MORBIDITY PROFILE OF WORKERS AND WORKPLACE ASSESSMENT IN SELECTED ICE CREAM INDUSTRY IN BENGALURU

Abstract

Background: The high risk, fast-paced industrial expansion reflects unique health and safety
challenges for occupational health and safety resulting in increasing incidence of various
injuries and health morbidities. This warrants the assessment of morbidity profile and
workplace assessment of the workers. Methods: A facility based cross sectional descriptive
study was carried out among 55 workers of selected ice cream factory in Bengaluru. Workers
were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire for their morbidity profile and work
ability. Finally, workplace assessment was also done. Results: Of 55 workers interviewed,
60% belonged to the age category of 20-30 years and nearly 40% were working in the cold
area where production of ice cream was happening. Among 55 participants, 40% of them
belonged to 18.5- 22.9 Kg/m2
, which in normal, 41.8% had Hypertension, 3.6% of them had
RBS more than 140 mg/dL, 47 (85.5%) of them had anaemia. Majority of them were not
using gloves (80%), boots (83.6%), mask (45.5%) and eye shield (91%) while working in the
factory. But most of them wore their head cap (60%) and apron (56.4%). Conclusions: The
morbidity of workers in selected ice cream industries were very less as majority of the
workers was from the organized sectors with regular periodic examination. Hence further
studies concentrating only on the unorganized small-scale industries are recommended. It is
considered a top priority to improve the hygienic status of the produced ice-cream in addition
to implementing regulatory measures for ensuring the safety and quality of ice cream.