Abstract
The current study was conducted on eight poultry farms in Lahore and Sheikhupura to monitor environmental conditions, determine workers’ health status and assess the implementation of standard management practices. Environmental monitoring, a health questionnaire survey and a respiratory function test were carried out. Seventy-one respondents were selected for the health assessment survey and lung function test. The results showed that the evaluated air-quality parameters, except for temperature and humidity, were well below the permissible occupational limits. Maximum temperature recorded was 32.75 ºC, while the highest humidity level was 85.5%. Farms were shown to be compliant with standard guidelines and management practices. The workers’ health survey indicated lower prevalence of work-related symptoms as compared to previous studies. However, most workers were not subjected to overall physical hazards, 21.1% of workers suffered from heat-induced dermatosis, and 38% suffered from heat exhaustion. Eye problems (watery, redness and itchiness) were experienced by 16.9% to 31%. Reported respiratory symptoms included wheezing during colds (18.3%), wheezing other than during colds (1.4%), chest tightness (16.9%), shortness of breath along with chest tightness (9.9%), regular breathing difficulties (14.1%), and coughing (15.5%). Observed lung function pattern, as measured by FEV1/FVC ratio, was 87 ± 17.7, with 65% workers having ‘restrictive’ disorder and 21% normal lung function pattern, while 21% presented ‘obstructive’ lung function. The study concludes an overall better health and safety management in the selected poultry farms.
Highlights
The growing demand for economical and safe meat and egg supply has led to rapid development of the poultry industry
The results showed that the evaluated air-quality parameters, except for temperature and humidity, were well below the permissible occupational limits
The results of the environmental monitoring (Table 1) show that all the air quality parameters, except for temperature and humidity, were well below the permissible occupational limits set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Donham et al, 2002)
Summary
The growing demand for economical and safe meat and egg supply has led to rapid development of the poultry industry. With a total revenue of 564 billion Pakistani Rupees (PRs.) per year, Pakistan’s poultry production industry ranks as the country’s second largest organized and dynamic industry. This industrial sector has rapidly developed in the recent decades and is as source of direct and indirect employment opportunities to about 1.5 million people in the country. The potential of this sector can be gauged from the fact that its annual growth rate is between 8-10%. 40% of the annual domestic meat consumption demand in Pakistan is supplied by commercial poultry farms, the sector still faces major challenges, which include lack of resources to manage poultry diseases, power shortages, increasing feed prices, and poor law and order situation in the country (Memon, 2012)
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