Nisar Nadia, Mohd Saat Nur Zakiah, Mohd Suadi Nata Dayana Hazwani, Kamaluddin Nurul Farahana, Ishak Ismarulyusda, Haque Ayesha
Community Medicine, National University of Sciences and Technology, School of Health Sciences, Islamabad, PAK.
Center for Community Health Studies (ReaCH), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, MYS.
Cureus. 2025 Mar 28;17(3):e81357. doi: 10.7759/cureus.81357. eCollection 2025 Mar.
Sanitary work is the backbone of the municipal system. In Pakistan, it is performed manually, often under unhygienic conditions. As a result, workers are exposed to hazardous health and safety risks.
This study aimed to investigate the safety outcomes among sanitary workers in Punjab, Pakistan.
A qualitative research approach was used, employing focus group discussions (FGDs) for data collection. Two FGDs were conducted, involving a total of 19 sanitary workers and two managers from the Cantonment Board Taxila and the Lahore Waste Management Company.
Thematic analysis, conducted manually, revealed that while most sanitary workers reported minimal major injuries due to the consistent use of gloves and masks, they still experienced various minor health issues. These included skin allergies, burns, eye infections, respiratory infections, and minor cuts on the hands and other parts of the body. Additionally, participants highlighted significant psychological challenges, such as fear of chronic illness, stress, and depression, largely attributed to their demanding workloads.
The findings underscore the urgent need for improved occupational health policies in Pakistan to address the physical and mental health challenges faced by sanitary workers. The government should implement comprehensive health and safety regulations to enhance their well-being and mitigate the adverse health effects associated with their work.
环卫工作是市政系统的支柱。在巴基斯坦，环卫工作靠人工完成，且常常是在不卫生的条件下。因此，工人们面临着有害的健康和安全风险。
本研究旨在调查巴基斯坦旁遮普省环卫工人的安全状况。
采用定性研究方法，通过焦点小组讨论收集数据。进行了两次焦点小组讨论，共有19名环卫工人以及来自塔克西拉驻军委员会和拉合尔废物管理公司的两名管理人员参与。
人工进行的主题分析显示，虽然大多数环卫工人报告称由于持续使用手套和口罩，严重受伤情况极少，但他们仍经历了各种轻微健康问题。这些问题包括皮肤过敏、烧伤、眼部感染、呼吸道感染以及手部和身体其他部位的轻微割伤。此外，参与者强调了重大的心理挑战，如对慢性病的恐惧、压力和抑郁，这在很大程度上归因于他们繁重的工作量。
研究结果强调巴基斯坦迫切需要改进职业健康政策，以应对环卫工人面临的身心健康挑战。政府应实施全面的健康和安全法规，以增进他们的福祉，并减轻与其工作相关的不利健康影响。
