The occupations that extensively involve rural women in agriculture and specific activities that they perform can be broadly categorized as:
Farming
Post harvest and agro processing
Agro based product making
Application of pesticides
The specific activity being performed under each category is prone to certain health hazards. These hazards are caused due to various factors, which have been explained as under
Health Hazards of farming activites
Activity
Possible Health Hazard
Causal Factors
Land preparation
Physical stress
Body/ Back ache
Cuts and blisters
Injuries, septic conditions tetanus
Working posture
Defective and conventional tools and implements
Dust
Fertilizers and chemicals
Weeding and
Transplantation of paddy
Body/ back ache
Swollen and/ or sore hands and feet
Insect or snake bite
Skin infections
Cold and cough
Heat stroke
Bending position
Long hours of standing in water/ rain
Polluted water
Scorching sun
Application of Pesticides
Skin irritation/ infections
Respiratory problems
Allergies, nausea Effect on reproductive health and lactation
Carcinogenic effect of pesticides
Unhygienic conditions
Inhalation of poisonous gases/ substances
Pesticide residues
Harvesting Bundling of crop
Body or back ache/ fatigue
Bruises, in palm or fingers
Respiratory infections
Pain in lower limbs
Leech and other insect bite and snake bite
Dust and husk particles
Pesticide residues
Bending posture
Manual transport of harvested crops
Muscular
Back ache
Physical strain
Miscarriage/ termination of pregnancy
Excessive bleeding during menstruation
Repeated bending and standing posture
Carrying heavy weight on head and shoulder
Plucking of vegetables Plucking of flowers Picking of cotton
Bruises in palms and fingers
Back ache Skin irritation
Skin irritation
Burning sensation
Bruises in fingers
Dust and other plant particles heat
Heat and sun
Dust pesticide residues
Harvesting of sugar cane
Cuts and blisters leading to tetanus
Skin irritation
Insect or snake bite
Repeated bending and standing postures
Defective conventional tools and implements
Health Hazards of Post- Harvest activities
Activity
Possible Health Hazard
Causal factor
Threshing Winnowing
Respiratory, eye and skin infections
Sun stroke
Dust and polluted air
Heat
Milling of grains and pulses
Eye and skin irritation
Congestion in respiratory tract and allergies
Hearing problems
Dust
Scorching heat
Arduous job
Vibrations in machine
Ginning of cotton
Respiratory problems
Eye and skin irritation
Congestion in lungs leading to tuberculosis (TB)
Cotton filaments
Dust and residues of pesticides
Picking of ground nut
Pain and bruises in figures
Hardening of skin of fingures
Backache
Monotony of work
Long hours of sitting
Cleaning and drying of farm produce
Body/ Backache
Sneezing and coughing
Squatting
Dust and heat
Sorting and grading for seed selection
Back ache
Irritation to eye, skin and respiratory tract
Burning sensation
Sitting posture
Dust and heat
Pungency of chills
Grinding
Body ache
Pain in bicep muscles
Adverse effects on reproductive health
Monotonous body movement
Traditional and labour intensive method
Tobacco processing
Lung infection
Body/ backache
Strong odour
Dust and heat
Health Hazards of Agro- Based Product Making Activities
Activity
Possible Health Hazard
Causal factor
Beedi making
Congestion in respiratory tract leading to tuberculosis (TB)
Back ache/ body ache
Inhalation of strong odour of tobacco
Long hours of sitting position
Leaf plate making
Pain in fingers
Back pain
Pricking of fine sticks into leaves
Long hours of sitting position
Rope making
Blisters on palm fingers
Roughness and hardness of hands
Pain in hands
Long hours of twisting coarse fibre
Repetitive movements for long hours
Basket making
Cuts and blisters on palm and fingers
Pain in hands Back ache
Handling of coarse bamboo strips for long
Repetitive hand movements
Sericulture
Skin allergies
Cuts, injuries
Poor management of cocoon baskets at home
Cutting of mulberry leaves
Weaving
Body ache especially back ache, pain in hands and legs
Participants