title: Personal safety issues related to the use of pesticides in agricultural production in the Al-Batinah region of Northern Oman.
abstract: The level of uptake and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by farm workers in Oman is low; the conditions under which pesticides are stored are frequently below acceptable international standards. Research was undertaken to explore the drivers working against safe storage of agrochemicals and effective personal protection usage by pesticide application personnel. Results from a survey of over 200 respondents, representing workers in, and owners of, farms either within or outside a local farmer's association (FA), suggest that FA membership raises standards of behaviour both in terms of safe pesticide storage and use of PPE. Age of respondents had no apparent effect on the likelihood of PPE (gloves and masks) use. PPE use was, however, highest among respondents with more advanced educational backgrounds. Positive responses for glove and mask use, when applying pesticides, were higher for owners and workers in FA farms compared to non-FA farms. Lowest reported use of PPE was among workers in non-FA farms. Analysis of responses appears to indicate that behaviour patterns of workers in FA farms mirror that of the farm owners. This was not the case in non-FA farms. The results suggest that conformity to social norms, in this case acceptable work-environment behaviour, is a powerful driver behind raised usage levels of PPE in farms in Oman.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, PO Box 321, Muscat 100, Oman; Centre for Environmental Strategy, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7JH, UK.
authors.forename: Said
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Zadjali
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Strategy, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7JH, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental Strategy, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7JH, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chenoweth
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Sciences, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, PO Box 34, Al Khod 123, Oman. Electronic address: mikedead@squ.edu.om.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deadman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009850:Oman; D010575:Pesticides; D011482:Protective Devices; D012449:Safety; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides
keywords: Oman; Personal protective equipment; Pesticide storage; Pesticides; Safety; Socio-economic aspects