Pesticide use and related health problems among greenhouse workers in Batinah Coastal Region of Oman

Pesticide practices and the health problems associated with pesticide exposure among 74 greenhouse workers in the Batinah Coastal Region of Oman were investigated. The workers were mostly migrant workers from India (37.8%), Bangladesh (28.4%), Nepal (14.9%), Sri Lanka (8.1%) and Pakistan (5.4%). Majority of the workers (44%) had some primary education, were between 31 and 40 years of age (50%), were married (85.1%) and had been applying pesticides for over 10 years (32.4%). Occupational and phytosanitary practices among the pesticide workers were poor, as most of the workers (59.5%) did not wash their hands after pesticide application, many (43.2%) did not shower and some (20.3%) did not change their clothes. Their methods of handling of partly used pesticides were questionable, with 81.1% storing them in other rooms in the house and 14.9% storing them in their bedrooms. Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as nose mask, overall and eye goggles were hardly used during pesticide application. Some of the reported health symptoms due to pesticide exposure were skin irritation (70.3%), burning sensation (39.2%), headache (33.8%), vomiting (29.7%) and salivation (21.6%). It was suggested that a provision be included in the Pesticide Laws of Oman that makes it mandatory for greenhouse owners to provide their workers with PPE. Also, regular training programs should be organized for the greenhouse pesticide workers to improve their ability to handle hazardous chemicals.