scholarly journals Occupational Health and Safety legislative compliance in the construction sites in Windhoek, Namibia

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Maano Nghitanwa ◽  
Lindiwe I Zungu
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Occupational Accidents ◽  
Occupational Hazards ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Spss Software

Non compliances towards occupational health and safety legislations has been on increase globally which leads to higher incidence of occupational accidents, injuries and diseases. The aim of the study is to determine the presence of occupational hazards in the construction industry and to investigate the occupational health and safety provision and compliance among construction sites in Windhoek. A quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive design was used to conduct the study. Census sampling was used to include ten construction sites with project running during data collection time and whose site managers agreed to participate in the study. Data was collected in ten construction sites with the site inspection checklist to assess the occupational hazards and OHS compliance in participated construction sites. Data was analysed with SPSS software. The study findings indicated that occupational hazards are prevalent in the construction industry, but there is poor mechanism to control hazards and to prevent hazard exposures. Furthermore, most construction sites are non compliant towards OHS legislations. It is recommended that OHS legislations should be enforced to promote the OHS in the construction industry.

scholarly journals Occupational health and safety provision awareness among construction workers on the construction industry of Windhoek, Namibia

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Emma Maano Nghitanwa ◽  
Lindiwe I Zungu
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Cross Sectional Design ◽  
Quantitative Descriptive

The purpose of this study is to discuss the awareness on the provision of occupational health and safety (OHS) among construction workers in the construction industry of Windhoek, Namibia. A quantitative, descriptive, cross sectional design was applied. Interviewer- led questionnaires were used to collect the data among 549 participants. The study results showed that most construction workers express poor awareness on construction industry OHS provision. The interventions such as OHS training enforcement is needed in order to increase construction workers OHS awareness through training. The employees need to establish OHS programs on the construction sites which include the development of the OHS policies which shows organisation commitment towards occupational health and safety of its workers.

scholarly journals Impact of Alcohol on Occupational Health and Safety in the Construction Industry at Workplaces with Scaffoldings

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (19) ◽  
pp. 6690
Author(s):  
Marek Sawicki ◽  
Mariusz Szóstak
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Abuse ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Accidents ◽  
Preventive Actions ◽  
Different Sources

The value, care, and customs of workers are essential in terms of occupational health and safety. The abuse of alcohol is widely regarded as a serious threat to the lives, health, and safety of employees. The aim of the research was to identify the main problems that are associated with alcohol abuse and consumption at work among employees in the construction industry, with particular emphasis on workstations where work is carried out on construction scaffoldings. Data for the analysis were obtained from two different sources. The first one was post-accident documentation on occupational accidents. The second one was surveys collected during the research project. This study confirmed that excessive and disproportionate alcohol consumption can be the cause of an accident, and consequently death at workplaces with scaffolding. Of 219 accident reports, 17.4% indicated alcohol as a contributing factor. Analysis of accident documentations shows that in cases where alcohol was indicated as a contributing factor in an accident, the alcohol was consumed during the workday. The results obtained on the basis of the conducted research were able to constitute a justification for the directions of preventive actions carried out in order to reduce the number of occupational accidents in the construction industry caused by alcohol.

scholarly journals Occupational health and safety characteristics of agricultural workers in Adana, Turkey: a cross-sectional study

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4952 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramazan Azim Okyay ◽  
Ferdi Tanır ◽  
Pelin Mutlu Ağaoğlu
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Social Security ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Agricultural Workers ◽  
Occupational Accidents ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Mean

Background Among agricultural workers, especially in the seasonal migratory ones, housing and hygiene related issues, occupational accidents, low levels of education, poverty and absence of social security problems emerge as significant public health problems. This study aims to compare migrant-seasonal workers (MSWs) and resident agricultural workers (RAWs) in terms of socio-demographic characteristics and occupational health and safety in Adana, one of Turkey’s most important agricultural cities. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on RAWs and MSWs, aged 15–65, operating in the province of Adana. The calculated sample sizes for both MSWs and RAWs were distributed using stratified simple random sampling to five districts of Adana. Results The mean age of the 798 participating agricultural workers was 34.6 ± 14.2. Of the RAWs, 78.8% and of the MSWs 57.0% were male; 5.8% of RAWs and 32.8% of MSWs were illiterate. The mean number of people in the households of the participating workers was 5.1 for RAWs and 6.6 for MSWs. Of the RAWs, 20.5% were not covered by any social security scheme while this percentage was 35.1% in MSWs. RAWs worked 9.9 h a day while MSWs worked 10.9 h a day. Of the agricultural workers, 12.9% had injuries caused by occupational accidents. Discussion Agricultural workers, who are a large part of Turkey’s economically active population, do not have healthy and safe working conditions. New regulations in the fields of social security, record keeping, monitoring, supervision, education and occupational health have been implemented recently to solve these problems. Despite the recent improvements there are still some problematic issues in the auditing of the necessary practices.

