• MR. VIKRAM KALE
• DR. KALPANA KALE

Background of study: The industry follows a very primitive and informal procedure in the field of technology, recruitment of workers, wage payment systems, and daily working conditions. In India, brick making is typically a manual process. It is one of the air and land polluting industries in the small-scale sector as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Brick kilns have one of the most backward working environments in India that cause respiratory, gastrointestinal, psychosocial, dermatological, and musculoskeletal scatters. These hazards in the working environment are due to the high ambient temperature as well as hazards associated with manual load lifting. The vulnerable postures the workers are engaged in for long periods and the raw materials used, further increase the risk of injury. Some research findings in India suggested that occupational health hazards are most common among brick factory workers which included respiratory problems, skin problems, vision problems, musculoskeletal problems, hearing problems. Early identification of these hazards will be useful for prevention, early treatment and curative treatment of brick factory workers. Objectives: 1. To assess the occupational health hazards among brick factory workers in Rahata taluka. 2.To find out association between occupational health hazards among brick factory workers with their selected demographic variables. Material and methods: A quantitative approach was adopted for the current research study. A descriptive study design with survey approach is used to assess occupational health hazards. A total of 100 brick factory workers were selected as samples by non-probability purposive sampling technique. This study was conducted in the selected brick factories among area of Rahata taluka. The demographic variables were assessed by structured questionnaire and occupational health hazards were assessed by using a structured checklist. The results were analysed by descriptive and inferential statistics (frequency, percentage, chi square analysis). Results: The results concluded that among the brick factory workers in Rahata taluka, skin problems were identified as the most common occupational health hazards as they accounted for about (53%) out of which skin infections were in majority about (14%), followed by eye problems were found about (51%) with majority of workers having far sightedness about (18%). With regards to musculoskeletal problems, they were found about (41%) in brick factory workers, out of which majority (18%) were faced nerve and muscle injury followed by gastro intestinal problems about (38%) out of which majority (10%) were having anorexia. Ear problems were found about (24%) which included majority (12%) with hearing impairment followed by respiratory problems (22%) with majority of workers having (9%) breathing difficulty followed by nervous system problems (7%) out of which majority (4%) of workers were having complaints of change in ability to sense movements. The study findings also concluded that there is no any significant association between occupational health hazards and selected demographic variables such as age, gender, education, religion, monthly income, type of family and marital status except substance abuse and residence of brick factory workers.

Assess, Occupational health hazards, Brick factory workers.

"A study to assess occupational health hazards among brick factory workers in Rahata Taluka", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 1, page no.a723-a730, January-2024, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2401090.pdf

"A study to assess occupational health hazards among brick factory workers in Rahata Taluka", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 1, page no. ppa723-a730, January-2024, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2401090.pdf