Source: TIMB urges tobacco farmers to wear PPE to prevent green tobacco sickness – herald
Muchaneta Chimuka
Herald Reporter
Tobacco growers have been urged to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when working in the fields, especially during the rainy season, to protect themselves from Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS).
Commonly known as Chikunga, GTS is caused by nicotine absorption through the skin from wet, “green” (uncured) tobacco leaves, particularly in hot and humid conditions.
The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has advised farmers to exercise caution during activities such as harvesting, weeding, pest scouting and even while applying chemicals.
TIMB public affairs officer, Mrs Chelesani Moyo Tsarwe, said symptoms of GTS included nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness and fluctuations in blood pressure or heart rate.
“We, therefore, encourage farmers to wear protective clothing whenever they are engaged in work on their tobacco farms,” she said.
“Prevention is better than cure. It is also wise to wash hands with soap after working in tobacco fields.”
Farmers are encouraged to wear PPEs such as work suits, gloves, hats, and aprons that cover the body to prevent direct contact with tobacco plants.
The primary symptoms of GTS can be classified into two categories: neurological and respiratory.
Neurological symptoms include headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, chills, weakness, and increased perspiration and salivation.
Respiratory symptoms encompass coughing and difficulties in breathing. Training tobacco farm workers to identify these signs and symptoms in themselves and others can be instrumental in the early identification of GTS.
TIMB is guided by various legal instruments and codes aimed at protecting the health of individuals, animals, and the environment in overseeing the safety of farm workers.
The legal instruments include the Environmental Management Act (EMA) Chapter 20:27, Water Act Chapter 20:24, and the International Labour Organisation’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of 2022, as well as the ILO Occupational Safety and Health Convention of 1981 and the ILO Safety and Health in Agriculture Convention of 2001, among others.
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