Child labour in Egypt. I. Occupational and socio-economic aspects

The present study comprised 1000 child and young workers in small and medium-size industries in Alexandria, as well as 250 control subjects. Almost all young workers work for more than 40 hours/week and suffer from fatigue. Workers' family needs rather than the lack of family care is the responsible factor for sending the child to work, and the economic problems seem to be the underlying factor for all other problems of child labour. Work improves labourers' socio-economic status and smoking habit, and provides a chance for their personal contacts and interactions, which are reflected on their level of intellectual capabilities; however, it has some impact on their food habits affecting their achievement of balanced diet; and no drug addiction exists among all the studied subjects. Noise and dust represent the main occupational exposures (84.4% and 55.8% respectively), followed by exposure to heat (25.3%), vapors and gases (10.4%) and biological materials (9.0%), and nearly 2/3 of the workers have combined exposures. Work injuries occurred to 18.4% of the workers and 7.4% had more than one injury during employment; however, nearly 1/3 of the injuries required absenteeism off work and/or hospitalization. The injuries have been typically related to industrial operations, occurring mostly to hands and fingers (80.4%), and are mainly attributed to lack of training (63.0%). The health services presented to the workers are very poor. The study has been concluded by recommending making the work safe, free from hazards, and ergonomically fit to children, providing educational and training services, covering young workers by social security, and revising legislation of child labour.