International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health (nepjol.info)
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Workplace Well-Being in Manufacturing Organizations in Nigeria: Do Employee Green Behavior, Core Self-Evaluations and Empowering Leadership Matter?
Get PDFIntroduction: Workplace well-being has become a key issue in organizational behavior literature because of the impact it has on various outcomes in the organization. Consequent to the aforementioned, this study investigated three antecedents (employee green behavior, core self-evaluation, and empowering leadership) of Workplace well-being in manufacturing organizations in Nigeria.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey and the correlational design were adopted to investigate the direct relationship the three predictor variables (employee green behavior, core self-evaluation, and empowering leadership) have with workplace well-being. Data were collected from 201 employees working in manufacturing organizations in Lagos State, Nigeria using systematic sampling. The participants comprised 124 males and 77 females with a mean age of 31.43 years and a standard deviation of 5.87. Four standardized and psychometrically sound instruments were used for collecting data while regression analysis was used in testing the hypotheses via the IBM SPSS statistics version 25.
Results: The results of the study indicated that employee green behavior, core self-evaluations, and empowering leadership positively and significantly predicted workplace well-being in manufacturing organizations.
Conclusion: This study provided valuable contributions to the antecedents of workplace well-being. Based on the outcome of the study, it is safe to say that workplace well-being has a link with an individual (employee green behavior and core self-evaluations) and interpersonal factors (empowering leadership) in the organization
Solid waste workers in India and the COVID-19 pandemic: A Review of Intersecting challenges
Get PDFIntroduction: Municipal garbage/refuse, sludge, industrial and commercial waste, etc. is termed Solid Waste (SW) and those who handle such waste are SW workers. But the COVID-19 pandemic has hit them hard. SW workers play a vital role in waste management to safeguard and promote public health. But they are often unappreciated and the various health risks and vulnerabilities associated with waste handling are overlooked. This study aimed to review the working conditions and morbidities of SW workers highlighting the longstanding challenges before and after the onset of COVID-19 in India.
Methods: Databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar were used for the inclusion of articles. Drawing from the literature on the working conditions and morbidities of SW workers in India alongside grey literature and news reports by electronic media during the pandemic, this paper highlights the longstanding challenges of SW workers.
Results: The health morbidities and structural challenges due to caste, and class that were reported as being faced by SW workers across the studies have worsened at the onset of COVID-19. There is a multiplying effect of their vulnerability due to the disadvantages of caste and class. Due to power dynamics, they were forced to work without proper wages and appropriate healthcare resources. Many incidents across the country reported stigma and discrimination; poor access and utilization of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) among SW workers resulted in infections and deaths due to the pandemic. Lack of proper data on COVID-19 infected SW workers; lack of proper certification had halted their insurance claims.
Conclusion: This paper noted the multiplying effect of long-standing vulnerabilities that were exposed during the pandemic. Proper maintenance of health records and a sustainable employee grievance redressal mechanism are essential. The need of the hour is to focus on strategies to improve their working conditions along with policies to protect their dignity and empower them.
COVID-19 related symptoms and vaccination usage among informal waste workers of Kathmandu, Nepal
Get PDFIntroduction: About 56% of total population of Nepal have been fully immunized against COVID. But still foreign nationals and Informal Waste Workers (IWWs) outside of Nepal are struggling to get COVID vaccines. This study was intended to study the COVID-19 symptoms among IWWs of Kathmandu and the usage of vaccines by them.
Methods: A Cross-sectional study was conducted among 107 IWWs of Kathmandu Valley from Balku, Sanepa, Kalimati and Teku areas. A convenience sampling method was used to find the respondents based on their willingness to participate in the study. Face-to-face interview was conducted using structured questionnaire to collect data from IWWs.
Results: A total of 53.3% males and 46.7% females participated in this study. Despite of majority of waste workers facing COVID related symptoms, only 19.6% of waste workers had done COVID test. Around 77.6% of waste workers hadn’t still taken COVID vaccine with majority (93.9 %) of them belonging to India.
Conclusion: The majority of IWWs of Kathmandu are afraid to take COVID vaccine. Despite of having COVID related symptoms, IWWs haven’t gone for COVID test. Though interested, the IWWs needs identity cards for vaccination which counts less number of waste workers being vaccinated
Sharp injuries during clinical training among medical students in the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Get PDFIntroduction: Medical students are exposed to blood and body fluids during their clinical training which increased the risk of transmission of blood-borne infections. The objective of the study is to assess the prevalence, knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding sharp injuries among final medical students of the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Methods: A survey was done among 210 final-year medical students of the University of Peradeniya with a self-administered online questionnaire including demographic information, experience, knowledge and reporting behavior following sharp injuries.
