Impact of Ship Breaking Industries on Labour Health: A Case Study on Sitakundu Ship Yards, Chittagong

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Impact of Ship Breaking Industries on Labour Health: A Case Study on Sitakundu Ship Yards,

Chittagong

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INTRODUCTION

From the old ships many hazardous materials released, the research has found ship released asbestos, chemicals (PCB, PCV, PAH, Tin-organic compounds oils), heavy metals, fumes (dust, fume/gas components; dioxines, isocyanates, sulphur, etc.).

For hazardous materials many health hazards occurred like Anorexia, Nausea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Respiratory distress, Asthma, Pneumonia, Lung cancer, Dysuria, Urenia etc.

Bangladesh is becoming a graveyard for the dying ships and so it is, for the workers of the shipyards too. More than 50,000 people are working in ship breaking industry in Chittagong with serious health hazards because of the poisonous waste released from old ships.


The study contains the following objectives:

To identify the present status of the labour and staffs in the ship yards.

To assess the health status of the workers due to hazardous materials in the ship yards.

Objectives of the study


Materials and MethodsStudy Area

Map of Study Area


Sample Size DeterminationBy the following equation the sample size has determined — z2 pq n₀ = --------- (Berensen and Levine, 1992) d2

Where, z = Normal variate and which has 2.005 for 95.5% confidence interval, p = Sample proportion. P= 2% of total workers, i.e. 0.02 p + q = 1, therefore, q = 0.98 and d = Desired error, here it is taken = 3% = 0.03 The initial sample size is therefore: (2.005) 2 x 0.02 x 0.98n₀ = ……………………………. = 87.54 (0.03) 2 These sample size is adjusted by using the following formula — n₀n = ------------ (Berensen and Levine, 1992) n₀ 1+ ---- NWhere, n = Required Sample Size, and N = Size of Total workers = 44000

87.54So the sample size, n = ----------------------- = 87.98 ≈ 88

1+ (87.54/45000)


Data Collection

Primary Data Collection:

Questionnaires Preparation The questionnaires have focused on mainly,1. Job Condition2. Diseases and symptoms3. Health Hazards related causes4. Ship breaking zones, activities and hazards5. Accident rate: Major or Minor


Secondary Data Collection:Secondary sources information was collected from the following sources —1. Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association. (Both Dhaka & Chittagong Office)2. YPSA office of Chittagong3. Industry Inspection Department of Bangladesh Government.4. Department of Environment5. Ship yard’s regional Office6. B M D Chittagong Office.

Data CollectionData Collection


saidpur2% barail

7%

sitakundu13% Mu

radpur1%

Barabkunda

8%

Bansh baria5%Ku

maria1%

Sonaichori9%

Bhatiary42%

Salimpur12%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900 Workers in shipyards

Figure1: Percentage of Ship Yards in Sitakundu Upazila

Figure2: Number of workers in Surveyed yards

RESULT AND DISCUSSION


Working hour Day\ Hr Percentage of Labour

Average Salary per day

8 8.57 100

9 3.81 115*

10 24.76 109*

11 20 121

12 31.43 158

13 9.52 168

14 1.70 200

Working hour Day\ Hr

Percentage of Labour


6 1.83 150*

8 6.42 100*

9 6.42 115*

10 27.52 105*

11 19.27 91*

12 24.77 100*

13 13.76 110*

Table1: Working hour & Salary of Cutter groupTable2:Working hour & Salary of Plate group





8 16.67 90*

9 13.89 100*

10 19.44 115*

11 19.44 130*

12 8.33 150*

13 8.33 160

15 8.33 170

Table3:Working hour & Salary of Wire group




8 10 150

10 20 150

11 30 150

12 40 108

Table4:Working hour & Salary of Hammer group


Goo

d t

retm

ent

only

med

icin

e

trea

tmen

t n

omin

al

2\3

day

s tr

eatm

ent

give

som

e m

oney

leav

e w

ith

sal

ary

leav

e w

ith

out

sala

ry

com

pen

sati

on

wag

e so

me

few

day

s

no

faci

lity

27.82%

0.88%

11.82%

56.75%

1.89% 0.88%

21.61%

0.88% 1.61% 1.89%

Facilities of labour in accident

Fig3: Facilities of Labour in Accident


1.Very risky job / threats of accident/ fear to work on the top of the ships.

2. Hands and legs are always burned, feel pain in body and chest.

3. Too much working pressure but fewer wages.

4. Necessary tools and elements (like dresses, gloves, helmet, shoes & welding glass) are not provided.

5. No security of life.

6. Legs are often cut and injured.

Undeclared rule is “no work no money”

Major Problems of Workers


Health Hazards

7%

85%

6% 2%

Chart TitleYes NO Nominal Sometimes

Medical facilities in Shipyards very good

%good % not good % very bad %

5.8

44.92

38.98

11.02

0

17.8

54.24

27.97

6.8

19.4899999999998

70.34

3.4

condition of food, sanitation and habitat

food

sanitation

health

Figure4:Medical Facilities in Shipyards

Figure5:Condition of food, sanitation and habitat


Redness & Tearing

Burning sensation

Blurring vision

Blindness0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40 37

20

12

0

Different types of Eye problem

Redness and Tear-

ing

Burning sensation

Blurring Vision

Blindness

53.63%

28.98%

17.39%

0.00%

Percentage of Different Eye prob-lems

Figure6: Different types of Eye Problems Figure7: Percentage of Eye Problems

Sufferer Groups: Cutter GroupPercentages of Sufferings: Redness & Tearing 53.63%, Burning Sensation 28.98%, Blurring Vision 17.39%


