Assessment of grain dust management systems among selected animal feed manufacturers in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

The animal feed industry in Kenya has experienced rapid growth due to the increased demand for animal feed around the major towns. That equally increased the risks of exposure to grain dust among the workers. The level of awareness about the risks and the existing control measures has not been adequately studied and documented in Kenya. The overall objective of the study was to assess the dust management systems among selected animal feed manufacturers in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study adopted a cross-sectional study design. A total of 355 animal feed mill workers were sampled using Yamane’s formula. They assessed the dust management systems using structured questionnaires, interviews, and walk-through surveys. SPSS was used to process and analyze the collected data. The results showed that the majority of the workers had not been trained in the elements of grain dust management. None of the workers was aware of the air sampling measurements or the exposure limits. Only 16.13% of the feed millers controlled the dust using other engineering and administrative controls apart from ventilation. The study concluded that there was a need for improvement in dust management measures among the facilities and the workers. The study recommends improvement in the dust control measures whereby the workers should adhere to the set safety and health guidelines and the management of the animal feed manufacturers should provide continuous training, suitable gear, and development of engineering controls to minimize the exposure to grain dust.