Good Safety Practices Research Articles

Knowledge, attitude and practice on road traffic safety among the motorbike riders of Lalitpur metropolitan, Nepal

Background: Motorbike riders are among the most vulnerable road users, and road safety plays a primary role in eliminating road traffic accidents (RTAs). The objective of the study was to determine the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of road safety among motorbike riders and to identify the factors associated with their knowledge, attitude and practices. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study was conducted among 151 motorbike riders utilizing face-to-face interview. Systematic sampling technique was applied to 1516 households of the selected ward. Socio-demographics and KAP were obtained using structured questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was done to find out the association between independent and dependent variables. Results: Overall, only (62.9%) respondents had adequate knowledge of road safety; (73%) of riders had a favorable attitude toward road safety; while only (44.37%) followed good road safety practices. The practice of drunken-drive was reported by total of 33.2% of respondents. Results showed that over speeding practices were (5 times) higher in males, mobile use was seen more (7.4 times) among age group 18-24. The more the years of riding experience the more the speedy driving, i.e. (1.08 times) higher among those having more than 2 years of riding experience. Conclusions: To address RTA through, we conclude that traffic police and other stakeholders should implement robust legislation concerning road safety. This should include periodic training and examinations for vehicle users to ensure their understanding and compliance with road safety measures.

Knowledge, attitude, and food safety practices among university students in Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania

Food safety is a public health concern worldwide due to an increased morbidity and mortality risk associated with the outbreak of food-borne diseases. This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitude, and food safety practices (KAP) among university students in northern Tanzania. This is interesting because it allows data to be collected for creating awareness on safety, sanitation, and quality of food available within and outside the university environments.We conducted a cross-sectional study among 407 university students in Kilimanjaro region and all authors participated equally. Participants completed an online, self-administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25 and summarized using descriptive statistics. The Chi-squared test compared the proportion of KAP by participant characteristics and the multiple logistic regression model used to determine the associated factors. Participants had a mean age (standard deviation) of 23.2 (2.6) years, 51.4% were males, and 83% were < 25 years. The overall proportion of good knowledge, attitude, and food safety practices were 82.6, 78.4, and 31.9%, respectively. Higher odds of knowledge and attitude on food safety were students from KCMUCo (OR = 2.36; 95% CI 1.33–4.17) and (OR = 4.80; 95% CI 2.67–8.63). Also higher odds of food safety practice were students with good knowledge (OR = 1.80; 95% CI 1.03–3.13).Good food safety knowledge but not attitudes was associated with good food safety practices. This shows the need to introduce practical food safety within college environments to help students improve food hygiene and safety practices.

Assessment of Food Safety Practices and Associated Factors Among Health Extension Model and Non-Model Households in Asella Town, South West Ethiopia, 2023

Background: Food safety is essential for preventing foodborne illnesses and ensuring the health of consumers. Unsafe food can lead to diseases that result in significant morbidity and mortality. Objective: This study aimed to assess food safety practices and associated factors among health extension model and non-model households in Asella Town, South West Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 660 model and non-model households. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and logistic regression analyses. Results: The overall prevalence of good food safety practices was 49.1%, with significantly higher prevalence among model households (75.4%) compared to non-model households (22.4%). Factors associated with good food safety practices included being a model household, availability of solid and liquid waste disposal sites, good knowledge towards food safety, and a positive attitude towards food safety. Conclusions and Recommendations: The study findings indicate a low level of good food safety practices among households. Interventions are needed to improve household food safety practices, knowledge, and attitudes towards food safety.

Factors associated with self-reported medical errors among undergraduate health science students in southern Ethiopia

