3D jobs in this case involve jobs that are Dirty, Dangerous and Demeaning.
That last D (demeaning) is sometimes interchanged for “Difficult” or “Demanding”.
The original term comes from Japan, i.e. “Kitanai, Kiken, Kitsui”, meaning dirty, dangerous and demanding.
Many of these jobs today are done by migrant workers in both developed and developing nations, including Malaysia.
The thing is that 3D jobs are absolutely essential to our daily life and well-being.
Without someone performing them, we would not have the life we live.
We can break the 3Ds down.
> Dirty
This involves having to clean up physical mess, such as rubbish, sewerage, biohazards like blood and slaughterhouse products, toxic waste, chemicals, etc.
Society tends to look down upon people who do these types of jobs.
When you were growing up, did your mother ever comment: “Look at that rubbish collector. If you don’t get all A’s in your exams, you will grow up to be just like him”?
This implies that there is a stigma associated with such jobs.
Jobs in this category usually involve collecting refuse and waste, either from humans or animals.
> Dangerous
These types of jobs may sound romantic, like being a spy or a bomb squad member, but they are actually not.
They are mundane, but have a high risk of the person experiencing serious injury, illness, or even dying.
These jobs deal with hazardous conditions and materials, e.g. mining, logging, high rise window-cleaning, construction and demolition of high rises, roofing, dealing with heavy machinery in industry and agriculture, and commercial fishing.
If you have watched the American reality TV series Deadliest Catch, which involves fishing for Alaskan king crabs in the Bering Sea, you can see some of the dangers they have to deal with.
Some of these jobs pay very well to compensate for the danger involved in doing them.
> Demeaning or demanding
Sewage workers would be considered under this category.
So would field workers and slaughterhouse workers.
Some people consider domestic workers to be in this category too.
These types of jobs are usually pushed to migrant workers or marginalised groups.
These workers are often considered unskilled.
It depends on the job.
But these jobs usually involve repetition and manual labour, which can take a toll on the body, causing:
> Musculoskeletal disorders
If you keep bending, lifting and have to be in unnatural postures for a long time, you can get chronic back pain, joint disorders and early physical disability.
For example, planting and harvesting paddy by hand involves a lot of bending movements.
Nowadays, machines do a lot of the work.
But there are many farmers who still toil by hand in our poorer states.
> Cardiovascular disorders
It has been noted that people who do a lot of night shifts report having a higher incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disorders.
This is because people who do night shifts for a long time tend to sleep worse and eat irregular meals, and their circadian rhythm is compromised.
For example, nurses who do night shifts tend to have a lot of stress, especially if they have families.
Being a nurse is not considered 3D; it is an extremely noble profession.
But it does involve being a carer during thankless hours a lot of the time.
There are also municipal council workers who carry out responsibilities like road and street light maintenance and repairs throughout the night for their own safety and to avoid traffic congestion.
> Respiratory disorders
People who are in jobs that involve mining or construction tend to inhale a lot of dust, be it coal or silica.
So do workers who deal with pesticides, toxic chemicals and medical waste.
Nowadays, they have better personal protective gear, but they still have a higher incidence of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.
My mother-in-law was a respected nurse who worked with tuberculosis patients.
She eventually contracted the same disease, which led to a scar in her lung.
That scar subsequently turned into lung cancer, which killed her.
> Trauma and injury
Anyone operating heavy machinery has the risk of having that machine injure, or even dismember, a limb.
Anyone who has to climb heights to do their job risks falling.
We have heard news of many migrant workers falling from construction scaffoldings to their deaths.
> Dehydration
Agricultural workers tend to be in the hot sun all day, leading to heat stress and severe dehydration if they are not careful.
Repeated occurrences may eventually lead to kidney failure.
Many disorders that are usually less spoken about are mental.
Workers who do 3D jobs tend to get severe stress and mental burnout, depression, and anxiety.
This leads to smoking, drinking alcohol and substance abuse to help them cope with their difficult jobs.
So before we condemn refugees or question why Malaysia has so many migrant workers, do spare a thought for them in these 3D jobs.
Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health, computers and entertainment. For further information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