Results: Response rate was 80% (n=168). Sharp injuries were experienced by 22.6%. Most of the sharp injuries were sustained during venepuncture (39.5%). The majority (58.9%) did not adhere to universal precautions as they did not anticipate the event. One-third of the students (31.6%) did not know about universal precautions. Most of the students (68.4%) who had a sharp injury did not seek post-exposure assistance or prophylaxis. The majority of this group thought there is no risk (64%). Twenty-five students have not completed the full course of the hepatitis B vaccine. More than half (51.8%) of the fully vaccinated group were unaware of their immune status. The majority (67.3%) believed that their knowledge is not adequate regarding the prevention and management of needle stick injuries. The majority (97%) believed more emphasis should be given to knowledge and practice regarding sharp injuries.
Conclusion: The knowledge, attitudes and practices of medical students regarding the prevention and management of sharp injuries were unsatisfactory. Poor awareness was observed regarding immune status following hepatitis B vaccination among medical students
Glenohumeral Translations in Overhead Workers with Sub-Acromial Impingement Syndrome: A Review
Get PDFIntroduction: The third most common musculoskeletal condition is shoulder pain with a prevalence of up to 70%. The second most frequent shoulder condition is subacromial impingement syndrome. Impingement can be classified as either anterosuperior or posterosuperior. Faulty posture, altered scapular or glenohumeral kinematics, posterior capsular tightness, and acromial or coracoacromial arch pathology are all potential extrinsic mechanics that can lead to Subacromial impingement syndrome. The purpose of this review is to find the different variation in translation that takes place in the glenohumeral joint in Subacromial impingement syndrome in overhead workers.
Methods: We performed a review of the various translations observed in the glenohumeral joint in subacromial impingement syndrome and discussed the evidence-based studies. For the review, an electronic search for relevant articles using PUBMED, Pedro, Research Gate, and Google Scholar databases up to Dec 2022 was done wherein MeSH search terms and free words were used. Articles underwent the selection process and were selected on the basis of inclusion criteria. Articles were selected based on the author\u27s expertise, self-knowledge and reflective practice.
Results: The current study included 11 articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria suggesting that various humeral translations in overhead workers. The above-reviewed studies provided evidence that based on occupational demands abnormal variations occur.
Conclusion: This review has provided an overview of the previous and recent literature on humeral head translation seen in sub-acromial impingement. This study concludes that superior translation is more common as compared to anterior-superior translation and posterior-superior translation
Effect of Load on Upper Extremity Muscles of Agricultural Workers of West Bengal
Get PDFIntroduction: Agricultural fields like weed management and horticultural operations are the most common and labor-intensive. Most of these tasks are completed with the help of push-pull-type agricultural machinery. The push-pull tasks are mainly done using agricultural machinery (push-pull weeders, manually operated rice transplanters or seeders, long-handled agricultural tools, etc.) by farm workers. Since these are manually operated machinery, long working hours in awkward positions are expected, which causes physical stress and musculoskeletal disorders in the operators. An electromyography study for agricultural workers during push and pull operations was conducted in this study.
Methods: To evaluate muscle activity, a laboratory test setup was developed based on the ergonomic criteria of the uniform force application. Four loads (50, 100, 150, and 200 N) and the four most used upper body muscles (middle deltoid MD, triceps brachii TR, brachioradialis BR, and biceps brachii BI) during push-pull operations were selected for an electromyographic study on twelve medically fit agricultural workers as subjects. This study attempted to minimize muscle activity, thereby reducing overexertion injuries.
Results: The most activated muscles during the pushing and pulling operations were TR and BR, respectively. The muscle activity of the TR during the pushing task was found to be 109 µV, 135 µV, 178 µV and 195 µV at loads of 50 N, 100 N, 150 N, and 200 N, respectively. During the pulling task, the muscle activity of the BR was 51 µV, 66 µV, 80 µV, and 126 µV at loads of 50 N, 100 N, 150 N, and 200 N, respectively.
Conclusion: For all subjects, a load of 200 N was found difficult to operate compared to other selected loads during push and pull operations. Muscle activation was found to increase with increasing load for each of the selected muscles
Occupational health hazards and use of personal protective equipment among automobile mechanics in Surulere local government area of Lagos State, Nigeria - a descriptive study
Get PDFIntroduction: The job of an automobile mechanic is associated with hazards, illness, and injuries, which may result in sickness, absenteeism, economic loss, disability, or even death. This study assessed the level of knowledge and workplace safety practice by automobile mechanics.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 120 registered automobile mechanics in Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demography and occupational health practices. Data entry and analysis were done with Epi-info 3.5.1(2008). Chi-square and Fischer Exact tests were used to test for significance.
