CHEMICAL EXPOSURE IN TURKISH CHILDREN WORKING IN FURNITURE AND SHOES MAKING SECTORS

Year 2017, Volume: Volume 2 Issue: İssue 1 (1) - 2.İnternational Congress Of Forensic Toxicology, 155 - 155, 16.02.2017

Aliye Mandıracıoğlu , Safiye Özvurmaz

Abstract

Furniture and
shoes making sectors are highly worker oriented and children aged 15-17 years
who are engaged in hazardous working. Working children are exposed to dangerous
chemicals especially solvents.  The aim
of this qualitative study was to explore young workers’ perceptions of health
and safety hazards of chemical substances in their work-places.

The study
involved 24 young workers engaged in painting varnishing and gluing process in
micro or small enterprises. Interviews with children were conducted for
collecting qualitative data. The interviews allowed participants spontaneously
to share information on open-ended questions. The collecting information was
analyzed qualitatively using tabulation.

All of the
participants were males, the mean age was15.5±1.2 years old (12-17). Mean
working hour was 11.8±0.8/ day (10-14). All of the working children were out of
school and living in urban slum. Most of the children were smoking. All of the
workers stated that they receive insufficient occupational exposure
information. Furniture workers reported that their workplaces had ventilation
systems and only one of workers used protective masks while at work. But all of
the shoes making workers reported that their work-places had no ventilation
systems and they had no protective equipments. When asked about what
work-related health risk they might face, all of the participants referred to
dust and chemical agents. Children reported major health problems due to the
dust and chemical inhalation were coughs, headaches, skin complaints,
irritability and dizziness.

Participants
were aware of the potential dangers of exposuring to chemical substances and
worried about the effects of chemical substances on their health.

Keywords

CHEMICAL EXPOSURE IN TURKISH CHILDREN WORKING IN FURNITURE AND SHOES MAKING SECTORS

References

• Aliye MANDIRACIOĞLU, Safiye ÖZVURMAZ
• Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of Public Health, Izmir, Turkey Adnan Menderes University, School of Health Science