Occupational hazards and injuries among oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) farmers in the Kwaebibirem District in the Eastern Region of Ghana

Abstract

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) production in Ghana is associated with high levels of injury mainly because of the use of manual labour with little use of machinery. Using descriptive survey design, 100 oil palm farmers (50 males and 50 females) selected from each of the five-oil palm growing communities in the Kwaebibirem District of the Eastern Region, Ghana, were interviewed to identify the leading occupational hazards and injuries among oil palm farmers. The study showed that the major injuries farmers encountered during pre-planting operations were cutlass injury, stump injury, bee/wasp sting, general body pains and snake bites. Harvesting operations recorded body pains, objects on eyes, harvesting tool injury, snake bites and mattock injury as the major injuries, while post-harvest operations also recorded waist pains, injury on finger nails, cutlass injury and general body pains. Besides, the study showed significant difference between injuries experienced by both male and female oil palm farmers on their farms. The paper calls for sustained safety education and awareness creation on precautionary measures, and first aid operations at the farm level with special emphasis on the mandatory use of personal protective equipment.