Whose Jurisdiction Is Home Contamination? Para-Occupational ‘Take-Home’ Herbicide Residue Exposure Risks among Forestry Workers’ Families in South Africa

Bonolo Anita Pududu and Hanna-Andrea Rother
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Bonolo Anita Pududu: Division of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
Hanna-Andrea Rother: Division of Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-16

Abstract: Para-occupational “take-home” exposure risks among forestry workers and their families in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) have not been well characterized. This is a concern because research shows an association between chronic low-dose herbicide exposure and adverse health effects. This study explored take-home herbicide residue exposure risks among forestry workers in the Western Cape, South Africa, through the community-based participatory research approach of photovoice. A key finding of the study was the absence of provisions related to take-home exposure in the national legislation and workplace policies, which largely contributed to poor adherence to risk reduction practices at worksites, in addition to workers transporting residues to their homes. This study demonstrated evidence of the key omissions regarding take-home exposure at the policy level (e.g., recommendations for employers to reduce take-home risks among employees, and training of workers and their families on take-home exposure) and take-home herbicide residue exposure among worker’s families, including children.

Keywords: para-occupational ‘take-home’ exposure; pesticides; herbicides; personal protective equipment (PPE); forestry workers; chemical legislation; South Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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