What is it about?
Background: There are many Nepali men working in the Middle East and Malaysia and there is no known qualitative study exploring workplace related accidents and injuries for male Nepalie workers. Therefore, this study aims to explore the personal experiences of male Nepali migrants of accidents and injuries at their place of work. Methods: In-depth, face-to-face interviews (n=20) were conducted with male Nepali migrant workers. Study participants were approached at Kathmandu International Airport, hotels and lodges around the airport. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis techniques.
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Why is it important?
Almost half of Nepali workers in this study experienced work-related accidents abroad. The interviewees suggested that the reasons behind this are not only health and safety at work but also poor communication, taking risks by workers themselves, and perceived work pressure. A few participants experienced serious incidents causing life-long disability, extreme and harrowing accounts of injury but received no support from their employer or host countries.
Perspectives
Nepali migrant workers would appear to be at a high risk of workplace accidents and injuries owing to a number of interrelated factors poor health and safety at work, pressure of work, risk taking practices, language barriers, and their general work environment. Both the Government of Nepal and host countries need better police policies; existing policies where necessary; ensure universal health (insurance) coverage for labour migrants; and improve preventive measures to minimize the number and severity of accidents and injuries for migrant workers.
Professor Edwin R van Teijlingen
Bournemouth University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Risky work: Accidents among Nepalese migrant workers in Malaysia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Health Prospect, November 2017, Nepal Journals Online (NepJOL),
DOI: 10.3126/hprospect.v16i2.18643.
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