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. 2009 Dec;13(3):121-6.
doi: 10.4103/0019-5278.58914.

Health risks of employees working in pesticide retail shops: An exploratory study

C Kesavachandran  1 , M K Pathak, M Fareed, V Bihari, N Mathur, A K Srivastava
Affiliations

Health risks of employees working in pesticide retail shops: An exploratory study

C Kesavachandran et al. Indian J Occup Environ Med. 2009 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Shop keepers dealing with pesticides are exposed to multiple pesticides that include organophosphates, organochlorines, carbamates, pyrethroids. Hence an exploratory health study was conducted on shopkeepers selling pesticides in urban areas of Lucknow and Barabanki District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Materials and methods: Detailed information regarding socio-economic status, family history, personal habits and work practices were recorded for 20 subjects and controls by the investigator on a pre-tested questionnaire. Clinical examination including neurological studies of the shopkeepers and control subjects was done.

Results: The study revealed significant slowing of motor nerve conduction velocity and low peak expiratory flow rate among shopkeepers as compared to control subjects. Prevalence of significantly higher gastro-intestinal problems was also observed among exposed subjects. Neurological, ocular, cardiovascular and musculo-skeletal symptoms were also found to be higher among shopkeepers. This was not statistically significant. Significantly higher relative risk for sickness related to systems viz., cardio-vasular, genito-urinary, respiratory, nervous and dermal was observed among exposed subjects compared to controls.

Conclusions: These findings provide a prima facie evidence of clinical manifestations because of multiple exposures to pesticides and poor safety culture at work place.

Keywords: Clinical studies; pesticides; shopkeepers.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: Nil

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Show rooms with ware house in a shop
Figure 2
Figure 2
Show rooms of pesticide shops
Figure 3-4
Figure 3-4
Ware house of pesticide shops
Figure 5
Figure 5
Morbidity profile of retail pesticide shop keepers
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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