Health, Safety and Environment - International Labour Organization

Manual 4:HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT FACT SHEETSHIV cannot be transmitted through casual contact. Personal contact in theworkplace is casual. You cannot get HIV by any of the following activities:patting a co-worker on the back; sharing equipment or restrooms;shaking hands; hugging; coughing and sneezing; using the samedrinking fountain; using the same telephone; eating togetherRuralcommunitiesTwo types of rural area are particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS – thosesituated along truck routes and those that are sources of migrant labour tourban areas. Nomadic workers are at increased risk of contracting HIV dueto their mobility, marginalisation and limited access to social services.Women remaining on farms with seasonal migrant husbands are alsovulnerable to HIV infection if their husbands bring the disease back withthem.Poverty makes people increasingly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS by increasingmigrant labour, family break up, landlessness, overcrowding andhomelessness. This places people at greater risk of having multiple casualpartners. The poor are also less likely to take seriously an infection that isfatal in years to come, if they are struggling with daily survival. Theincubation period of HIV is likely to be shortened by poor standards ofnutrition and repeated infections, while access to medical care is lowestamong the poor.Poverty also makes HIV/AIDS education difficult, as there are high levels ofilliteracy and little access to mass media, health and education services,particularly in rural areas. Poor women are especially vulnerable as theyare not likely to be able to protect themselves from infected husbands.They tend to be ill informed on health matters and have little power tocontrol any aspect of sexual relations.The problems of child-headed households and AIDS orphans are alsogrowing where parents and members of the extended family are killed bythis disease. InformationSection 4 of the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS adopted in June 2001outlined certain key principles for the workplace. These include:Recognition of HIV/AIDS as a workplace issueHIV/AIDS is a workplace issue, not only because it affects the workforce,but also because the workplace can play a vital role in limiting the spreadand effects of the epidemicNon-discriminationThere should be no discrimination or stigmatisation against workers on thebasis of real or perceived HIV statusGender equalityMore equal gender relations and the empowerment of women are vital topreventing the spread of HIV infection and enabling women to cope withHIV/AIDS128 Health, Safety and EnvironmentA Series of Trade Union EducationManuals for Agricultural Workers