238656 Child and young workers in furniture and woodworking informal industries in Central Java, Indonesia - working conditions and health problems

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Hanifa Denny, MPH , Occupational Safety & Health, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, Semarang, Indonesia
Cahya T. Purnami, MPH , Biostatics, Diponegoro University, Semrang, Central Java, Indonesia
Wieke D. Anjarini, MPH , Health Promotion, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia
M. Muktiati, MPH , Office of Manpower, Jepara Regency Adminstration, Jepara, Indonesia
Abdul Hakim, MSI , Ipec, ILO Jakarta Office, Jakarta 10250, Indonesia
Annemarie Reerink , Ipec, ILO Jakarta Office, Jakarta 10250, Indonesia
Norbert Wagner, MD, PhD , Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
  
BACKGROUND: In 2008, around six million child workers were working in Indonesia. Approximately 2000 child and young workers work in furniture and woodworking industries in four districts in Jepara Regency (province), Indonesia. Goal: This qualitative study, funded by ILO Jakarta, International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), explored working conditions and health problems of child and young workers in the furniture and woodworking sector in 2008.

METHODS: The study utilized randomized sampling for individual home industries and convenience sample of participants on site in Jepara Regency. Interviews were conducted with half-structured questionnaires. Working conditions were evaluated with checklists.

RESULTS: Fifteen furniture workshops in four districts were visited. In total, 75 child workers (age until 14), 77 young workers (age 15-25), 15 employers, and 15 workers' guardians (mostly parents) were included. Hand tool accident rates were higher in child workers (20%) than young workers (16.8%); sickness absence were 20% and 15.6% respectively. No workshop had control measures installed. Health risks (wood dust, airborne particles, enamels, lacquers, epoxy-, alkyd- and acrylic-resins, repetitive motion, awkward postures, prolonged working hours) were present in all workshops. But 93.3% of parents believed that their children are not exposed to any hazard at work.

CONCLUSIONS: Child and young workers are exposed to a multitude of health risks in the informal furniture industry. Parents were not aware of risks for their children. Outreach programs, education opportunities and awareness training for shop owners and parents might be way to change the situation.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Occupational health and safety

Learning Objectives:
- Describe working conditions of child and young workers in Java, Indonesia - Compare health outcomes between child and young workers in informal sector - Analyze intervention opportunities aiming at parents and shop owners for workplace improvements and reduction of hazardous child labour

Keywords: Child Health, Youth at Work

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I work as associate professor in occupational health & safety since 1994 at Diponegoro University, Indonesia. I have conducted several research studies on working conditions since 1994. I am director of the OSH program in the MPH Graduate Studies.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Poster Session: Young worker health and safety and other OHS topics
See more of: Occupational Health and Safety