Occupational Health Hazards among Wholesalers: A Case Study

Abstract

Wholesalers play an important role in Supply Chain Management but due to less physical activities, mental stress and more comfort level, they may suffer from many occupational health hazards. Literature reveals that with change in the lifestyle of the people there is increase in the number of patients of the coronary heart disease mainly in occupations having less physical activities. The present research work investigates occupational health hazards of wholesalers of cloths & garments market. Qualitative study was done on 64 wholesalers and 64 control group members. Due to financial and time constraints quantitative study was done on 22 members of each group. In qualitative study, data was collected through questionnaire and for quantitative study, physical examinations were performed and analyzed with statistical tests at 95% level of significance. For qualitative study, results of Pearson correlation showed that occupation having a positive correlation with hypertension, sitting having a positive correlation of with BMI, sitting also having a positive correlation of with hypertension, heart problem having a positive correlation with BMI, hypertension having a positive correlation with heart problem. For physical examination, approx. 14% more wholesalers have abnormal ECG, approx. 19% more wholesalers have obesity and overweight, approx. 27% more wholesalers have hypertension as compared to control group members. Qualitative and quantitative analysis revealed that the wholesalers were unaware about their heart problems due to their occupation. So, it is recommended that association of wholesalers must arrange at least one compulsory medical checkup camp for wholesalers within six months.