scholarly journals Exposure to occupational hazards among bakers and their coping mechanisms in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winifred Serwaa Bonsu ◽  
Dina Adei ◽  
Williams Agyemang-Duah
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Interpersonal Relationship ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Coping Mechanisms ◽  
Occupational Hazards ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background: Despite the contribution of the baking industry to employment creation and income generation in low-and middle-income countries, the sector is also prone to occupational health and safety challenges which could undermine the quality of life and wellbeing of bakers within the industry. However, studies on the exposure to occupational hazards among bakers and the strategies they employ to control their exposure to occupational hazards are still lacking in Ghana. In this study, we aimed at examining the exposure to occupational hazards among bakers in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana and further explore their coping mechanisms. Methods: By employing a cross-sectional design, the study was conducted among 172 bakers in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. A questionnaire consisting of both closed and open-ended questions was used to take data from the respondents. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were adopted to analyze the data. Results: We found that the participants were exposed to different types of occupational hazards including physical (noise, flour dust/smoke, fire, and high temperature), biological (mosquitoes, insects and rodents), psychosocial (stress, verbal abuse, and poor interpersonal relationship), chemical (chemicals in the local soap used to clean and wash napkins after baking), and ergonomic hazards (standing, sitting and bending repetitively). Some of the coping mechanisms employed to reduce exposure to the various types of occupational hazards comprise the use of a wooden and metallic peel to place and remove bread from the oven, removing excess fire from the oven with a peel, use of mosquito repellent and coil, rest breaks and staying hydrated. Conclusion: The findings from this study are therefore critical to informing policymakers in implementing occupational health and safety policies to safeguard the health of bakers in Ghana and other low-and middle-income countries. We suggest that there should be participatory and action-oriented programs organized for bakers at their weekly meetings to discuss relevant occupational health and safety issues. Union executives should carry out worksite inspection accompanied by a checklist to monitor the progress of the sessions held during meetings.

scholarly journals Exposure to occupational hazards among bakers and their coping mechanisms in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winifred Serwaa Bonsu ◽  
Dina Adei ◽  
Williams Agyemang-Duah
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Interpersonal Relationship ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Coping Mechanisms ◽  
Occupational Hazards ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background: Despite the contribution of the baking industry to employment creation and income generation in low-and middle-income countries, the sector is also prone to occupational health and safety challenges which could undermine the quality of life and wellbeing of bakers within the industry. However, studies on the exposure to occupational hazards among bakers and the strategies they employ to control their exposure to occupational hazards are still lacking in Ghana. In this study, we aimed at examining the exposure to occupational hazards among bakers in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana and further explore their coping mechanisms. Methods: By employing a cross-sectional design, the study was conducted among 172 bakers in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. A questionnaire consisting of both closed and open-ended questions was used to take data from the respondents. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were adopted to analyze the data. Results: We found that the participants were exposed to different types of occupational hazards including physical (noise, flour dust/smoke, fire, and high temperature), biological (mosquitoes, insects and rodents), psychosocial (stress, verbal abuse, and poor interpersonal relationship), chemical (chemicals in the local soap used to clean and wash napkins after baking), and ergonomic hazards (standing, sitting and bending repetitively). Some of the coping mechanisms employed to reduce exposure to the various types of occupational hazards comprise the use of a wooden and metallic peel to place and remove bread from the oven, removing excess fire from the oven with a peel, use of mosquito repellent and coil, rest breaks and staying hydrated. Conclusion: The findings from this study are therefore critical to informing policymakers in implementing occupational health and safety policies to safeguard the health of bakers in Ghana and other low-and middle-income countries. We suggest that there should be participatory and action-oriented programs organized for bakers at their weekly meetings to discuss relevant occupational health and safety issues. Union executives should carry out worksite inspection accompanied by a checklist to monitor the progress of the sessions held during meetings.

