ABSTRACT

Objectives: Specific work processes and management structures that contribute to high rates of occupational illness and injury in agricultural industries are not well described in academic literature. This qualitative study of work organization in the U.S. fresh tomato industry investigates how work processes and management structures impact tomato workers’ occupational health.

Methods: After conducting literature review and key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with 36 individuals with experience working in the U.S. fresh tomato industry. Interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach.

Results: These data indicate that participants endured income insecurity and hazardous supervisory practices, including wage theft, retaliation, intimidation, and humiliation, that put them at risk of preventable illness and injury. Support from workers’ organizations and health-conscious supervisory practices helped mitigate some of these occupational hazards.

Conclusion: Participants’ adverse work experiences may be considered sequelae of workers’ lack of job control and positions of socioeconomic structural vulnerability. Other aspects of tomato work organization, including health-conscious supervisory practices and the involvement of workers’ organizations, indicate that modifying work organization to better safeguard health is possible. Such modifications present compelling opportunities for employers, employees, organizations, community and government leaders, and health care professionals to help create healthier occupational environments for tomato workers.

摘要

目标：导致农业行业高职业病和高伤害率的特定工作流程和管理结构在学术文献中没有得到很好的描述。这项对美国新鲜番茄行业工作组织的定性研究调查了工作流程和管理结构如何影响番茄工作者的职业健康。

方法：在进行文献回顾和关键信息访问后，对36名在美国新鲜番茄行业工作的经验丰富的人员进行了半结构化访谈和焦点小组讨论。使用改进的扎根理论方法对访谈和焦点小组进行录音，转录，编码和分析。

结果：这些数据表明，参与者承受了收入不安全和危险的监督做法，包括盗窃工资，报复，恐吓和屈辱，使他们处于可预防的疾病和伤害风险中。工人组织的支持和注重健康的监督做法有助于减轻其中一些职业危害。

结论：参与者的不良工作经历可能被认为是工人缺乏工作控制和社会经济结构脆弱性职位的后遗症。番茄工作组织的其他方面，包括注重健康的监督做法和工人组织的参与，都表明，修改工作组织以更好地保护健康是可能的。此类修改为雇主，雇员，组织，社区和政府领导人以及医疗保健专业人员提供了诱人的机会，以帮助为番茄工作者创造更健康的职业环境。