Results: The respondents were all males with a mean age of 39.9±7.5 years, the majority learned the trade through apprenticeship (95.80%) and on full-time work (98.30%). Most respondents (95.8%) were aware of at least one health problem associated with its hazards. Over 75% of respondents were aware of physical hazards. Over eighty percent (84.17%) of respondents used their own overalls, 40% of them used overalls regularly, and only 26.67% of respondents used overalls appropriately.
Conclusion: Many respondents were aware of health problems, occupational hazards, and PPE used in the Automobile workplace but did not translate to good practice of workplace safety as seen in only 1.67%. The respondents did not deem the use of PPE necessary and lack, or inadequate training on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ PPE were identified as factors hindering PPE use. Workers\u27 training and adherence monitoring could help improve good workplace safety practices in Lagos, Nigeria
Anthropometric study of hand parameters for redesigning surgical instruments to combat ergonomic challenges in an operation theatre
Get PDFIntroduction: Anthropometric hand dimensions are used in the design of hand instruments for improving the efficiency and human comfort of surgical equipment and instruments. Instruments built for large male hands make it more difficult for petite female hands to operate them, which reduces their productivity and increases the risk of musculoskeletal diseases. So, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the differences in anthropometric and biomechanical parameters between the dominant hands of adult Indian males and females.
Methods: The study was conducted on 335 Indian health care professionals of which 168 were males and 167 were females. Various anthropometric and biomechanical parameters were measured on the dominant hand of all the individuals included in the study. Length, breadth and span of a hand, as well as wrist circumference, were measured by measuring tape while handgrip strength and pinch strength was recorded by Jamar dynamometer & Jamar pinch gauge respectively. Obtained data were analyzed by applying the t-test SPSS version 27. We considered P-value <0.05 as statistically significant.
Results: A higher statistically significant difference (<0.05) was found in hand anthropometric and biomechanical parameters amongst dominant hands of Indian male and female health care professionals.
Conclusion: The present study was gender-based. All the anthropometric and biomechanical parameters were found to be of dimensions in males as compared to females. This study provides baseline anthropometric & biomechanical values of the Indian hand that will help manufacturers to redesign instruments to improve efficiency and prevent the risk of musculoskeletal disorders amongst health care professionals
Prevalence and Determinant of Respiratory Symptoms Among Rice Mill Workers in Sokoto State, Northwest Nigeria
Get PDFIntroduction: Rice milling provides a means of livelihood to many in Northwest Nigeria, but like any other profession, it is not without risk. Workers in rice mills are exposed to hazards which has deleterious effects on many systems in the body, one of these is the respiratory system. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors that are associated with respiratory problems among rice millers in Sokoto State, Northwest Nigeria.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2019 and July 2019. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain responses from the participants.
Results: A total of 398 workers participated in the study, and 230(57.8%) of them had at least one symptom of respiratory morbidity. Morning cough 184(46.2%) had the highest prevalence, followed by chest tightness 157(39.4%). Cigarette smoking, involvement in de-husking and paddy separation were factors that increase the likelihood of having respiratory symptoms among the workers.
Conclusion: The prevalence of respiratory symptoms is high among rice mill workers, and the factors that were found to determine the presence of respiratory symptoms were cigarette smoking, and involvement in de-husking and paddy separation
A Review on Residual Solid Propellant Disposal Methods Using HRIM, RISK Score Matrix, Safety Consequence Analysis and Environmental Impact Analysis
No full textIntroduction: Solid propellants are high energetic materials used for Launch vehicles and military applications. During solid propellant processing residual propellant generates due to less pot life, machining for insulation lining, scaled and sub scaled trials for mechanical and ballistic properties prediction. A conventional method for disposal of residual propellant is open-air burning; other alternate methods in the literature are incineration, wet air oxidation and molten salt destruction.
Methods: Hazard assessment is carried out for the disposal methods both conventional and alternate. Preliminary hazard analysis (PHA), Hazard Risk Index Matrix (HRIM), Risk Score Matrix and as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) are used to assess the Hazard.
Results: Based on the study and calculations Open air burning is having less risk score and medium level safety risk acceptance and tolerable risk which can mitigate. Open-air burning is the safest, efficient and cost-effective way to dispose of the high energetic material but the disadvantage of this method is environmental pollution, high temperature and toxic gases exposure to fire personnel. Based on safety consequences analysis, the 1 gram of solid propellant is found to be 1.308 grams of Trinitrotoluene (TNT) equivalency, and one-time open burning creates 3.822 KPa overpressure on the atmosphere where minimum overpressure to create damage effect is 5 KPa.
Conclusion: The environmental impact analysis for disposing of solid propellant gives information about different pollutants, their concentrations in the atmosphere at different altitudes and their impact. Solid propellants are hazard reactive materials they were the one exception under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) that controls the destruction of hazardous waste