IntroductionMedical errors are not uncommon, but they are seldom reported. Patient safety practices are among the key areas for service improvement. This study aimed to assess factors associated with self-reported medical errors among undergraduate health science students in southern Ethiopia.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among health science students of Arba Minch University in 2018. The sample size was calculated using a single population proportion formula. A total of 287 medical students in their fourth year and above, nursing and midwifery students in their second year and above, and other health science students in their third year and above were included.ResultsThe majority (82.1, 95%CI: 77.63–86.67) of the study participants had a ‘good’ knowledge score on patient safety. Approximately 62.5% (95%CI: 56.8–68.2) of the participants had a ‘favorable’ patient safety attitude. Only 38.6% (95%CI: 32.8–44.3) of the study participants had ‘good’ patient safety practices. At adjusted analysis, the practical attachment unit, having ever managed a patient independently, having ever witnessed harm to patients by colleagues or other healthcare workers, and having ever witnessed harm to a close friend or family member were statistically significantly associated with self-reported medical errors. Participants who were doing their practical clinical attachment in the surgical and obstetric units were three times more likely to self-report medical errors as compared to those practicing in the pediatrics, internal medicine, and other units (AOR = 2.72, 95%CI: 1.16–6.39.97). Students who had never managed a patient independently were less likely to self-report medical error (AOR = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.08–0.72). The odds of self-reporting medical errors were less among among participants who had not ever witnessed harm to patients by colleagues or other healthcare workers (AOR = 0.12, 95%CI: 0.05–0.29) and participants who had not ever witnessed harm to a close friend or family member (AOR = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.16–0.80).ConclusionOne in five of the participants reported having harmed patients while practicing. Most of the students had good patient safety knowledge, while approximately two-thirds of the participants had a favorable attitude toward patient safety. Only 38.6% of the study participants had good patient safety practices. Having worked in surgical and obstetrics units, having managed a patient independently, and having witnessed harm to a patient were associated with self-reporting of medical errors.

The New Three-Dimensional Safety Approach for the Implementation of Process Safety Management (PSM) and Improving Safety Aspects for the Pharmaceutical Industry in India – An Overview

Implementation of the fourteen elements of process safety management (PSM) helps to build a good safety culture in the organization. The new three-dimensional approach, which consists of good safety practices, safety precautions, and frequent checking of the process equipment and its devices has been applied to the various elements of the process safety management. The elements of process safety management are six, four, and three are good safety practices, safety precautions, and frequent checking of process equipment and its devices but one of the elements is the combination of all the three-dimensional approach, which is a trade secret, which insists that all the people in the organization should follow all the documented procedures from two to thirteen elements of the process safety management, the controlled copy should only be used inside the company premises. We have taken secondary published data for assessing the deviations of the three-dimensional safety approach for the human failures in the pharmaceutical industry, which has led to various incidents/accidents from October 2017 to September 2021. The deviation, which we have observed for the good safety practices, safety precautions, and frequent checking of process equipment and its devices was ten, nine, and one numbers before implementation of the process safety management. After the implantation of the process safety management, the incidents were reduced to three numbers from January 2022 to August 2023, in which deviation has been found in the two and one for the good safety practices and safety precautions.

Evaluation of the Effects of Food Safety Training on the Microbiological Load Present in Equipment, Surfaces, Utensils, and Food Manipulator's Hands in Restaurants.

Training food handlers is essential to ensure food safety. However, the efficacy of training programs relying solely on theoretical information remains uncertain and often fails to induce significant changes in inadequate food practices. Training programs in good hygiene and food safety practices that integrate theoretical and practical approaches have emerged as a vital tool, enabling food handlers to apply their knowledge during work hours and clarify doubts. This study aimed to assess the impact of food safety training based on theoretical and on-the-job training on the microbiological counts of equipment, surfaces, utensils, and food handler (FH) hands. The hygiene and food safety conditions of four restaurants were analyzed through facility checklists, employee questionnaires, and microbiological analyses conducted before and after training. Eight sample collection moments were conducted at each restaurant before and after training. The pre-training results indicate that 15% and 26% of analyses for Enterobacteriaceae and total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMB), respectively, did not comply with hygiene safety limits. Additionally, 31% and 64% of Enterobacteriaceae and TMB values, respectively, exceeded safety limits on food handler hands. Positive cases of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (CoPS) resulted from unprotected wounds on some FH hands. The presence of Listeria monocytogenes in drains was also identified as a concern. Following training, significant differences in results were observed. In many cases, there was a reduction of over 80% in microbial load for Enterobacteriaceae and TMB collected from equipment, surfaces, utensils, and food handler hands. The presence of L. monocytogenes in drains was also eliminated after food safety training. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of effective training in improving food safety practices.

