1. Occupational Health and the Informal sector
Prof. Folashade Omokhodion Department of Community Medicine
University of Ibadan and University College Hospital, Ibadan

2. Definition The informal sector or informal economy
that part of an economy that is not taxed, or monitored by any form of government.
All economic activities; in all sectors of the economy that are operated outside the purview of government regulation
Describes the activities of the working poor.

3. Definition The formal sector on the other hand is :
A group of people, usually employees, that includes recognized income sources for paying income taxes based on all 40-hour, regular wage jobs.
The formal sector has companies registered with the government and hence, it offers job security, paid holidays, pensions, health, fixed working hours, extra pay for overtime work, medical and other allowances, gratuity and various other benefits

4. Informal sector
According to SIDA, the key drivers for the growth of the informal economy in the twenty-first century include:
limited absorption of labour, particularly in countries with high rates of population or urbanization;
excessive cost and regulatory barriers of entry into the formal economy, often motivated by corruption;
weak institutions, limiting education and training opportunities as well as infrastructure development;
increasing demand for low-cost goods and services;
migration motivated by economic hardship and poverty;
difficulties faced by women in gaining formal employment

5. Informal sector
The ILO/ICFTU international symposium on the informal sector in 1999 proposed that the informal sector workforce can be categorized into three broad groups:
(a) owner-employers of micro enterprises, which employ a few paid workers, with or without apprentices;
(b) own-account workers, who own and operate one-person business, who work alone or with the help of unpaid workers, generally family members and apprentices;
(c) dependent workers, paid or unpaid, including wage workers in micro enterprises, unpaid family workers, apprentices, contract labor, homeworkers and paid domestic workers.

6. Characteristics of the Informal sector
The concept of the informal sector was introduced into international usage in by the International Labor Organization (ILO) which defined informality as a -way of doing things characterized by
ease of entry;
reliance on indigenous resources;
family ownership;
small scale operations;
labor intensive and adaptive technology;
skills acquired outside of the formal sector;
unregulated and competitive markets.

7. Characteristics of the Informal sector
Unprotected by legislation
Unrecognized,
Unorganized
Limited capital
Lack of access to credit facilities
Low wages
Insecure income
Evasion of taxes

8. Informal sector in Nigeria
Nigeria has the largest informal sector in Africa- by sheer numbers, high unemployment rate and rising levels of poverty.
It accounts for nearly 70% of the workforce
Current unemployment rates in Nigeria % ( National Bureau of Statistics 2012)
54% of youths (15-35years) unemployed- denominator 64million (2012 National Baseline Youth Survey Report)
Women and children constitute a major proportion of workers in this sector- women have difficulty attaining formal employment because of low education – they work at home and on the streets. Children provide cheap labour

9. Informal sector in Nigeria
Poverty has risen in Nigeria, with almost 100 million people living on less than a $1 a day, despite economic growth, statistics have shown. The National Bureau of Statistics said 60.9% of Nigerians in 2010 were living in "absolute poverty"
Poverty drives people to seek some form of livelihood.

10. Informal sector in Nigeria
Thus , the informal sector has grown within the last decade especially with the advent of mass unemployment, government and NGO driven poverty alleviation schemes.
Accounts for 57.9% of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic product(GDP)
This growth has taken place without regulation or supervision by the competent authorities.

11. Informal sector in Nigeria
The media has applauded small scale entrepreneurs without taking cognizance of health hazards they are exposed to; e.g women who work in the quarry in northern Nigeria, a young man making aluminum pots from scrap metal etc.
They are displayed as success stories of those who have emerged from the pains of poverty and become successful business men and women.
While its true that they are making money, it is at the expense of good health; many of the hazards of such workplaces may not produce immediate illnesses but could result in major illnesses in the long term such as cancers and chronic poisoning.

12. Informal sector in Nigeria
The plethora of poverty alleviation programmes which dovetail into cottage industries producing soap, polish etc do not have a component of health and safety for the worker.
While work is an antedote to poverty, unsafe and unhealthy work is a recipe for disaster. This was well demonstrated in the Zamfara lead poisoning disaster.
Work done in residential premises and home based work leads to exposure of family memberse.g child’s consumption of caustic soda and ensuing oesophageal stricture.

