Mf. Jeebhay et al., Seafood processing in South Africa: a study of working practices, occupational health services and allergic health problems in the industry, OCCUP MED-O, 50(6), 2000, pp. 406-413
The work practices, occupational health services and allergic health proble
ms among workplaces which process seafood in Western Cape province of South
Africa were examined. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 68 workp
laces that were sent a self-administered postal survey questionnaire. Workp
laces reporting a high prevalence of work-related symptoms associated with
seafood exposure were also inspected. Forty-one (60%) workplaces responded
to the questionnaire, The workforce consisted mainly of women (62%) and 31%
were seasonal workers. Common seafoods processed were bony fish (76%) and
rock lobster (34%). Major work processes involved freezing (71%), cutting (
63%) and degutting (58%). Only 45% of workplaces provided an on-site occupa
tional health service and 58% of workplaces conducted medical surveillance.
Positive trends were observed between workplace size and activities such a
s occupational health service provision (P = 0.002), medical surveillance p
rogrammes (P = 0.055) and reporting work-related symptoms (P = 0.016). None
of the workplaces had industrial hygiene surveillance programmes to evalua
te the effects of exposure to seafood. Common work-related symptoms include
d skin rashes (78%), asthma (7%) and other non-specific allergies (15%). Th
e annual prevalence of work-related skin symptoms reported per workplace wa
s substantially higher for skin (0 - 100%) than for asthmatic (0 -5%) sympt
oms. The relatively low prevalence of employer-reported asthmatic symptoms,
when compared to epidemiological studies using direct investigator assessm
ent of individual health status, suggests likely under-detection. This can
be attributed to under-provision and under-development of occupational heal
th surveillance programmes in workplaces with less than 200 workers. This i
s compounded further by the lack of specific statutory guidelines for the e
valuation and control of bio-aerosols in South African workplaces.