Need for early introduction of protective body wear to minimise multiple injuries in oil palm plantation field workers.
Abstract
A 3 year study (1979-81) carried out at the former BAL Plantations Company, Sabah, Malaysia, showed that from a total of 303 injuries to oil palm workers, the highest percentage are to the legs (55.77 percent) and hands (33.21 percent), representing 90 percentof all injuries. The introduction of strong and adequate body wear (particularly special gloves, boots and safety helmets) is an urgent necessity. Protective clothing is relatively costly, but providing each labourer with boots, gloves and helmet is well within the means of the industry. Once the use of protective clothing is legally accepted (as an amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1993), there will be a huge reduction in the rate of oil palm injuries (70-80 percent) and hence working days lost (70-80 percent), along with a reduction in the cost of medical treatment. A 3 year study (1979-81) carried out at the former BAL Plantations Company, Sabah, Malaysia, showed that from a total of 303 injuries to oil palm workers, the highest percentage are to the legs (55.77 percent) and hands (33.21 percent), representing 90 percentof all injuries. The introduction of strong and adequate body wear (particularly special gloves, boots and safety helmets) is an urgent necessity. Protective clothing is relatively costly, but providing each labourer with boots, gloves and helmet is well within the means of the industry. Once the use of protective clothing is legally accepted (as an amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1993), there will be a huge reduction in the rate of oil palm injuries (70-80 percent) and hence working days lost (70-80 percent), along with a reduction in the cost of medical treatment.
A 3 year study (1979-81) carried out at the former BAL Plantations Company, Sabah, Malaysia, showed that from a total of 303 injuries to oil palm workers, the highest percentage are to the legs (55.77 percent) and hands (33.21 percent), representing 90 percentof all injuries. The introduction of strong and adequate body wear (particularly special gloves, boots and safety helmets) is an urgent necessity. Protective clothing is relatively costly, but providing each labourer with boots, gloves and helmet is well within the means of the industry. Once the use of protective clothing is legally accepted (as an amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1993), there will be a huge reduction in the rate of oil palm injuries (70-80 percent) and hence working days lost (70-80 percent), along with a reduction in the cost of medical treatment.
Palabras clave:
accident prevention
accidents
gloves
health protection
Malaysia
oil palms
protective clothing
safety at work
safety
Workers
working clothing
Accidents
Accidents
Accidents
Accidents
Gloves
Protective clothing
Safety
Employees
Employees
accident prevention
accidents
gloves
health protection
Malaysia
oil palms
protective clothing
safety at work
safety
Workers
working clothing
Accidents
Accidents
Accidents
Accidents
Gloves
Protective clothing
Safety
Employees
Employees