Impact of Ship Breaking Industries on Labour Health: A Case Study on Sitakundu Ship Yards, Chittagong

INTRODUCTION From the old ships many hazardous materials released, the research has found ship released asbestos, chemicals (PCB, PCV, PAH, Tin-organic compounds oils), heavy metals, fumes (dust, fume/gas components; dioxines, isocyanates, sulphur, etc.). For hazardous materials many health hazards occurred like Anorexia, Nausea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Respiratory distress, Asthma, Pneumonia, Lung cancer, Dysuria, Urenia etc. Bangladesh is becoming a graveyard for the dying ships and so it is, for the workers of the shipyards too. More than 50,000 people are working in ship breaking industry in Chittagong with serious health hazards because of the poisonous waste released from old ships.

The study contains the following objectives:  To identify the present status of the labour and staffs in the ship yards.  To assess the health status of the workers due to hazardous materials in the ship yards. Objectives of the study

Materials and Methods  Study Area Map of Study Area

Sample Size Determination By the following equation the sample size has determined — z 2 pq n₀ = (Berensen and Levine, 1992) d 2 Where, z = Normal variate and which has for 95.5% confidence interval, p = Sample proportion. P= 2% of total workers, i.e p + q = 1, therefore, q = 0.98 and d = Desired error, here it is taken = 3% = 0.03 The initial sample size is therefore: (2.005) 2 x 0.02 x 0.98 n₀ = ……………………………. = (0.03) 2 These sample size is adjusted by using the following formula — n₀ n = (Berensen and Levine, 1992) n₀ N Where, n = Required Sample Size, and N = Size of Total workers = So the sample size, n = = ≈ (87.54/45000)

Data Collection Primary Data Collection: Questionnaires Preparation The questionnaires have focused on mainly, 1.Job Condition 2. Diseases and symptoms 3. Health Hazards related causes 4. Ship breaking zones, activities and hazards 5. Accident rate: Major or Minor

Secondary Data Collection: Secondary sources information was collected from the following sources — 1. Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association. (Both Dhaka & Chittagong Office) 2. YPSA office of Chittagong 3. Industry Inspection Department of Bangladesh Government. 4. Department of Environment 5. Ship yard’s regional Office 6. B M D Chittagong Office. Data Collection

Figure1: Percentage of Ship Yards in Sitakundu Upazila Figure2: Number of workers in Surveyed yards RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Table1: Working hour & Salary of Cutter group Table2:Working hour & Salary of Plate group

Table3:Working hour & Salary of Wire group Table4:Working hour & Salary of Hammer group

Fig3: Facilities of Labour in Accident

1.Very risky job / threats of accident/ fear to work on the top of the ships. 2. Hands and legs are always burned, feel pain in body and chest. 3. Too much working pressure but fewer wages. 4. Necessary tools and elements (like dresses, gloves, helmet, shoes & welding glass) are not provided. 5. No security of life. 6. Legs are often cut and injured. Undeclared rule is “ no work no money ” Major Problems of Workers

Health Hazards Figure4:Medical Facilities in Shipyards Figure5:Condition of food, sanitation and habitat

Figure6: Different types of Eye ProblemsFigure7: Percentage of Eye Problems Sufferer Groups: Cutter Group Percentages of Sufferings: Redness & Tearing 53.63%, Burning Sensation 28.98%, Blurring Vision 17.39%

Figure8: Respiratory Problems Figure9: Abdominal Problems Suffer Groups: Flame Cutter and Welding Group Suffer Groups: Gas Cutter and Loaders & Fitters

Dysuria Uremia Figure10: Urinary ProblemsFigure11: Muscle Problems Sufferer Group: Welding GroupSufferer Group: Loaders and Wire Puller Groups

ItchingLesion Figure12: Skin Problems Sufferer Group: Oil Group

Figure13: Toxic metals related hazardsFigure14: Bright light, Fire, Dust related diseases

Figure15: Asbestos, Chromates, Icocynides related diseases

Table6: Hazardous materials and Diseases

Table7: Dead List of Workers

. CONCLUSION: I.Workers receive potential negative health impacts from traditional working procedures adopted in the scrapping yards such as: Cutter groups without protection (eye problems, respiratory problems and abdominal problems). Loaders and Puller groups (back injuries and muscle problem). Welding workers (urinary problems). Oil groups (skin problems). II.78.40% of workers have been suffering from eye problems % of cutter and welding group have been suffering from respiratory problems % of gas cutter, loaders and fitters have been suffering from abdominal problems % of loaders and wire pullers suffered from muscle problems % of oil groups suffered from skin problems. III.Most of the workers were found to suffer from multiple diseases and health hazards.

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