Health impact of occupational risks in the informal sector in Zimbabwe

Information about occupational health in the informal sector is lacking, despite its growing contribution to employment. The author describes a survey of occupational health in urban and rural informal-sector workers in Zimbabwe. Common hazards included poor work organization, poor hygiene, ergonomic hazards, hazardous hand tools, and chemical exposures, particularly to pesticides and solvents. An annual occupational mortality rate of 12.49/100,000 was half the formal-sector rate. Reported rates of 131 injuries/1,000 workers and 116 illnesses/1,000 workers exceeded formal-sector rates tenfold and a hundredfold, respectively, although the distribution of injuries by economic sector correlated significantly with formal-sector rates. The survey found high levels of musculoskeletal and respiratory illness, thought to be underdetected in formal systems. A fifth of the injuries had resulted in permanent disability, with little consequent job loss, but no compensation granted. The author recommends improvements to occupational health in the informal sector, and suggests a broader survey of occupational morbidity in all sectors of employment.