Employmentweb_low

eMployMent relations and health inequalities: pathways and MechanisMs
(Gunnarson, orazem, & sánchez, 2006; fassa, 2003). There is
also a strong consensus among researchers that many working
children are involved in warfare, prostitution, drug selling,
hazardous job tasks, unsafe workplaces and excessive work time,
among others (ilo, 2006). extreme workloads may lead to various
disorders because of children’s lesser bone elasticity, strength
and capacity to support heavy workloads. These factors can lead
to musculoskeletal symptoms among child
labourers (huk-Wieliczuk, 2005; ayala &
rondón, 2004). some of the reported health
effects of child labour appear late in
adulthood, such as those related to reduced
height (dantas, 2005) and alcohol and drug
abuse (forster, Tannhauser, & Barros, 1996).
according to data from the ilo (2006), 69 per
cent of all child labourers work in agriculture,
ranked as one of the three most hazardous
sectors as demonstrated by its higher mortality
and morbidity, even for adults (fassa, 2003).
some of the threats faced by children when Child worker in a brick kiln in lima (peru).
working in agriculture are exposures to source: antonio rosa (2005)
chemical agents such as pesticides, heat and
harsh weather, repetitive work, hazardous equipments (hoes,
tractor, etc), excessive work hours, demanding physical work,
noise and biological agents such as dust. all these risk factors can
lead to both immediate and adult health problems, such as
musculoskeletal disorders, cancer, hearing loss, impaired lung
function, infectious diseases, chronic cough, asthma, and pesticide
poisoning (ayala & rondón, 2004; fassa, 2003; edmonds &
Pavnick, 2005; Khan, hameed, & afridi, 2007; Green, Mcalpine,
semple, cowie, & seaton, 2008). according to a study conducted by
Briceño and Pinzón (2005), pesticide poisoning is also a risk for
children working in marketplaces when their activity involves
carrying or handling fruits and vegetables with pesticides.
in urban areas, child labour prevails in the informal economy,
like home-based production, street selling, recycling, child caring,
rag picking, pottering, stone crushing, construction and paid
housework, which is also known for imposing poor work
conditions on them that lead to the occurrence of health problems
in the short run or during adulthood (ilo, 2006; santana, cooper,
roberts, & araujo-filho, 2005; fassa, fachini, dall' agnol, &
christiani, 2000; doocy, crawford, Boudreaux, & Wall, 2007; Green
et al., 2008). employing children as domestic servants is a very
245