The manual cleaning of sewage systems and septic tanks in developing countries is exposing sanitation workers to diseases, and their hazardous work conditions are resulting in deaths, a report warned.

As a result of coming into close contact with fecal waste, a large number of these workers frequently suffer from cholera and diarrhea, said the report jointly prepared by the International Labour Organisation, WaterAid, the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO).

While these workers risk their lives to ensure smoother sanitation services, governments are slow in making policy changes to ensure their safety, detailed the document, released on Thursday.

Workers' deaths inside sewage systems during cleaning or de-clogging processes are becoming more frequent. The release of toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide from the waste can asphyxiate workers and result in deaths, said the report.

"Sanitation workers make a crucial contribution to public health around the world – but in so doing, (they) put their own health at risk. This is unacceptable," said Dr. Maria Neira, WHO director of the department of public health and environment.

Apart from excruciating working conditions, they are often the most marginalized, poor and discriminated against members of society, carrying out their jobs with no equipment, protection, or legal rights, the report added.

The report's findings are based on evidence gathered from working conditions in nine countries: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Haiti, India, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda.

Sanitation workers in most developing countries have weak legal protection, discouraging them from seeking compensation in case of illness or death. They are also poorly paid because of their informal and temporary work contracts, the report found.

Globally, poor sanitation causes up to 432,000 diarrhoeal deaths each year and is linked to the transmission of other diseases like cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio.

The report suggests policymakers mechanize sewage cleaning work, provide protective gear for sanitation workers and make crucial policy changes to ensure sanitation workers' rights are protected.