Selected occupational health hazards of Colombo municipal sewage workers

Abstract

This study was designed to be a comparative cross-sectional study, where the main objective of the study was determining the hazards of sewage and to assess its effects on the health of sewage workers. Water workers were selected as a control group. The data collection techniques used in this study included; an interviewer administrated questionnaire, clinical examination of the study subjects, laboratory investigations of stools for AOC and other intestinal parasites and working environmental monitoring. This study revealed an association, which seems to be the exposure to sewage and development of certain diseases such as "Sewage workers syndrome", skin diseases, worm infestations, diarrhoeal diseases, occupation related injuries and accidents. It was observed that poor hygienic and safety practices of sewage workers are responsible for most of these disease conditions and could be prevented to a greater extent if improved hygienic and safe measures are adopted