International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health (nepjol.info)
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Adoption of occupational health and safety as a fundamental human right and its implications for Nigerian workers
Get PDFIntroduction: This paper examines the recognition of occupational health and safety (OHS) as a fundamental human right and its implications for Nigerian workers. It highlights the need for employers and governments to prioritize workers’ safety and reviews the challenges faced by Nigerian employers in providing a safe working environment.
Methods: A critical review of existing literature and secondary sources of information was conducted to explore the meaning of fundamental human rights as they pertain to OHS. The paper investigated the need for recognizing OHS as a fundamental right and the role of governments and employers in fulfilling this right.
Results: The recognition of OHS as a fundamental human right is crucial in protecting workers’ lives and promoting decent work, leading to economic and social benefits. Employers, governments, and international organizations must respect, protect, and fulfill this right for all workers. The adoption of OHS as a fundamental right would encourage governments to introduce legislation promoting a culture of safety and sensitizing businesses to the need to implement policies, procedures, and processes to provide a safe working environment, including standard safety training and adequate resources.
Conclusion: Adopting OHS as a human right is beneficial for the workforce but requires investments from employers to comply. The Ministry of Labor and Employment in Nigeria should ensure that all accidents are reported and recorded to build a useful database. Improving OHS in Nigeria necessitates compliance, training, and access to resources. Accurate data is crucial to develop effective solutions for workplace accidents
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Personal Protective Equipment among Health Care Providers in Tamil Nadu, South India
Get PDFIntroduction: Personal protective equipment provides considerable protection from hospital-acquired infections. Ample knowledge with a positive attitude and best practices of personal protective equipment by healthcare workers is indispensable to get protection themselves and to serve humanity. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) among healthcare workers along with possible determinant factors.
Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted from August - September 2022 among 386 healthcare workers in Tamil Nadu, South India. The structured self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The study comprised questions evaluating a socio-demographic profile, knowledge, attitude, and practice of personal protective equipment. Descriptive statistics (percentage, frequency, mean) and inferential statistics (Chi-square test) were used for the data analysis.
Results: The overall knowledge of the participants was satisfactory (73.3%). Physicians had a good knowledge level against non-physicians (p<0.05). It was observed that the 30 and more years of experience group has less knowledge (p<0.05). A positive attitude toward PPE was noted in 58.3% of the participants. Statistical significance in the attitude of participants with education, occupation, and experience was not observed (p>0.05). Good practice of PPE was followed by 66.8% of participants. Nurses(91.7%) showed good practice of PPE than physicians and laboratory technicians and was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that most healthcare workers had an overall good knowledge, positive attitude, and good practice regarding PPE however they need periodical training and auditing
Effect of Lifting Weight, Height and Asymmetry on Biomechanical Loading during Manual Lifting
Get PDFIntroduction: In India, physical manual activities in asymmetrical postures overtax the human musculoskeletal system, which may exceed workers\u27 physical limitations. Thus the purpose of this study was to examine the physical stresses experienced by the subject, based on subjective and biomechanical loading estimates while lifting weights to various heights, in an asymmetric direction and propose the safe limit for manual lifting.
Methods: A laboratory experiment was conducted utilizing twelve male subjects in the age group of 20 to 25 years who lifted 5 different weights between 10 to 20 kg from below the knee to various lifting heights (below the knee to ear level). The lifting task was performed in three asymmetric angles (45, 90, and 135-degree) using free-style lifting techniques. An ANOVA technique was used to analyze the influence of three parameters (Lifting weight, lifting height and asymmetric angle) on two responses; subjective estimates and biomechanical loading. The subjective estimate was obtained using workload assessment by body discomfort chart. The biomechanical loading (loading rate) was estimated from ground reaction force data, obtained from the force plate.
Results: Both the responses; subjective estimates and biomechanical loading followed a consistent pattern in predicting physical stress. The result revealed that lifting weights with higher destination heights and asymmetry angles increased the physiological workload and discomfort. Experiments have shown that the loading rate is reduced by 8 to 10% for each increase in the 45-degree angle of asymmetry.
Conclusion: In general, safe lifting of 15 kg weight up to ear level and 15 kg weight up to shoulder level are recommended for 45- and 90-degree asymmetry respectively to prevent any chronic injuries. A maximum of 12.5 kg lifting weight up to shoulder level is also proposed.
