Occupational Health and Safety Hazards in Agriculture

Within the agricultural sector, it becomes essential worldwide to analyze the magnitude of OHS problems. However, there is a lack of study in Odisha (India) to assess the prevailing situations. Hence, an attempt was made in this study to explore the issues related to OHS among the farmers of Odisha in India. There is a dual main contribution in this study. At first the occupational health and safety issues of farmers of Odisha in India were analyzed based on the literature review and the data collected by personal interaction and questionnaires. In the second part, the step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) method was used to rank the different farming processes, as well as different risks involved in various farming activities.

Filtering Facepiece Respirators for Healthcare Workers Protection in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic

Protecting healthcare workers (HCWs) who are in the frontline during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic is paramount. The filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) or N95 respirator is one of the personal protective equipment (PPE) used to protect HCWs exposed to airborne pathogens in clinical practice or when performing aerosol generating procedures. The FFRs should be able to serve the intended purpose without causing additional health and safety hazards for the HCWs. The following commentary will provide some basic information on selecting correct FFRs and conducting fitness test.

Occupational Health and Safety Management in Selected Stone Quarries in Akamkpa, Cross River State, Nigeria

This research aims to study the management of and implementation of occupational health and safety issues associated with stone quarry work in selected quarries in Akamkpa, Cross River State Nigeria. The research objectives include to determine the types of quarrying activities carried out; to assess the occupational health and safety hazards associated with stone-quarry work; to evaluate the awareness of Quarry workers on potential health and safety hazards associated with their work; establish the level of compliance to the use of Personal Protective Equipment by the workers, and to verify the type of health care provision available to the workers. With a target population of four hundred and thirty-five (435) staff of twelve (12) quarries, A sample of two hundred and five (205) respondents was drawn from the target population through simple random sampling procedure. Questionnaires were the major instrument used for data collection and designed in a 4-point modified Likert scale based on the objectives of the study and validated to be in conformance with ISO 45001:2018 checklist. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings were that 61.7% of respondents are aware that quarry work is highly hazardous, 84.6% do not make use of Personal Protective Equipment. 93.5% inhale particulate materials, 60% have trouble in breathing, 63% experience back and waist pain, 67.2% experience catarrh and 66.7% experience cough at work. 91.5% of workers responded that there were no emergency provisions at site while 96.5% respondents do not have any health insurance, a large percent (85.1%) self-medicates. The totality of evidence from this research supports the conclusions that stone-quarry workers are highly exposed to health and safety hazards, they have no PPE or access to medical care. It is recommended that the Federal and State Government should establish laws and establish an agency to regulate, enforce and monitor compliance to health and safety in Quarries.

Factors Causing Health and Safety Hazards at Construction Sites

The Construction industry is prone to risk to health and safety hazards. Construction workers should have the knowledge of health and safety and apply the knowledge while working. The main objective of this paper was to review and to identify the factors that cause accidents at construction sites and the methods to improve health and safety. The review revealed that lack of awareness about site safety and negligence of workers in wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) were the main causes of poor safety practices. It is necessary to create employer’s and contractor’s interests in safety management and enhance awareness on possible risk factors to reduce these risk factors among workers. Effective implementation of training and safety awareness programs among construction workers is vital to improve health and safety of construction workers.

Identification, determine and control of health, safety, and environmental hazards associated with the construction projects: State-Of-The-Art

The industry of construction is considered a strong economic factor and one of the most dangerous industries. This industry involves a wide range of activities that subject all employees from experts to non-skilled workers to intense undesired situations. Everybody is vulnerable to the hazards, risks, and dangers of this massive industry. Insufficient health and safety management, damage to construction, and constructed environments can also lead to increased accidents and injuries. Accidents not only have consequences of significant suffering and pain, but they are also marginalizing efficiency, time, productivity, negatively impact the environment and overall adding the construction costs. The results of the study will help to identify the essential factors that cause rising rates of risks in construction projects. By identifying these causes, emphasis on environmental, health and safety management will help in implementing awareness to all of those participating in the construction projects. This study demonstrates the criteria and guidelines for the identification, to determine the controlling environmental effects and health and safety hazards at construction project worksites. Furthermore, attempt to explain the techniques of decreasing hazards by the development of pre-construction planning and provide adequate controlling equipment for executing a safer, more profitable construction project from start to the end. Also, in the study suggestions are given for management that they must provide adequate health and safety training for the entire workforce, a supervised workplace by professional site safety managers and operators that will attempt to reduce health and safety hazards at sites.