Intervention On Occupational Hygiene and Safety Practices to Improve Compliance Among Poultry Farm Workers

Background: Poultry farming plays a crucial role in ensuring food security and rural livelihoods across India. It provides affordable protein and generates employment for a large section of the population. However, poultry farm workers often operate in environments with high levels of dust, ammonia, pathogens, and bioaerosols, all of which pose serious risks to their health and safety. Long working hours, inadequate use of personal protective equipment, poor ventilation, and limited awareness of zoonotic diseases further compound these risks. Thus, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a structured occupational hygiene and safety intervention among poultry farm workers. Methods: A pre- and post-intervention observation study was conducted among poultry farm workers at selected farms in Karnataka, India. Data on the use of personal protective equipment, hand hygiene practices, awareness of zoonotic diseases, and waste management were collected before and after the intervention. Health complaints were also recorded. Following the baseline assessment, a comprehensive intervention involving training sessions on safety and hygiene practices was implemented among participants. The data were analyzed statistically using McNemar’s test and Paired sample t-tests. Results: Post-intervention, safety practices showed notable improvement. Use of personal protective equipment rose from 38.3% to 82.5%, and regular handwashing after bird contact increased from 42.5% to 88.3%. Awareness of zoonotic disease risks grew from 47.5% to 91.6%, while proper litter disposal compliance went up from 36.7% to 79.2%. Additionally, worker-reported health complaints dropped significantly from 2.4 to 0.9 complaints weekly (p<0.001). Conclusion: The intervention successfully enhanced occupational safety practices and health results among poultry farm workers. These findings emphasize the importance of periodic training.