Palm Oil Production in Colombia: Decent and Healthy Work?

Introduction: This article presents the examination of the relation between the production process of palm oil in Colombia and its impact on the health of workers. Method: Between March and September of 2017, one pilot workshop with union leaders was performed along with eight focus groups in which 165 workers from diverse work areas and palm oil firms participated and one workshop dedicated to the revision and feedback from ten union leaders. Additionally, visits were conducted to some palm oil firms as a means of observing the production process (in plantations and processing mills). Conclusion: The workers’ reports of their health and working conditions or their ‘felt morbidity’ was the basis for identifying the risk factors in this sector, the experiences of health and illness, the patterns of wear-and-tear associated with the production, the exposure to high temperatures and pesticides, and the intensification of production due to the way in which the work process is organized, all of which significantly affect the health of palm oil workers.