Improving occupational health and safety (OHS) in construction using Training-Within-Industry method

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 655-671
Author(s):  
Lesiba George Mollo ◽  
Fidelis Emuze ◽  
John Smallwood
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Learning By Doing ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Knowledge And Skills

Purpose The manufacturing industry is a well-known source of interventions adapted to solve problems in the construction industry. The use of Training-Within-Industry (TWI) is one such intervention adopted in the construction industry to solve the construction problem relating to occupational health and safety (OHS). The objectives of TWI are to help the industry to transfer knowledge and skills from management to the employees. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to investigate whether TWI can reduce OHS problems by promoting “learning by doing” on construction sites. Design/methodology/approach A case-based-research method was used to investigate the reported OHS problems in the construction industry in South Africa. The data were quantitative and qualitative in nature; the questionnaire survey, semi-structured interview and focus group interview techniques were used to collect data in the study. Findings The findings provide a better understanding of the human contributions influencing the behaviour of people causing accidents on construction sites. The data show that construction project leaders struggle to promote “learning by doing” because of inappropriate behaviour, lack of communication and inadequate training provided to new workers on construction sites. Also, there is significant scope for TWI deployment in construction because of the inability of supervisors or management to promote “learning by doing” on construction sites. Practical implications Based on the research findings, it is discovered that OHS is a serious concern in the construction industry. Therefore, the adoption of learning by doing on a construction site would help to improve OHS outcome. Originality/value The study highlights the need to introduce TWI on construction sites to reduce human failure causing accidents. TWI could lead to improving the knowledge- and skills-transfer programmes for construction workers in favour of better safety performance.

A Global Perspective on Occupational Health and Safety

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorma H. Rantanen
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Psychosocial Problems ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
High Income ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Occupational Hazards ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Informal Workers

Occupational hazards as well as occupational injuries and diseases are frequent and serious problems not only in industrialized high-income countries, but also in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In high-income countries, the occurrence of occupational injuries and chemically-related disorders has decreased while psychosocial problems and issues for disabled, aging, and other vulnerable workers have increased. In the LMICs, “traditional” occupational hazards and related injuries and diseases are still a major concern. Globalization, while providing some benefits to workers, has presented many negative effects, such as transfer of hazardous technologies and substances to LMICs, widening of income gaps, and worsening of working conditions and worker income, especially for agricultural workers, those with little education, and informal workers. The chapter provides a global overview of work and workers as well occupational health and safety hazards and related challenges.

scholarly journals Occupational Health and Safety in the Palm Oil Industry: A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 159-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuruly Myzabella ◽  
Lin Fritschi ◽  
Nick Merdith ◽  
Sonia El-Zaemey ◽  
HuiJun Chih ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Palm Oil ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Oil Industry ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Growth Potential ◽  
Occupational Hazards ◽  
Psychosocial Disorders ◽  
Oil Palm Plantation

Background: The palm oil industry is the largest contributor to global production of oils and fats. Indonesia and Malaysia are the largest producers of palm oil. More than a million workers are employed in this industry, yet there is a lack of information on their occupational health and safety. Objective: To identify and summarize occupational hazards among oil palm plantation workers. Methods: A search was carried out in June 2018 in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Ovid. Relevant publications were identified by a systematic search of four databases and relevant journals. Publications were included if they examined occupational hazards in oil palm plantation workers. Results: 941 publications were identified; of these, 25 studies were found eligible to be included in the final review. Of the 25 studies examined, 19 were conducted in Malaysia, 2 in Costa Rica, and one each in Ghana, Indonesia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, and Cameroon. Oil palm plantation workers were found to be at risk of musculoskeletal conditions, injuries, psychosocial disorders, and infectious diseases such as malaria and leptospirosis. In addition, they have potential exposure to paraquat and other pesticides. Conclusion: In light of the potential of palm oil for use as a biofuel, this is an industry with strong growth potential. The workers are exposed to various occupational hazards. Further research and interventions are necessary to improve the working conditions of this already vast and growing workforce.

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