-Coffee labourers must weed, spray, pick and weigh the coffee beans and are exposed to high levels of pesticides, insect and snake bites and injuries from machines used to cut branches.
- They are also exposed to high levels of sunlight as they are forced to work long hours. They can develop musculoskeletal injuries from continuous, repetitive movements and carrying heavy baskets.
- They are at risk for being injured from operating machinery and can suffer the impairment or loss of hearing from the noise levels in these factories. They can contract respiratory diseases from the exposure to coffee dust.
- In Kenya, 60% of the coffee plantation work force are children and they begin working as soon as they are old enough to be able to reach the tree branches. They are exposed to the same poor working conditions as adults and because of the low income level of their families many cannot attend school and are thus forced to work long hours at the coffee plantations to help support their families. Many of these children are illiterate and have little chance of finding work opportunities outside of these plantations.
- Overproduction and under regulation of the production of coffee has led to falling prices of the commodity and some farmers have taken drastic measures and have used child slaves to do the labour intensive work for no money. They have kept them working through beatings and intimidation.
