International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health (nepjol.info)
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Prevalence and Determinants of Sickness Absenteeism among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Hospital in Southwestern Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: Sickness absenteeism is a global problem that affects almost all forms of workers, especially healthcare workers. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of sickness absenteeism among healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital in Southwest, Nigeria.
Methods: An institutional-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 360 healthcare workers in a Tertiary Hospital in Southwest, Nigeria from October to December 2022. A pre-tested interviewer-administered, semi-structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents who were selected using a stratified sampling technique. Bivariate analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the predictors of sickness absenteeism using SPSS version 25.0. The significance of associations was determined at p-value < 0.05.
Results: The mean age ± SD of the respondents was 34 ± 7.15 years. The prevalence of sickness absenteeism among the health workers was 21.0%, while the causes of sickness absenteeism were malaria (51%), body pain (18%), and diarrhea (5%). Family obligation (AOR: 2.1, 95% CI: (1.20, 3.53), P=0.009) and the job type (AOR: 2.7, 95% CI: (1.05, 6.83), P=0.038) were the only predictors of sickness absenteeism.
Conclusion: About one-fifth of the respondents had one spell of sickness keeping them away from work due to illnesses such as malaria, diarrhea, and body pain. Preventive interventions should be instituted by stakeholders based on the identified factors to reduce the prevalence of sickness absenteeism among these populations
Migrant workers in Thailand: Qualitative exploration of reporting workplace accidents and filing workers\u27 compensation claims
Get PDFIntroduction: Reporting accidents in the workplace is a method to prevent accidents and injuries. Reporting could influence to safety improvement regarding the diminution of workplace injuries. They were completed reporting along with accuracy influence filing workers\u27 compensation claims. Employers and migrant workers often ignore reporting workplace accidents. This exploration aims to demonstrate migrant workers\u27 proceedings with crucial barriers to reporting workplace accidents and filing workers\u27 compensation claims.
Methods: The study conducted in-depth interviews involving the purposeful snowball sampling of 48 migrant construction workers who were employed legally and filed claims from 2019 to 2022 in Thailand. The interview process comprised semi-structured questions and probes with the flexibility to explore experiences for individual participants. The recorded information was transcribed into English. Transcripts were translated and coded in NVivo software.
Results: Migrant workers often misunderstood and disbelieved the workers\u27 compensation system before accidents occurred. Geographical distribution caused unequal opportunities for healthcare access. Mobility prohibition tended toward negative effects with the high rate of underreporting workplace injuries. Incomplete reporting contributed to the denial of filing claims with additional risks of liabilities. The trouble of filing claims related to difficult communication due to insufficient language skills. Migrant workers decided to have a reliance on traditional medicine.
Conclusion: True reporting of workplace accidents can encourage employers to prevent future accidents. Migrant workers need to implement the regulations. The public agencies should provide an equal and effective system of workers\u27 compensation
Hearing Threshold Levels among Clothes Convection Industry Workers in Klaten, Central Java, Indonesia
Get PDFIntroduction: Noise-induced hearing loss is a condition that develops gradually and often goes unnoticed due to the absence of observable symptoms. Noise-induced hearing loss is usually detected after effects on hearing ability, difficulty understanding speech, and communication disorders. This study aims to determine the prevalence of hearing threshold decline in workers in the clothes convection industry in Klaten, Central Java, Indonesia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study, with 21 respondents, was conducted from April to June 2023. Data were collected through interviews, measurement of noise levels in the workplace, otoscopic and audiometric examinations, and research questionnaires.
Results: Most study respondents were female (85.7%) and workers who had worked for 11-20 years (66.7%). The main results showed that the prevalence of decreasing hearing threshold among workers in this study was 33.3%.
Conclusion: The prevalence of hearing threshold decline was correlated with length of work and use of ear protection equipment
The Relationship between Socio-Demographic Characteristics, Safety Awareness, and Safety Behaviors among Workers in E-Waste Recycling Shops in Thailand
Get PDFIntroduction: Safety behavior is an approach to workplace safety that focuses on workers’ behavior as the cause of most work-related injuries and illnesses. Some of the effects of e-waste recycling on health may occur.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and July 2021 with e-waste workers living in Southern Thailand. The questionnaire was divided into 3 parts: 1) socio-demographic characteristics for 14 items; 2) safety awareness for 20 items; and 3) safety behaviors for 20 items, collected data from e-waste workers. Interpreting The average score value was interpreted using the interpretive criteria divided into three levels. Descriptive and multilinear regression analyses were conducted. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The results of this study found that the majority of e-waste workers were male (96.30%). E-waste workers who smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol, worked ≥ 8 hours per day, ≥6 days/week, and had worked for >13 years had significantly lower safety behavior practice levels compared to e-waste workers who did not smoke cigarettes, did have drank alcohol, worked < 8 hours per day, < 6 days/week, and ≤13 years. Health effects on e-waste workers in e-waste recycling shops were significantly associated with hours worked per day, days worked per week and the use of masks and gloves. In addition, significant relationships were found between safety behaviors and safety awareness (F: 597.457; P < .001).
