Occupational health and safety among tea industry workers in the Ilam district of Nepal: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Tea industry workers are exposed to various occupational hazards during tea processing. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential to reduce these risks; however, compliance remains a concern in many developing countries, including Nepal. This study aimed to assess PPE utilisation and its associated factors among tea industry workers in Ilam district, Nepal. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 269 tea workers in Ilam district. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses were performed to identify factors associated with PPE use. RESULTS: Most workers reported using at least one type of PPE; that is, 82.5%; however, adherence to the complete set was low (13%). Type of work (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR)=0.23; 95% CI 0.11 to 0.45) and the provision of complete PPE free of cost by employers (aPR=3.16; 95% CI 1.20 to 8.27) were significantly associated with PPE utilisation among workers. CONCLUSION: Despite the use of individual PPE items by many workers, adherence to the complete set of protective equipment remains low among tea industry workers in Ilam. Strengthening employer responsibility for the provision of complete PPE free of cost, based on the type of work, may improve PPE utilisation and contribute to reducing occupational health risks.