Occupational health hazards, knowledge and preventive practices among manual scavengers in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh: a cross-sectional study

Background: Manual scavenging continues to expose workers to serious chemical, physical, and biological hazards despite legal restrictions in India. These risks are intensified by poor protective practices and limited occupational health support. Aim was to assess occupational health hazards, knowledge, and preventive practices among manual scavengers and to examine their association with selected demographic variables. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 manual scavengers in Kanpur using purposive sampling. Data were collected through a structured interview schedule including self-reported occupational health hazards assessment, knowledge, and preventive practices. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and chi-square test. Results: Chemical, physical, and biological hazards were commonly reported. Moderate knowledge was found in 61% of participants with mean knowledge score of 15.1±3.21, while poor preventive practices were observed in 49%. Biological hazards showed a significant negative correlation with knowledge (r=−0.201, p=0.044) while knowledge and preventive practices were significantly associated with age, education, type of work, work experience, family size, and gender. Conclusions: Manual scavengers in Kanpur experience substantial occupational risk with inadequate preventive practices. Targeted occupational health education, provision of protective equipment, and policy-level support are urgently needed.