The Correlations between Language Barriers and Occupational Safety and Health Communication in Indonesia
No full textIntroduction: Miscommunication can cause accidents in workplaces due to the ineffective occupational safety and health (OSH) communication. There are many factors of ineffective OSH communication, one of which is the language barriers. Thus, this research aims to unveil the types of language barriers and its relation to the effectivity of OSH communication in Indonesia.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional approach using a structured questionnaire was done in this research. The structured questionnaire survey was done among 102 workers in PT ABC, Indonesia. Spearman rho, a dedicated form of Pearson r, was used to determine the correlation between language barriers and effective OSH communication.
Results: All of the types of language barriers except vernacular correlate positively, strongly and significantly to the effectivity of OSH communication (0.50 ≤ r ≤ 0.699, p-value < 0.05). Vernacular correlate positively, moderately, and significantly to the effectivity of OSH communication (r 0.497, p-value < 0.05).
Conclusions: Based on the findings, OSH communication should be communicated accurately, clearly, and concisely in the language that everyone can understand
Noise levels at traffic intersections and awareness of noise pollution among traffic policemen and automobile drivers
Get PDFIntroduction: Noise pollution is an important health hazard in modern times and traffic policemen and automobile drivers are exposed to unregulated vehicular noise. This study aims to estimate the exposure levels from traffic noise for traffic policemen and automobile drivers and assess their awareness regarding noise pollution and the use of noise prevention measures.
Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out comprising the exposed and the control group with 121 people in each group. Sound level estimation was carried out across 20 traffic intersections in the city at various times to assess the noise levels. All the participants were administered a pretested questionnaire to assess their awareness regarding noise pollution and as well as the use of noise prevention strategies. The chi-square test was used to estimate the difference between the two groups. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The noise levels at traffic intersections are above the permitted and acceptable limits. The mean ±SD of sound levels at traffic points range from 76.7±5.8 dB to 83.4±6.3 dB across various traffic intersections. The mean noise level at the traffic intersection was in the high-risk category (81-86dB) in 25% of traffic points while 75% of traffic points had noise levels in the moderate risk (76 - 81dB) category. 88% of the exposed group and 95% of the control group considered noise to be a form of pollution even though they were not aware of all the harmful effects. In practice, only 34% of study participants used some form of hearing protection measures, even though the majority were aware of the need to do so.
Conclusion: The noise levels at traffic intersections are high. This is coupled with a lack of adequate use of hearing protective devices which can be detrimental to the inner ear. Frequent awareness programs are necessary to educate the occupationally exposed personnel on proper noise prevention strategies. At the same, time it is necessary to take decisive measures to curb the ever-increasing menace of occupational noise exposure
Occupational Safety and Health Management in Selected Industrial Sectors in Sudan
Get PDFIntroduction: Since Heinrich\u27s early studies, work has been recognized as a substantial contributor to psychological and physical illness. Fast technological, economic, and social advancements have increased the number of occupational fatalities and illnesses in developing nations. Nonetheless, it is demonstrated that the creation, application, and enforcement of Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (OSHMS) reduce accidents and enhance employees\u27 well-being. This study aims to understand Sudan\u27s current occupational safety and health situation and identify any challenges or gaps in the current system.
Methods: A mixed methods approach deploying a literature review and secondary data was adopted to answer the research question about the status of occupational health and safety in Sudan.
Results: A comparison of the artisanal and organized gold mining sectors over the years 2018-2020 shows an increase in the number of accidents in the artisanal sector but a sharp decrease in both the number and severity of accidents in the organized sector. The frequency rate declined in the organized sector but fluctuated in the artisanal sector. It was also found that many OSH incidents of different types and levels of severity occurred. In 2020, the Fatal Accident Rate (FAR) was 66.48 in artisanal gold mining, 0.55 in organized gold mining, and 0.01 in oil and gas. However, calculating and comparing other sectors\u27 performance indicators to evaluate OSH\u27s status was not possible for many reasons.
Conclusion: Findings were constrained, possibly due to the limited occupational health and safety data. There is an urgent need to strengthen and improve the governance of occupational safety and health in Sudan. A more comprehensive study needs to be undertaken to assess the status of the OSH in formal and non-formal sectors and investigate the correlation of OSH to workers’ well-being and the Sudanese economy
Prevalence of Occupational Injuries in selected Coir Industries in Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional study
Get PDFIntroduction: The coir industry processes fibers from coconuts and is important for a high number of people in Sri Lanka. Coir workers handle several dangerous machines. This project has studied occupational injuries among coir workers.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in six medium-sized coir industries in Sri Lanka, each with 15-100 employees. The workers who were present at work on the two days the researchers visited the respective industries (128 of total 214 workers) were interviewed on socio-demographics, work tasks they normally perform and occupational injuries they had experienced in the last three months. Independent T-tests and Chi-square tests were used to analyze for differences between groups.