Conclusion: Safety behavior is very important. Meanwhile, raising awareness with safety factors in mind is important because it makes safety behaviors sustainable
Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) regarding hearing health and noise-induced hearing loss among folk/light music professionals from Chennai
Get PDFIntroduction: Musicians are exposed to music at high intensities and are at risk for developing noise- induced hearing loss (NIHL). Since hearing is so important to their career, they deserve special consideration. To avoid the deleterious effects of loud music, the professionals should be sensitized to the noise exposure and the use of strategies to prevent NIHL. The aim of the study is to determine the knowledge and attitude towards noise induced hearing disorders, and hearing conservative practices among professional musicians.
Method: A KAP questionnaire was administered online to 136 professional musicians belonging to folk/ light music genre in Chennai. The participants were 115 males and 21 females, ranging in age from 18 to 75 years with the mean age of 29 (SD= 11).
Results: The findings revealed that musicians were aware of the nature and cause of NIHL, but knowledge of NIHL prevention and treatment was limited to few. They had common misconceptions about the sources of harmful loud sounds, the effects of hearing loss, and hearing conservation strategies. Only a few participants reported to have used Ear Protective Devices (EPDs).
Conclusion: Although musicians are aware of the risks of exposure to loud noise, they seldom use hearing protection. It is therefore vital to provide crucial information regarding NIHL and its prevention and promote musicians for better hearing preservation practices
Study on Effects of Hand-arm Vibration Syndrome on Construction Workers in Oman
Get PDFIntroduction: The prolonged exposure of construction industry workers to various vibrating equipment gives rise to hand-arm vibration syndrome (HVS). Due to its growing incidence among construction workers, researchers have sought to examine its presence, prevalence, and potential impacts in various locations across the world. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to examine the effects of hand-arm vibration syndrome on construction workers in selected construction sites in Oman.
Methods: This study used a quantitative cross-sectional design approach to achieve the study objective. A Google form questionnaire consisting of 18 questions was distributed to gather, analyze, and sample the responses of 40 construction workers.
Results: The results revealed that the workers at the selected construction site are largely young, between the ages of 20-25 (38% of the responses), and able-bodied males (100%) who displayed full knowledge and awareness of the nature, symptoms, and effects of hand-arm vibration syndrome. The most common symptoms of hand-arm vibration syndrome were vibration of white fingers, painful numbness in hands and arms, and musculoskeletal pains, as reported by 72% of the workers, whereas pain and sleep disturbance, reduced or inability to do work safely in cold conditions were termed the most prominent effects of hand-arm vibration syndrome.
Conclusion: In conclusion, the study findings support the potential for an effective elimination or reduction of hand-arm vibration syndrome in construction work environments by the implementation of good occupational safety and personal health procedures. The findings of the study also underline other preventive measures that could help tackle the challenges posed by hand-arm vibration syndrome, thus underpinning the study\u27s objectiv
Study on Causal Effects of Occupational Stress on Healthcare Workers at a selected Healthcare Facility in Oman
Get PDFIntroduction: Occupational stress (OS) can be described as any physical or psychological change in an individual due to immediate or long-term reactions to workplace conditions that pose perceived threats or challenges to that employee. Typically, since work environments differ worldwide, scientists posit that the nature, sources, and causes of OS and the solutions proffered to address its impacts among healthcare workers (HCWs), differ markedly. The study aims to identify and examine the causal effects of OS on HCWs at the selected health facility in Oman.
Methods: The study adopted a quantitative design that utilized questionnaires to examine the causes and effects of OS on selected health workers. Data was collected from December 2021 to January 2022 from 150 health facility employees to obtain their opinions on the causes and effects of OS on their health, work life, and productivity.
Results: Findings revealed that 47% of the respondents were male and 53% were female. Further, the results also revealed that HCWs at the selected health facility have experienced a high prevalence of OS due to various factors ranging from staff shortages, as revealed by 56.2% of the participants, to work duration and loads, as revealed by 69.0% of the participants, and staff working conditions.
