DETERMINANTS OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE FOCUS OF WELDERS

Abstract

The welding industry is known for having significant occupational health risks. For this reason, the occupational hazards of welders have been previously examined by many researchers in the literature. However, the traditional hazards-outcomes focused analyses do not show the big picture in which occupational health and safety (OHS) is neglected due to global competitive conditions. Therefore, it may be important to define the determinants of OHS that deepen inequalities, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between OHS indicators and OHS determinants among welders in a developing country. In this descriptive study, the data were collected from 88 welders by telephone interview. Health outcomes were also confirmed from clinical records. In addition to the indicators of OHS, independent variables such as education level, sector, business size, union membership, security, wage, weekly working hours, etc were investigated in the study. According to the results, the work accident rate was higher in welders who started their careers as a child. Leading OHS indicators were found to be significantly worse in the working environments of those with low education, low wages, workers in the private sector and who are non-unionized. Additionally, a positive correlation was found between being unionised and high education level, high socioeconomic development (SED) level, business size, and working in the public sector. There was a negative correlation between union membership and weekly working hours. Since the concept of OHS is related to many factors, working life should be considered from a holistic perspective.