Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.

com/abstract=2389354
SLAP Journal of Social Science ISSN-0975 9999

WORK PROBLEMS FACED BY AGED CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN
THANJAVUR DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU

*S.SRINIVASAN,** Dr.P.ILANGO
*Department of Social Work, Bharathidasan University, Khajamalai Campus, Trichirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
Srinivasan102@gmail.com
**Department of Social Work, Bharathidasan University, Khajamalai Campus, Trichirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
Abstract - The Aged women construction workers faced several problems such as low wages,
health hazards, exploitation and denial of their fundament al rights. Through this study the
researcher aims to analyse the life of these aged women workers. The specific objectives of the
study are to study socio, economic background, occupational problems, health problems,
suitable measures to improve the health status. The research design used for this study is
descriptive. The sampling strategy used is simple random method. Data was collected from 70
respondents using an interview schedule by directly interviewing the respondents. The study
reveals that all the respondents belonged to the age group of above 55 years, all the respondents
were engaged in construction work and eighty eight percent of the respondents were highly
dissatisfied with their working conditions. 91 percent of the respondents had no good health
condition due to work condition. 80 percent of the respondents were illiterate. 89 percent of the
respondents severe head ache due to construction work.
Key words: Aged women, Construction workers, Health Problem, Occupation.
I. INTRODUCTION
As increasing numbers of women enter the
construction trades, concerns about their health
and safety are growing. In addition to the primary
safety and health hazards faced by all construction
workers, there are safety and health issues specific
to female construction workers. The small
percentage of females within the construction
trades and the serious health and safety problems
unique to female construction workers have a
circular effect. Safety and health problems in
construction create barriers to women entering and
remaining in this field. In turn, the small numbers
of women workers on construction worksites
foster an environment in which these safety and
health problems arise or continue. Vulnerabilities
and deprivations, while present throughout ones
lifetime, intensify during old age. Senescence
leads to greater susceptibility to diseases and
syndromes, a reduced ability to work and earn,
and bodily decline from hearing difficulties to
memory problems. Societies undertake a variety
of measures to reduce these vulnerabilities, which
include providing increased income and medical
assistance. The National sample survey of 1987-
88 showed an estimated range of 8.5 million
people indulged in building and construction work
in India. During those days building and
construction workers were recognized as
unorganized labours segment in India. A
comprehensive need for central legislation for
regulating the safety, health, welfare and other
conditions of service of these workers was felt.
The Bill stated as, Building and other
Construction Workers (Regulation of
Employment and conditions of service) Bill, 1988,
was introduced in Rajya Sabha. National Sample
Survey Organization (2004-2005) there are more
than 25.71 million building and other construction
workers estimated in India.
It is a very valid reason for having growing
concern upon the issues, involving the workers in
the construction industry. These workers face
inherent risk to the life and bodily injuries
including loss of vital parts. The work is of casual
nature and temporary and thereby there is no
Electronic copy available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2389354
continuity in relationship between employer and
employee. Uncertain working hours, lack of basic
amenities and inadequacy of welfare facilities are
the major drawbacks in and around this segment
of labour under the building and other
construction workers (Regulation of employment
and conditions of services) Act 1996, the State
Government has to ensure that the intended
benefits and advantages reach the construction
workers at the earliest and in full measure, for
which there are Welfare Boards set up in every
State to monitor the benefits of safety, health and
welfare measures of these workers.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Occupational Health and Safety issues
for Vulnerable groups of workers
women
In 2005, 6 percentage of female workers under 30
and 2 percent of all workers reported being
exposed to unwanted sexual attention. Women are
strongly affected by musculoskeletal disease. In
2005, these accounted for 85 percentage of all
recognized occupational diseases among women
in comparison to 59 percentage for all workers.
Aging workers:
Older workers report more work related health
problems than younger workers, with backache
and muscular pain reported by more than 70
percent of those aged 55 and more and general
fatigue and stress reported by more than 50
percentage of those aged 55 and more.
Young workers:
Overall, young workers have a 40 percent higher
rate of non- fatal injuries than older workers.
Studies have shown that among worker aged 15 to
24, more than 50 percent of all injury claims had
occurred in the first five months on the job.
Migrant workers:
National and regional studies indicate that migrant
workers suffer higher accident and injury rates.
For example, a regional study in Italy found that
the injury rate for permanent workers born outside
of the country was 60% higher than that for
permanent workers born in the country and
working in the same sectors.
Low-qualified workers:
Exposure to vibrations, loud noises, high and low
temperatures, breathing in smoke and vapors,
handling hazardous chemicals is higher for low-
qualified workers. According to 2005 data, only
13% of low-qualified workers had participated in
training provided by the employer over the past 12
months. The 2007-2012 strategy highlights the
importance of proper implementation and
enforcement of EU health and safety legislation,
calling attention for example to the needs of
young workers and temporary workers. For
women, a need for greater understanding of the
effect of working conditions on overall
reproductive health, beyond a focus on the period
of pregnancy, of combined exposure to health
risks from the workplace and home work of the
causes of occupational accidents for working
women and an identification of best practices to
address psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
Deirdre McCaughey, et al, the purpose of this
study is to examine whether workplace injuries
and illnesses influence health care providers
safety climate perceptions and how workplace
safety climate perceptions influence health care
provider well-being and organizational
commitment. This study results indicate that
workplacederived injury and illness are
associated with poor perceptions of safely climate,
and that perceptions of safety climate mediate the
relationship between workplace-derived injuries
and sick days and three outcome variables (job
stress, turnover intention, and job satisfaction.
Mahmood Bakhtiyari et al, work related
accidents are considered as a major health
problem worldwide. The aim of present study was
to determine the epidemiological pattern of
occupational accidents among workers.
Pransky et.al.(2002) surveyed urban immigrant
workers in immigrant community in northern
Virginia and found that they face high risk of
occupational injuries with adverse
outcomes.Thirty two percent of these workers
worked in construction, and of that group, 13
percent had been injured in the past three years.
The Dong and Platner (2004) study cited above
found that from 1992 to 2000, for every age
group, Hispanic construction workers consistently
faced higher relative risks. All of these studies
suggest that Hispanics in the construction industry
are more likely to face injury and inadequate
safety conditions than others.
D.C., area, Hunting et al. (1994) found that
labourers and Hispanic workers were
overrepresented among severe cases of injury.
Anderson, Hunting, and Welch (2000) found that
construction workers were more likely to
employed in the less skilled trades and had a
higher proportion of serious injuries. They
suggested that minority status is a predictor of
trade and that trade is a predictor of injury risk.
Objective of the study
To study the socio-demographic
characteristics of the respondents.
To assess the occupation health of the
respondents.
To study the health problems of the
respondents.
To suggest suitable measures to improve
the health.
METHODOLOGY
The present study used simple random sampling.
The researcher carried out descriptive research
design. The total number of sampling size 70. The
present descriptive study on occupational health
problem faced by aged women construction
workers. The size of the universe is 140.
Pilot study
In the preliminary stage of the study the researcher
conducted a pilot study in order to find out the
possibility of carrying out of study. The researcher
visited Thanjavur district to meet the women
construction worker to get the list of worker. The
list was later used in the selection of the
respondents using sampling frame work adopted
for the present study. Data was collected from the
construction workers through sampling technique
which was decided up on by the researcher.
Inclusion criteria
1. The study includes male between the age
group 50 to 60 and above.
2. The study includes female workers worked
at construction site.
3. The study includes the geographical limits
of Thanjavur.
Sources of Data Collection
The researcher used both primary and secondary
sources of data for study. The primary sources of
the data were collected through the questionnaire
and the secondary data were collected though
books, article, newspaper and e-sources.
DISCUSSION
This findings regarding the social demographic
variable, economic variable and facilities available
in the community the problem faced by physical
and mental problem, their political knowledge and
finding related to hypothesis. The suggestion of
the study divided in three dimensions namely
suggestion to social, economic states,
occupational facilities details and suggestions to
future researchers. The majority of the
respondents age group between above 55,
majority 80 percent of the respondents were
illiterate, 79 percent of the respondents were
belongs to nuclear family. All the respondents
living in rural area, majority of the respondents
were more than four children, 91 percent of the
respondents had no good health condition, 88
percent of the respondents severe head ache. 51
percent of the respondents had no right salary for
the work. 89 percent of the respondents had not
satisfaction regarding work, majority 47 percent
of the respondents children education was very
low, 73 percent of the respondents no bank saving.
97 percent of the respondents had got frustration
due to work, majority respondents said there is no
toilet facilities, there is no first aid provision.
Majority of the 67 percent of the respondents had
4000 to 5000 salary. 85 % percent of the
respondents said that no regular employment. All
the respondents had 5 to 7 hours duration of
working per day, 99 percent of the respondents
had Rs. 250 to 300 for daily wages, all the
respondents had go 21 to 25 years experience in
the field of construction work. Many aged workers
involved chital type of work.
SUGGESTION
As the economic status of the aged women
construction workers is very low, the daily wages
and incentive could be increased depends upon
their work. The basic facilities like toilets and
drinking water could be arranged. All construction
sites may have access to first aid since they are
early proving to accidents. Organizing free
periodical camps exclusively for the aged women
construction workers. Transportation facilities
may be facilitated for their convince. The house of
labour should be reduced taking into consideration
the age and health of the respondents. Awareness
of healthy diet should be imported among
construction workers. As the in values great
amount of energy and stamina.
CONCLUSION
The female construction people are working as
construction workers due to their poverty and to
earn more income to fulfil their needs children
education. Because to this work they are having
physical and mental problem. Most old age people
are going for construction work. Production
should be given to the construction work. It the
work extra time over time salary should be given.
Salary should be given based on this work.
Female construction workers are sexually
harassment. The research encountered difficulties
in collectively data from the respondents as the
place of data collection is very far and time was a
great constraint. The researcher also faced a
number of health problems because the
constructional workers as well as it aimed to gain
insight into the occupational a problems faced by
the workers at large and it was also attempt to
improve the conditions of the old age women
construction workers.
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SLAP Journal of Social Science ISSN-0975 9999