuries. Data from
MOLISA investigations showed that, between 1990 and 1992, 842 from a total
of 27,850 women workers in the investigated enterprises had to retire
because of health problems. All of them were younger than 45 years.
Unfortunately, the social security fund does not consider back pain an
occupational disease, so no compensation is awarded for this kind of
disease.
Reasons for this situation:
lack of mechanical aids;
lack of experience and worker skills due to limited OSH awareness among
employees, and lack of training courses on safe manual handling; and
lack of good legislative or regulative guidelines for safe manual
handling.
4. Recommendations
The following measures can improve working conditions in
general:
provide mechanical aids;
reorganize work;
reduce working hours;
improve the working environment;
enhance OSH awareness among employees by publishing guidelines for safe
manual handling;
organize training courses on OSH and safety manual handling;
conduct further comprehensive studies, for example OSH surveys of manual
handling in small and medium-size enterprises; and
improve regulations regarding safe manual handling.
Laws should require the following: the redesign of workplaces
to make them more suitable for employees; risk assessments; risk control; and
provision of mechanical aids and training. Proposals for new regulations should
require employers to take all practicable steps to make sure that workplaces are
suitable for the workers doing manual handling. Such measures mean consideration
of the following factors:
required exertion on the part of the worker;
actions and movements involved in manual handling;
range of weights handled;
duration and frequency of the manual handling;
time and distance over which an object is handled;
availability of mechanical aids;
layout and condition of workplace environment;
work organization;
postural requirements imposed by manual handling;
analysis of injury statistics relevant to manual handling;
sex of those employees engaged in manual handling;
worker skills and experience;
nature of the objects being handled; and
any other factors considered relevant by the employers, the employees, or
health officials.
In conclusion, any effective programme addressing working
conditions among workers engaged in manual handling requires further research
into the issues, measures to enhance OSH awareness, and revisions to OSH law.
References
1. MOLISA. 1991. Investigation and evaluation of the
working condition of women workers in heavy and dangerous occupations in
state enterprises. 2. MOLISA. 1992. A survey and evaluation of working
conditions of women whose jobs involve manual handling in four ports and
train stations. 3. MOLISA. 1994. Report on harmful working conditions
in some occupations in the agriculture and food industries. 4. MOLISA. 1998-1999. Evaluation of the implementation
of the list of occupations in which the employment of women is prohibited.
Updated by PAP/SUT/TRS.
Approved by BKL. Last updated on 15 November 2000
