454 Practice of Safety Measures and Work Related Injuries Among Sawmill Workers in Kwara South Senatorial District of Nigeria

Thursday, April 26, 2012
Abay Poster Exhibition and Hall (Millennium Hall)
Omolara Oluranti Ogunwusi Total Health Trust/Health Maintenance Organization, Nigeria
Adekunle G. Salaudeen Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin Nigeria, Nigeria
Omotosho Ibraheem Musa University of Ilorin, Nigeria, Nigeria
Ademola Olugbenga Awoyemi Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin Nigeria, Nigeria
James Olusegun Bamidele Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria
Mohammed Jimoh Saka Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin Nigeria, Nigeria
Abstract

Workplace accidents and illness are on the increase in the Nigerian Sawmill industries which have a considerable amount of work forces. The objective of the study is to assess practice of safety measures and work related injuries of saw mill workers in Kwara South Senatorial District of Nigeria.

This is a descriptive cross sectional survey carried out among sawmills workers in four Local Government Areas of Kwara State. Multistage sampling technique was used in selecting respondents and interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain information. Data collected were processed and analyzed using Epi-Info version 2007 software.    

The findings from this study showed that majority of the workers who were within age group 28-47 years and mainly involved in technical aspect of the job had high level of awareness and fair knowledge of sawmill hazards. There was high practice of the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) among respondents with longest working years. Those who did not use PPE considered it inconvenient, irrelevant and disturbing.  The workers with the high educational attainment level were found to record the best practice of use of protective device. Sawmill machine and technical operators, Sawmill labourers (wood loaders and machine off loaders) and workers with the least working years’ experience recorded the highest cases of hazards.

Government and management of the industry should make adequate provision for regular health education, PPE at subsidized rate and mandate regular inspection and monitoring of sawmills by occupational health officers. Management should enforce environmental cleanliness and hazard free environment, educate and enforce formal training on work place hazards and need for periodic medical examination, provide first aid box and adequate workers compensation plans in case of occupational disability.   

Key words: safety measures, work injuries, sawmill workers


Learning Objectives: To assess the safety measures and work related injury among sawmill workers
See more of: Poster Session: Strengthening Capacity Building for Public Health- Public Health Education and Workforce Needs
See more of: Strengthening Capacity Building for Public Health- Public Health Education and Workforce Needs
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