Food Safety Division, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India.
Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences (SIHS), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India.
Arch Environ Occup Health. 2021;76(8):471-481. doi: 10.1080/19338244.2020.1828245. Epub 2020 Oct 26.
Amid growing concern about the adverse effects of pesticides, a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate farmers' knowledge on pesticides handling. Results of in-depth surveys (n = 217) with field observations revealed that participants had a mean 18 years of farming experience and knapsack-sprays were used for spraying. About 99% were not using any personal-protective-equipments during mixing, loading, application operations. Over 80% reentered the treated farms within two-days of application without following safety protocols and 39% admitted unsafe disposal of empty containers of pesticides. Statistical-analysis revealed a significant association between participant's pesticide handling practices and self-reported morbidity symptoms ( < 0.05). Despite awareness of toxicity, participants were mishandling the pesticides. Training on safe handling practices and incentives in form of personal-protective-equipments could be productive to ensure safety at work.
在人们对农药的不良影响的担忧日益加剧的情况下，我们进行了一项基于问卷调查的横断面研究，以评估农民对农药处理的知识水平。通过现场观察对 217 名参与者进行的深入调查结果显示，参与者的平均务农经验为 18 年，他们使用背负式喷雾器进行喷雾。大约 99%的人在混合、装料、施药作业过程中没有使用任何个人防护设备。超过 80%的人在施药后两天内重新进入处理过的农场，没有遵守安全规程，39%的人承认不安全地处理空农药容器。统计分析显示，参与者的农药处理行为与自我报告的发病症状之间存在显著关联（<0.05）。尽管参与者意识到毒性，但他们仍在错误地处理农药。提供安全处理实践培训和以个人防护设备形式提供奖励可能会有成效，有助于确保工作安全。
