Msibi S C, Naidoo S, Jakobsson K, Glaser J, Skinner B, Naidoo R N
Discipline of Public Health Medicine, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Discipline of Public Health Management, Institute of Development Management, Manzini, Eswatini.
Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2025 Jul;98(4-5):421-435. doi: 10.1007/s00420-025-02140-z. Epub 2025 May 14.
To describe work practices and exposures among sugarcane farm workers on smallholder cooperatives in eSwatini, being subcontracted (cane cutters) or directly employed (pesticide applicators).
Data were collected at mid-harvest using repeated field observations and wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) measurements. Questionnaires were administered to 267 sugarcane cutters and 125 pesticide applicators. Individual work output was defined as the length of the row of sugarcane cut over the workday, which also determined the monthly remuneration. The Quick Exposure Check was used to assess exposure to musculoskeletal risks. Pesticide handling practices were described with a focus on personal protection safety practices. Additionally, heart rate was measured in 20 pesticide workers for estimation of workload and core temperature.
Sugarcane sites generally had no provision for rest in shade. Few workers were provided with drinking water and thus used personal containers or took water from the irrigation system. The mean water intake over the workday was as low as 1.4 L. Most workers (87%) described their work as physically demanding. For workers with a high workload (cane cutters), the observed daily average maximum WBGT of 28.6 °C was above the NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) of 26 °C. Pesticide applicators had a moderate workload. A minority of the applicators had access to proper personal protective equipment such as air respirators (4%), chemical gloves (17%), and chemical overalls (21%); still, their protective clothing hindered heat dissipation and thus increased heat stress.
Workplace interventions are needed to protect workers' health and safety.
描述斯威士兰小农户合作社中甘蔗农场工人作为分包工（甘蔗砍伐工）或直接雇员（农药施用员）的工作实践和暴露情况。
在收获中期通过重复的现场观察和湿球黑球温度（WBGT）测量收集数据。对267名甘蔗砍伐工和125名农药施用员进行问卷调查。个人工作产出定义为工作日内砍伐的甘蔗行长度，这也决定了月报酬。使用快速暴露检查来评估肌肉骨骼风险暴露情况。重点描述了农药处理实践中的个人防护安全措施。此外，对20名农药施用工人测量了心率，以估计工作量和核心体温。
甘蔗种植地一般没有提供阴凉处休息。很少有工人能获得饮用水，因此他们使用个人容器或从灌溉系统取水。工作日的平均饮水量低至1.4升。大多数工人（87%）称他们的工作体力要求高。对于工作量大的工人（甘蔗砍伐工），观察到的每日平均最高WBGT为28.6°C，高于美国国家职业安全与健康研究所（NIOSH）推荐的暴露限值2°C。农药施用员的工作量适中。少数施用员能使用适当的个人防护设备，如空气呼吸器（4%）、化学手套（17%）和化学防护服（21%）；尽管如此，他们的防护服阻碍了散热，从而增加了热应激。
需要采取工作场所干预措施来保护工人的健康和安全。
