HEALTH, HYGIENE AND FACILITIES AT WORKPLACE FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

Hygiene facilities are essential to ensure proper working conditions at all workplaces, on
turn they are influenced by the social and economic determinants of the population living there.
Basic minimum standards of working conditions as recommended by law are either ignored or
intentionally violated in the unorganized sector. There is no legal provision to monitor them
neither job security is provided nor safety equipment. In the absence of insurance their fate turns
fatal. Gender inequality compounds these problems for female workers all the more. Their
perceived need for health is generally below the actual need. Those who work as construction
workers face several health problems emanating from the construction sites and their domestic
situations lack basic necessities. The construction industry is associated with high risk accidents
leading to death and several chronic diseases. Being uneducated they are not aware of these
maladies like scoliosis, lead poisoning, diseases of joints and skin infections which are very
common. Further wages are inadequate making it difficult for them to run their families, the
discontent leads to abusive behaviour. Seniors use verbal abuse for the co-workers. Use of drugs
and alcohol make the situation further precarious. These horrors are perpetratedon the children
growing up on construction sites. These sites are particularly hazardous for young children who
are prone to many ailments and accidents. Many sites are in new, undeveloped areas on the
outskirts of the cities. It is ironic that while these workers are instrumental in developing these
facilities,neither they nor their children have any access to them.