National Survey on Working Children

7.D.2. Rattan Furniture Manufacturing: In the rattan factory visited,there were around five adolescents working. These adolescents were out-of-school youths; most of them were embarassed to go back to school since they have to start at the lower grades. Process: Rattan furniture is basically made by weaving, wrapping, sanding and cutting of wood. The children were involved only in the weaving and wrapping activities. Hazards Observed: Inappropriate body position during work due to the use of uncomfortable benches. Long hours of work (during Thursdays and Fridays, the workers do not sleep for two days to finish a job order), illumination in the evenings arenot enough, dirty working areas. Other Observations: Personal protective equipment are not used, the children were generally shy and withdrawn. Probable Outcomes: (1) muscular aches and lower back pains, (2) decreased resistance to infections due to fatigue and lack of sleep, (3) psychological stress due to monotony and boredom of work Conclusion: Although the tasks are relatively light, the long hours of work throughout the week make it unsafe for children. Recommendation: The work could be carried out by 15-17 year old children but under certain conditionssuch as the use of PPE and the regulation of working hours. Back to Index