ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY AMONG SOLID WASTE WORKERS IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47672/ejhs.934Keywords:
Diseases, Injuries, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Waste and Waste workers.Abstract
Purpose: Risks occur at every step in the waste management process, from the point of collection at homes, during transportation and at the sites of recycling or disposal. This study aimed at assessing the occupational health and safety of solid waste workers in Abuja Municipal Area Council.
Methods: Descriptive survey research was employed for the study. A sample population of 327 waste workers was obtained by using the Krejcie & Morgan, (1970) model for sample size determination. The random sampling technique using the table of random numbers was employed in selecting the waste workers. The instrument used for this study was a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire collected information on socio-demographic characteristics of waste workers, safety tools and hygiene practices, occupational injuries and diseases and awareness on Covid 19, disease. Descriptive statistics were employed in analyzing the data, with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).
Results: The results were presented in tables and charts. The results revealed that aprons and face masks were the most commonly used PPE among waste workers. It accounted for 73% and 52% among the waste collectors/ sweepers respectively. Among the crewmen, it also accounted for 45% and 23% respectively. Only about 46 % of the waste workers take their baths after work. Injuries from vehicles accounted for the highest among the waste workers. This accounts for 34 % among the domestic waste collector/sweepers and 29% among the crewmen.
Conclusion: The several types of occupational diseases among the solid waste workers include fatigue (78% among the domestic waste collector/sweepers and 66% among the crewmen), back pain, chest pain, and cough. There is a significant difference in the prevalence of occupational health diseases among solid waste workers.
Recommendations: The study, recommends that waste workers should be trained on occupational and health safety and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) should be encouraged among the workers.
Downloads
References
Abila, B., & Kantola, J. (2013). Municipal solid waste management problems in Nigeria. Evolving knowledge management solution. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Environmental, Chemical, Ecological, Geological and Geophysical Engineering 7(6).
Abur, B.T., Oguche, E. E., & Duvuna, G. A. (2014). Characterization of municipal solid waste in the Federal Capital Abuja, Nigeria. Global Journal of Science Frontier Research (H) Environment& Earth science: 14(2). Online ISSN: 2249-4626.
Adekiya, O. A. (2021). Assessment of occupational health risk and awareness of scavengers to covid- 19 in Abuja Municipal Area Council, Nigeria American Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing Practice (AJHMN) 6(1), 18 - 31. ISSN 2520-4017 (online)
Adeyi, A. A., & Adeyemi, A. M. (2019). Potential occupational health effects of municipal solid waste management in Nigeria, the case of Lagos and Ibadan. Ife Journal of Science 21(2) https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ijs.v21i2.15
Baral, Y. R. (2018). Waste workers and occupational health risks. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 8 (2) 1-3. https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/IJOSH
Cointreau"‘Levine, S. (2006). Occupational and Environmental Health Issues of Solid Waste Management. Special Emphasis on Middle"‘And Lower"‘Income Countries. Urban papers. Washington D.C: World Bank Group, Urban Sector Board. Available from: http:// www worldbank.org/INTUSWM/Resources/up"‘2.pdf.
Dorevitch, S., & Marder, D. (2001). Occupational hazards of municipal solid waste workers. Occupational medicine (Philadelphia, Pa.). 16, 125-33.
Gebremedhin, F., Debere, M. K., Kumie, A., Tirfe, Z .M., & Alamdo. A.G. (2016). Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practices among solid waste collectors in Lideta Sub-city on prevention of occupational health hazards, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Sci J Public Health 4:49-56.
Gizaw, Z., Gebrehiwot, M., & Teka, Z. (2014). . Assessment of occupational injury and associated factors among municipal solid waste management workers in Gondar town and Bahir Dar City, northwest Ethiopia. Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences 5(9), 181-192.
Hamalainen, P., Takala, J., & Kiat, T. B. (2017). Global estimates of occupational accidents and work-related illnesses. World, 2017, 3-4.
Health and Safety Executive. 2007. Health hazards in the waste and recyclable industry. Waste15. Retrieved on 23 November, 2021 at www.hse.goc.uk/pubns /waste15.pdf
ILO (2016) Nigeria Country Profile on Occupational Safety and Health 2016. www.ilo.org>publication>wcms¬_ 552748 assessed on 29/11/2021
Jayakrishnan, T., Jeeja, M.C., & Bhaskar, R. (2013). Occupational health problems of municipal solid waste management workers in India. Int J Env Health Eng, 2(3)
Krajewski, J.A., Tarkowsk,i S., & Cyprowski, M. ( 2000). Hazardous health effects in communal waste collection and disposal workers. Med Pr; 51,159"‘72.
Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970): Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30, 607-610
Lissah, S.Y., Ayanore, M. A., Krugu, J., & Ruiter, R.A.C. (2020). Psychosocial risk, work-related stress, and job satisfaction among domestic waste collectors in the Ho Municipality of Ghana: A phenomenological study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 17, 2903.
Mamuya, S., & Badi, S. (2019). Factors contributing to occupational injuries among solid waste collectors: across sectional study in a municipal in Tanzania MOJ Public Health. 8(6), 37"’241.
Melaku, H. S., & Tiruneh, M. A. (2020). Occupational health conditions and associated factors among municipal solid waste collectors in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy. Available at https://www.dovepress.com/ by 197.210.77.142
Mol, M. P. G., Cairncross, S., & Greco, D. B. (2019). Urban waste collectors in Belo Horizonte, Brazil: Their perceptions of occupational health risk. Qual Health Res 29 (3):371-381.
Patil, P., & Kamble, R. (2017). Occupational health hazards in municipal solid waste collecting workers of Chandrapur City, Central India. International Journal of Environment. 6. 46. 10.3126/ije.v6i1.16867.
Porta, D., Milani, S., Lazzarino, A. I., Perucci, C, A., & Forastiere, F. (2009,) Systematic review of epidemiological studies on health effects associated with management of solid waste. Environ Health, 8:60. Available from: http://www.ehjournal.net/content/8/1/60.
Ramitha, K. L., Ankitha, T., Alankrutha, R. V., & Anitha C T. (2021) A cross-sectional study on occupational health and safety of municipal solid waste workers in Telangana, India. Indian J Occup Environ Med [serial online] 25:169-77. Available from: https://www.ijoem.com/text.asp?2021/25/3/169/327914
Oyelola, O.T., Babatunde, A I., Abiodun, A.A., & Popoola, E.O. (2018). Occupational health hazards associated with dumpsite scavengers and high way workers in Lagos metropolis. Journal of Environmental issues 1 (1),13-21
Suleman, Y., Darko, E.T., & Agyemang-Duah, W. (2015). Solid waste disposal and community health implications in Ghana: Evidence from Sawaba, Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly. J Civil Environ Eng. 5 (6), 202
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. (BBMP) (2020). Solid waste management Bylaws (March2020). No:Addl.Comm/SWM/PR/266/2019-20 www.lawinsider.com>waste assessed on 23/12/2021
Tchobanoglous, G. & Kreith, F. (2002). Handbook of Solid Waste Management. Second Edition. McGraw-Hill Inc., New York.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