13. Range of Informal sector workers
4 main groups:
Manufacturing: block making, soap making, mining, pottery
Service-mechanics, welders, carpenters, painters and plumbers
Trading; petty traders
Agriculture- particularly in the rural areas

14. Distribution of informal enterprises in Nigeria by activity category CBN/FOS/NISER
No of persons
Percentage%
Wholesale and retail trade
36, 722
49.0
Manufacturing
22, 539
30.1
Repairs (cars, cycles and goods)
2, 406
3.2
Transportation (land and water)
2, 164
2.9
Hotels and restaurants
1, 948
2.6
Building and construction
1, 375
1.8
Health and Social work
637
0.9
Water supply
458
0.6
Real estate/renting services
300
0.4
Education
298
Other community services
74, 912
8.0

15. Informal sector and OHS
OHS services do not usually cover informal sector
Dr. El Batawi- an Egyptian occupational physician who served as CMO in the office of Occupational Health WHO, Geneva several decades ago referred to them as “the forgotten masses.”

16. FIGURE 23. 3a. The informal sector at work: Petty manufacturing
FIGURE 23.3a. The informal sector at work: Petty manufacturing. (a) Making blocks for house construction, Kano, Nigeria. Photo: Roy Maconachie.
From Africa South of the Sahara, 3rd edition, by Robert Stock. Copyright 2013 by The Guilford Press.

17. Carpentry

18. Vulcanizer

19. Bicycle repair

20. Lagos!

21. Work conditions Premises - road side - market - residential Workshops
-no toilet facilities for toilet
- poor water supply
-poor lighting
-poor ventilation
-poor housekeeping

22. Occupational exposures
Physical hazards
Noise – mill workers
Light – welders
Chemical hazards
Petro chemicals – mechanics
Pb – battery chargers
solvents- printers, painters, sprayers
Hg – gold mining
Alkalis – soap Mх

23. Occupational exposures
Biological
G.I. organisms – poor food and water sources
Food grains, dust
Other infections in the work place e.g HIV
Mechanical
Lifting ,
Heavy physical work
Wrong postures, bending, twisting
Poorly designed tools
Unsafe work practices

24. Occupational exposures
Psychological
Long working hours
Poor remuneration
No job security
Relationships with opposite sex

25. Health problems of Informal sector workers
Musculoskeletal disorders
Low back pain
Respiratory disorders
Injuries
Dermatitis
Noise induced hearing loss

26. Artisans Chronic bronchitis 13% Eye irritation 51%
Mechanics (Omokhodion & Osungbade 1996)
Hand dermatitis 25%
Cuts and bruises 35%
Low back pain 9%
Saw mill workers (Fatusi & Erhabor 1996)
Musculoskeletal disorders 69%
Conjunctivitis 41%
Tinnitus 34%
Gas welders (Erhabor, Fatusi, Ndububa 1992)
Chronic bronchitis 13%
Eye irritation 51%

27. Artisans Mill workers (Omokhodion & Kolude 2005)
Headaches 73%
Low back pain 53%
Rhinitis 63%
Tinnitus 28%
Hearing loss 3%
Printers (Omokhodion et al 2013)
Musculoskeletal disorders 28%
Low back pain 20%
Respiratory symptoms 12%

28. Occupational health and Safety needs
Database on OHS in the informal sector; exposures and health effects-short and long term; health problems and health needs
Regulatory arm of OHS establishment to oversee the sector

29. Occupational health and safety needs
Training in identification of hazards and implementing practical solutions
Low cost personal protective equipment
Workplace improvement with low cost materials
Access to microcredit

30. Occupational Health and Safety needs
Needs can be met within the primary health care setting.
Primary health care:
It is the first level of contact of individuals, the family and community with the national health system bringing health care as close as possible to where people live and work.
Need to train primary health care workers
Visits to workplaces

31. Occupational health needs
Raise awareness about occupational health and safety issues
Health and safety posters, pamphlets
Waste disposal- avoiding public health nuisance
Residential waste collectors will not take industrial wastes; so informal workers engage in dumping of wastes.
Low cost solutions to ergonomic hazards

32. A Mechanic Workshop-some practical low cost solution- appropriate technology

33. Use of gloves to reduce contact with chemicals such as engine oil, petrol, lubricants

34. SOEHPON Needs to be relevant to the needs of the forgotten masses
Should continue dialogue with leaders of the various workgroups
Assist government to collate data about exposures
Provide guidelines for regulation of informal sector workers
Make definite efforts to assist government to incorporate occupational health into the primary health care system to serve the needs of these workers

35. 2012 Mabayoje College lecture