LAND FOR HOUSING AND FOOD SECURITY: A CASE STUDY OF FAISLABAD, PAKISTANCX

Abstract

Street sweepers have been employed in cities since sanitation and waste removal is first priority. They are vulnerable to dijJerent diseases especially related to respiratory system. Street sweepers got diseases during their work due to the dust, pollution in the environment. We can term these diseases as occupational diseases. Street sweepers are prone to dust, pollution and other hazardous materials. Street sweeping in Islamabad is done manually with brooms and loaded into handcarts; women cleaners are mainly doing the street sweeping jobs. The present study is designed to identifY the occupational diseases among the sweepers. The study focused on identifYing the nature and reasons of occupation-based diseases. The variables discussed in the study were exposure to dust, prevalence of respiratory and non respiratory symptoms, and usage of personal protective equipments (PPE), duraOon of employment and chronic bronchitis and asthma among sweepers. Purposive sampling was used in this study. The jemale sweepers working in Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad were interviewed for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistical procedures were adapted jar the analysis of the data. The important diseases observed in the sweepers were cough, breathing problem and other resp iratory problem. The relationship found significant between dust exposure and respiratory diseases. The ratio of availability of personal protective equipments (P P E) is zero and its usage is ve l')! less.