Original scientific paper
HEALTH PROTECTION AT WORK FOR THE WINEGROWERS IN FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES ON THE ISLAND OF HVAR
Tomislav Carić
; Poliklinika Jadran, Split, Hrvatska
Bojana Knežević
; Klinički bolnički centar Zagreb, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Nataša Janev Holcer
; Zavod za javno zdravstvo, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Marija Zavalić
; Hrvatski zavod za zaštitu zdravlja i sigurnost na radu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
Viticulture on the island of Hvar is a tradition and has been one of the most important branches of agriculture for hundreds of years. Today, it exists mostly as family-owned businesses.
The aim of this paper was to determine the status of the winegrowers’ safety and health at work in family-owned businesses, especially with regard to the use of pesticides, safety at work while using them, health problems connected with the use of pesticides, and injuries at work sustained in the vineyard. The research, lasting from June to November 2012, was carried out at 57 vineyards using an anonymous questionnaire.
The results showed that the most widely used pesticides in the vineyards on the island of Hvar are sulphur and copper preparations. It was found that, while working, the winegrowers do not use all the protective equipment available. There was a significant difference in the use of protective equipment depending on the phase of the work with pesticides. Among the health problems connected with the use of pesticides, the most frequent were the irritation of the eyes and skin, which appeared in almost all examinees and were connected with the use of powdery sulphur preparations. The symptoms of mild pesticide poisoning appeared in a small number of examinees after using sulphur and copper preparations together and were manifested as symptoms of the digestive system. A variety of injuries were observed in as many as half of the examined persons. They were mostly classified as mild injuries, while 20% were classified as serious injuries that occurred as a result of falling, stumbling, or an accident. The mechanical equipment used in vineyards had no significant impact on the injuries sustained at work.
The results of the research show that the winegrowers need additional education and training in the harmful effects of pesticides on human health, as well as developing a more responsible attitude to the obligatory use of protective equipment. Thus, it is necessary to develop and implement an efficient system of safety and health at work for the workers in family owned businesses on Hvar and nationwide.
Keywords
winegrowers; pesticides; health at work; family-owned business
Hrčak ID:
155898
URI
Publication date:
21.12.2015.
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