Affiliations: [a]
School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| [b] Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| [c]
Department of Anthropology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Ellen MacEachen, School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada. E-mail: ellen.maceachen@uwaterloo.ca.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:During the COVID-19 pandemic, low-wage public-facing frontline workers (FLWs), such as grocery store clerks, were required to monitor retail customers and enforce COVID-19 protocols. OBJECTIVE:This analysis aimed to examine FLWs experiences of enforcing COVID-19 pandemic measures. METHODS:Between September 2020 and March 2021, in Ontario and Quebec (Canada), we conducted in-depth interviews about customer-related work and health risks with FLWs who interacted with the public (n = 40) and their supervisors (n = 16). Using a lens of situational analysis, verbatim transcripts were coded according to recurring topics. RESULTS:We found that enforcing public health measures placed already-precarious workers in difficult occupational health circumstances. Enforcement of measures created additional workplace responsibilities, stress, and exposed them to potentially negative reactions from customers. CONCLUSIONS:Interventions to better support these workers and improved methods of protection are discussed.
Keywords: Workers, health disparate populations, public health practices, occupational exposure, disease transmission, infectious, control, communicable disease
