Abstract
BackgroundWelding is a manufacturing industry where workers could be exposed to several hazards. However, there is a dearth of studies clarifying the situation in Ethiopia. The present study determined the level of awareness of occupational hazards and associated factors among welding employees at Lideta Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.MethodsA work site-based cross-sectional study was conducted among welding employees Lideta Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from April to May 2015. Stratified sampling followed by simple random sampling techniques was used to select the study participants. A pilot tested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Multivariable analyses were employed to see the effect of explanatory variables on workers’ awareness of occupational hazards.ResultsAccording to our criteria of awareness 86.5 % of surveyed workers were aware of occupational hazards. A higher work experience, presence of work regulation, job satisfaction, being married, being single, and a higher educational status were factors significantly associated with workers’ awareness of occupational hazards.ConclusionThis study revealed that the level of awareness of occupational hazards among welders was high. However, this does not mean that there will be no need for further strengthening of the safety measures as significant proportions of the workers still had low awareness. Interventions to boost workers awareness of occupational hazards should focus on areas, such as provision of safety trainings, promotion of safety advocacy, and enforcement of appropriate workplace safety regulation.
Highlights
Welding is a manufacturing industry where workers could be exposed to several hazards
Area and period A work site-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess level of awareness and factors associated with occupational hazards among welders at Lideta Sub-City, Addis Abba, the capital city of Ethiopia, from April to May 2015
Welding is a manufacturing industry where workers could be exposed to several hazards, like fumes and gases, dust, intense bright light, excessive noise, vibrations, electricity, intense heat, unsecured gas cylinders, awkward work postures, and fast moving machinery such as grinders
Summary
Welding is a manufacturing industry where workers could be exposed to several hazards. The present study determined the level of awareness of occupational hazards and associated factors among welding employees at Lideta Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The number of occupational accidents and diseases are increasing in developing countries. It has been estimated that over 120 million occupational accidents with over 200,000 fatalities occur each year in these countries [1]. There were an estimated 42 million occupational accidents with over 54,000 fatalities annually [3]. In Ethiopia there were an estimated 4.3 million occupational accidents with over 5596 fatalities annually. This gave accident and fatality rate of 16,426 and 21.5 per 100,000 workers, respectively [3]
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