Occupational Hazards in the Informal Sector — A Global Perspective

Abstract

This paper draws on reported global experience and a 1997 survey of 1585informal sector workers in Zimbabwe (Loewenson 1997b). The growth of theinformal sector is largely attributed to the inability of the formalsector to provide adequate incomes or employment, leading to the poorconsumer markets and capital starvation of the informal sector. Variousinformal. sector workplaces are described, including home basedenterprises, displaying a wide range of poorly controlled work hazards,particularly welfare and hygiene, ergonomic and chemical hazards,worsened by poor work organisation, and poor community environments andsocial infrastructures. The generally hidden but substantial burden ofill health in informal sector work is described. Improving occupationalhealth in the sector can be done through implementing existingknowledge, but demands efforts to confront the underlying riskenvironments that undermine the application of such knowledge. Suchefforts include building social capital and organisation within thesector, enhancing collective support systems and public infrastructures,supporting multisectoral community based approaches, and ultimatelyconfronting the underlying economic marginalisation of informal sectorwork.