UC Berkeley - UC San Francisco Joint Medical Program, University of California , Berkeley, CA, USA.
UC Berkeley - UC San Francisco Joint Medical Program and School of Public Health, University of California , Berkeley, CA, USA.
J Agromedicine. 2020 Jul;25(3):286-301. doi: 10.1080/1059924X.2020.1725698. Epub 2020 Feb 29.
: Specific work processes and management structures that contribute to high rates of occupational illness and injury in agricultural industries are not well described in academic literature. This qualitative study of work organization in the U.S. fresh tomato industry investigates how work processes and management structures impact tomato workers' occupational health. : After conducting literature review and key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 36 individuals with experience working in the U.S. fresh tomato industry. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach. : These data indicate that participants endured income insecurity and hazardous supervisory practices, including wage theft, retaliation, intimidation, and humiliation, that put them at risk of preventable illness and injury. Support from workers' organizations and health-conscious supervisory practices helped mitigate some of these occupational hazards. : Participants' adverse work experiences may be considered sequelae of workers' lack of job control and positions of socioeconomic structural vulnerability. Other aspects of tomato work organization, including health-conscious supervisory practices and the involvement of workers' organizations, indicate that modifying work organization to better safeguard health is possible. Such modifications present compelling opportunities for employers, employees, organizations, community and government leaders, and health care professionals to help create healthier occupational environments for tomato workers.
特定的工作流程和管理结构导致农业行业的职业病和工伤发生率较高，但在学术文献中并没有很好地描述。本研究对美国新鲜番茄产业的工作组织进行了定性研究，旨在调查工作流程和管理结构如何影响番茄工人的职业健康。
在进行文献综述和关键知情人访谈后，对 36 名有美国新鲜番茄行业工作经验的人员进行了半结构式访谈和焦点小组讨论。访谈和焦点小组使用经过修改的扎根理论方法进行了录音、转录、编码和分析。
这些数据表明，参与者承受着收入不稳定和危险的监督做法的影响，包括工资盗窃、报复、恐吓和羞辱，这使他们面临可预防疾病和伤害的风险。工人组织的支持和有健康意识的监督做法有助于减轻其中的一些职业危害。
参与者的不良工作经历可能被视为工人缺乏工作控制和社会经济结构脆弱性地位的后果。番茄工作组织的其他方面，包括有健康意识的监督做法和工人组织的参与，表明对工作组织进行修改以更好地保障健康是可能的。这些修改为雇主、员工、组织、社区和政府领导以及医疗保健专业人员提供了令人信服的机会，以帮助为番茄工人创造更健康的职业环境。