Respira-tory dis-tress and Asthma

42%Pneumoia,

Cough &

Spu-tum, Che

st pain58%

Respiratory problems

Anorexia

Nausea

Vomiti

ng

Abdomin

al pain

Gastr

ic

32

12 1211

7.50% 5% 30% 30% 28%

Abdominal problems

Percentage of WorkersN

umbe

r of W

orke

rs

percentage of workersno of workers

Figure8: Respiratory Problems Figure9: Abdominal Problems

Suffer Groups: Flame Cutter and Welding Group

Suffer Groups: Gas Cutter and Loaders & Fitters


No PERCENTAGE

4

66.66

2

33.33

Urinary Problems

Dysuria Uremia

Figure10: Urinary Problems

57%27%

17%

Muscle problemBacj ache

Neck ache

Knee joint point

Figure11: Muscle Problems

Sufferer Group: Welding Group Sufferer Group: Loaders and Wire Puller Groups


No PERCENTAGE

10

62.5%Itching

6

37.5%Lesion

Skin Problems

Itching Lesion

Figure12: Skin Problems

Sufferer Group: Oil Group


Health Hazard No of workers Percentage (%) CausesEye Problem 69 100 Bright light

Fire Dust Oxyacetylene Welding Fume

Redness & tearing Burning sensation Blurring vision Blindness

37 20 12

53.63 28.98 17.39

Respiratory Problems 64 100 Smoking Asbestos dust Chromates Iso-cyanide Gas Volatiles Fire

Respiratory distress Asthma Pneumonia Cough and Sputum Chest pain

27 42.18

37 57.81

Abdominal Problems 40 100 Toxic metal Oil Irregular eating Poor quality food Unsafe drinking water Inadequate sanitation

Anorexia Nausea Vomiting Abdominal pain Gastric

3 2 12 12 11

7.5 5 30 30 27.5

Urinary Problems 6 100 Toxic metals TBT PCB Dust accumulation

Dysuria (painful urination) Urenia (kidney failure)

4 2

66.66 33.33

Muscle Problems 30 Excessive work load Long working Hour Monotonous work

Back ache Neck ache Knee joint pain

17 8 5

56.66 26.66 16.66


Abdominal problems53%

Urinar

y problems8%

Muscle problems39%

Toxic metals related diseases

Figure13: Toxic metals related hazards

No of workers Percentage

64

78.8%

Bright light, Fire, Dust related diseases

Eye Problems

Figure14: Bright light, Fire, Dust related diseases


No of workers Percentage

64

72.72%

Asbestos, Chromates, Icocynides related diseases

Respiratory Problems

Figure15: Asbestos, Chromates, Icocynides related diseases


Hazardous materials Health hazards No of workers affected

Percentage of workers

Toxic metals Abdominal problems 40 45.45%

Urinary problems 6 6.8%

Muscle problem 30 34.09%Bright light, Fire, Dust, Oxy acetylene, Welding fume

Eye problems 69 78.40%

Asbestos dust, Chromates, Isocyanides, Volatile, Fire

Respiratory problems 64 72.72%

Oil inadequate sanitation, Unsafe drinking water

Abdominal problem 40 45.45%

PCB, TBT Urinary problem 6 6.8%PAH, Battery liquids, Oil residue, Ar, Cr Skin problem

1618.18%

Table6: Hazardous materials and Diseases


Year Number of Fatal Incidents

Number of Deaths No of Injuries

1998 02 041999 02 122000 03 202001 01 012002 01 032003 00 002004 01 032005 03 07 012006 09 10 012007 08 08

(Compensation paid to 2)

06

2008 16 15(Compensation paid to 10)

05

Up to April 2009 08 07(Compensation paid to 6)

01

Total - In 11 years 54 90 14

Table7: Dead List of Workers


.

CONCLUSION:

I. Workers receive potential negative health impacts from traditional working

procedures adopted in the scrapping yards such as: Cutter groups without protection

(eye problems, respiratory problems and abdominal problems). Loaders and Puller

groups (back injuries and muscle problem). Welding workers (urinary problems). Oil

groups (skin problems).

II. 78.40% of workers have been suffering from eye problems. 72.72% of cutter and

welding group have been suffering from respiratory problems. 45.45% of gas cutter,

loaders and fitters have been suffering from abdominal problems. 34.09% of loaders

and wire pullers suffered from muscle problems. 18.18% of oil groups suffered from

skin problems.

III. Most of the workers were found to suffer from multiple diseases and health hazards.


Photographs


Documents

Impact of Ship Breaking Industries on Labour Health: A Case Study on Sitakundu Ship Yards, Chittagong