Conclusion: As a panacea, recommend management of healthcare facilities engage more highly qualified staff and create highly conducive work environments and training. Likewise, the management can provide modern-day facilities and amenities. It is envisaged that such measures will also reduce workloads, which will help the HCWs to rest, resuscitate, re-energize, and nurture effective stress. Furthermore, the measures will help create a stress-free, healthy, and conducive environment for the HCWs and greatly improve quality healthcare delivery services
Safety measures in the workplace: a case study of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) vehicle plate manufacturing plant, Ojodu – Lagos, Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: Hazards associated with vehicle number plate manufacturing processes in developing countries have not been well elucidated. There is a need to investigate hazards in the vehicle number plate manufacturing plant. The study aimed to identify self-reported hazards in the vehicle plate manufacturing factory, explore their effect on workers’ health and recommend mitigation strategies.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of workers in the vehicle plate manufacturing plant was done to identify hazards, protective measures and self-reported effects on workers’ health. Biochemical analysis of blood samples was also done and outliers were noted. ANOVA test was performed to determine differences in mean values of selected biochemical parameters. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Exposure to toxic chemicals 38(69%), excessive noise 36 (65%) and heat 28 (51%) were the major hazards in the factory. Major health problems were stress and fatigue 41 (71%), skin disorders 28 (51%), respiratory problems 18 (33%) and hearing loss 16 (29%). More than one quarter, 17 (30 %) of the workers admitted not using personal protective equipment (PPE) regularly. Periodic medical tests were not done for 13 (24%) of the workers. Potassium (3%), Urea (10%), Creatinine (7%), Aspartate transaminase (18%) and Alanine transaminase (8%) were elevated among the workers but no significant association could be established between elevated levels and work post.
Conclusion: Workers in the plate number manufacturing plant were mostly exposed to toxic chemicals and noise. Elevated electrolyte levels cut across departments. There is a need for better enforcement of safety rules, and periodic medical examinations should be conducted more consistently
Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practices of biomedical waste management among health care workers in a tertiary care hospital, Chengalpattu, Tamilnadu, India
Get PDFIntroduction: Bio-medical waste (BMW) means any solid and/or liquid waste including its container and any intermediate product, which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals. Inadequate and inappropriate knowledge of handling healthcare waste may have serious health consequences and a significant impact on the environment. Thus, the study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of biomedical waste management among healthcare workers from different strata in the hospital.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 383 participants conducted between June 2022 to October 2022, A structured, close-ended, self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data were analyzed using R studio and presented as frequencies and percentages. The association between different variables was analyzed by the chi-square test.
Results: Most of the doctors (41.3%) and nurses (41.5%) had very good knowledge of Bio-Medical Waste Management (BMWM) but only 23.1% of laboratory technicians and housekeeping staff 18.2% showed very good knowledge. All the participants had a very good attitude (69.2% to 82.6%) towards BMWM but it needs some improvement concerning reporting needle stick injuries and taking Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). More than 80 % of participants were immunized against Hepatitis B and followed the appropriate practice of BMWM except for wearing adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) while handling BMW. Knowledge and good attitude were observed to increase with experience.
Conclusion: From the study, it is identified that knowledge regarding BMWM is inadequate among the healthcare professions. It is concluded that there should be adequate training among the HCWs about BMWM like video lectures, symposiums, quiz programs, and role play that can help them update their knowledge
Employee-Related Factors Influencing Health and Safety in The Ghanaian Construction Industry: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Professionals’ Perspectives
Get PDFIntroduction: Employees’ gross disregard for health and safety issues in the construction industry is worrying. The paper aimed to ascertain the potential contributions of employees in restoring trust in health and safety within the sector.
Methods: This study utilised a strictly quantitative research methodology. The study started with a comprehensive literature analysis to ascertain the employee-related variables that may impact health and safety outcomes within the construction sector of Ghana. During the process of searching, eleven important factors were identified, modified, and designed into a questionnaire for data gathering. In order to fulfil the objectives of the study, a total of 635 participants, consisting of experts from diverse backgrounds within the sector, were chosen using a simple random selection method. The participants were then given questionnaires in both hardcopy form and Google Forms.
Results: The study had a response rate of 71.5%, indicating a substantial level of participation from the experts involved. Additionally, the data analysis demonstrated that the experts have significant expertise in the field under investigation. It was discovered that employee safety responsibilities and compliance behaviours are crucial roles that can contribute to the improvement of health and safety in the sector. The most significant variable that could enhance health and safety in the industry was the reporting of employees’ complaints regarding health and safety to supervisors - ESR2. The component accounted for 0.775, or 77.5%, of the variability in the latent construct of ESR.
Conclusion: The active participation of employees in fulfilling their occupational health and safety (OHS) legal obligations is vital. This can be achieved by diligently utilising personal protective equipment (PPE), fostering a sense of organisational safety citizenship behaviour and ownership, and demonstrating the willingness to report any health and safety concerns to supervisors. These factors collectively constitute the fundamental elements of employees’ contribution to health and safety