Results: The mean age of the 128 interviewed workers was 45 years and 53.9% were male. Totally 34 (26.6%) of the workers had experienced at least one injury each during the past three months. Women reported significantly more injuries than men (38.9% vs 15.9%). The workers operating machines reported significantly more injuries than workers who performed other types of work (42.3% vs 22.0%). Slipped, tripped, and fall (64%) were the most common events of injury seen among the injured workers followed by cuts by sharp objects or machines (20%). The most common type of injury among the workers reporting injuries were cuts and bruises (50%).
Conclusion: More than one-fourth of the workers reported to have been injured in the last three months, indicating a high injury risk. This raises concerns and highlights the need for preventative measures to minimize risks
Determining low back pain factors and effects on daily activities in operating room personnel in Türkiye
Get PDFIntroduction: Low back pain is a common problem among operating room personnel. The study was performed to determine low back pain (LBP) factors and effects on daily activities in operating room personnel.
Methods: The descriptive study was conducted in January 2018 in Ankara, Türkiye. The study sample consisted of 210 operating room personnel. Data from the study were collected using the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire and Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Low Back Health Question Form.
Results: The majority of operating room personnel had LBP. The mean disability score of the Operating room personnel was 9.69±6.49. A total of 8.1% of operating room personnel had severe disabilities. The disability score of the operating room personnel was higher in women, nurses, and personnel who worked over 8 hours a day, those who had any level of stress, and those who lifted patients without assistance.
Conclusion: LBP remains an important problem in operating room staff and negatively affects daily activities. Considering the disability caused by LBP, to prevent LBP, developing comprehensive programs with hospital management including exercise, coping with stress, smoking cessation, and regulation of the working environment and conditions is suggested
Ethical Sensitivity and its Association with Caring Behavior among Healthcare Workers in Delta State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study
Get PDFIntroduction: Caring behavior is a unique behavior that can promote patients’ well-being, the performance of healthcare workers, and the general effectiveness of healthcare institutions. The mechanism and possible predictors of caring behavior are under-researched in health and organizational behavior literature. Based on the aforementioned, this study examined the predictive effect of ethical sensitivity (dimensions included) on caring behavior, and gender differences in caring behavior and ethical sensitivity among public healthcare workers in Delta State, Nigeria.
Methods: A cross-sectional research design and a quantitative approach for data collection were adopted. Simple random sampling was adopted for selecting the participating hospitals while the convenience sampling technique was utilized for selecting the healthcare workers. Two instruments with good psychometric properties were used for the data collection. The simple linear regression and independent sample t-test were used for testing the hypotheses via the IBM-SPSS v.25.
Results: The participants comprised 150 healthcare workers from public-owned hospitals consisting of 73(48.7%) males and 77(51.3%) females with a mean age of 40.60 years and a standard deviation of 9.30. The results of the study indicated that ethical sensitivity positively and significantly predicted caring behavior. Also, two dimensions of ethical sensitivity, moral strength, and moral responsibility positively and significantly predicted caring behavior while a sense of moral burden did not. Finally, there was no significant gender difference in caring behavior and ethical sensitivity.
Conclusion: This study highlights the role of ethical sensitivity, moral strength, and moral responsibility in predicting higher levels of caring behavior among healthcare workers. Thus, it was recommended that hospital administrators, health policymakers, and practitioners seeking to boost the caring behavior of healthcare workers should focus on enhancing factors such as sensitivity to ethical standards. Also, administrators of medical education can nurture intending healthcare workers (medical students) on the importance of ethics in the medical profession
Areas of Work Life as Burnout Predictors in Dentists of Denpasar, Indonesia
Get PDFIntroduction: Burnout is most common among healthcare workers and is characterized by emotional fatigue, depersonalization and low personal accomplishment impacting behaviors also the work environment. This study aimed to analyze areas of work-life and burnout among dentists in dental hospitals.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted on 72 dentists in a dental hospital in Denpasar. An online questionnaire containing the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Areas of Work Life Survey by Michael Leiter and Christina Maslach to estimate burnout and work life was used for data collection from April-May 2022. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the association.
Results: The work-life area category had a score of 3.45, while the dentist’s average score for burnout had a mean value of 4.15. Workload, control, rewards, community, fairness, and values were associated with burnout. The control dimension showed the strongest correlation to burnout. The reward dimension had the most significant role in burnout. All dimensions of the work-life area are predictors of dentist burnout.
Conclusion: Based on the finding of this study, all of the dimensions of work life can potentially cause burnout in dentists. A reward is the most dominant variable in the emergence of burnout. Management needs to set policies to reduce burnout for dentists at work