Assessment of Health Practices of Food Vendors in the University of Benin

This study assessed the health practices of food vendors in the University of Benin. Four research questions and one hypothesis were raised to guide the research. Literatures related to the study were reviewed. The study adopted a school-based descriptive cross-sectional research design and the population of the study comprised 144 food vendors within the University of Benin Ugbowo Campus. The census method was used to recruit respondents for the study. A self-structured checklist and questionnaire was used for the collection of data. The questionnaire was content validated and a reliability coefficient of 0.73 was obtained using the test re-test reliability method. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics of frequency counts, percentages and inferential statistics of Chi-square. The findings revealed that majority of the food vendors in the University of Benin had good health practices as it relates to food safety and moderate level of knowledge of foodborne diseases. The result also showed a calculated chi-square value of 0.16 showing that there is no significant relationship in the observed health practices of food vendors by gender in the University of Benin. The study recommends among others the establishment of a recognition or certification system that acknowledges and rewards vendors who consistently demonstrate good food safety practices

Awareness, Safety Practices and Associated Factors Among E-Waste Recycling Workers in Bangladesh.

Awareness of electronic waste (e-waste) improves safety practices among workers, thereby reducing health risks associated with pollutants. Investigating the awareness and safe practices among these workers could help identify areas for improvement, a task not yet undertaken in Bangladesh. Consequently, this study aimed to examine the awareness, safety measures, and associated factors among e-waste workers in the country. In this cross-sectional study, 236 workers from an e-waste recycling facility located near Dhaka were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire from August to September 2022. Eight questions captured information on socio-demographics and work factors, 24 questions on e-waste awareness, and 11 questions on safety practices. Total awareness and safety scores were calculated and categorized as "good" and "poor" based on a cut-off point of 80% of the total score. Bivariate and regression analyses were done to determine associated factors. Only 25% of workers had good e-waste awareness; major knowledge gaps were regarding minimization, health hazards, and environmental impact. Good awareness was significantly associated with female gender, higher education, income, smoking, experience ⩾5 years, and training. About 58% followed good safety practices, but the use of boots and helmets was inadequate. Good safety practices were significantly associated with higher education, income, smoking, experience, training, and overtime work. On multivariable analysis, those with higher education had 12 times (95% CI 4.83-32.81) and 6 times (95% CI 2.94-12.81) higher odds of good awareness and practices, respectively. Trained workers had 3.6 times (95% CI 1.67-7.52) higher odds of good practices. There was a significant correlation between awareness and practices (r = .70, P < .001). The study found poor awareness and inadequate safety practices related to e-waste among the workers. Urgent interventions like training, the use of protective gear, and stringent policies are warranted to increase awareness and safety behaviors.

Socio-demographic determinants of good food safety practices for young, educated food handlers in Türkiye

Food handlers' poor food safety practices increase the risk of foodborne diseases. In this study, food safety practices varied significantly according to gender, age, grade level (student or graduate), and internship status but did not differ according to marital status and income. Correct cutting board use received the highest score (92.6%) among student and graduate food handlers. Double tasting, hand cleaning before food contact, and expiration date/first in-first out rule were scored over 90% correctly. Neglecting hand washing during peak hours (43.9%) and not washing the vegetables to be cooked (45.7%) took the lowest scores. Gender, age, and grade level determine whether food safety practices are good or poor. Men were found to be 0.2 times less likely than women to perform good food safety practices. Food handlers aged 25-30 were 0.1 times less likely to prepare safe food than individuals aged 18-24. It has been determined that the probability of safe food preparation of graduates is 0.1 times lower than that of students.

Investigation report of food safety practice and its determinant among food handlers employed in food establishments in Ethiopia Ambo town

Consumers' health would be at risk unless food safety is safeguarded by food handlers in establishments. The study aimed to investigate food safety practices and its determinants using a cross-sectional study conducted on 420 food handlers in Ethiopia Ambo Town. Logistic regression analysis was adopted to analyze the data. A total of 415 food handlers participated with a response rate of 98.8 %. About 48.6% of the respondents had good food safety practices. The adjusted odd ratio (AOR) and confidence interval (CI) of having food safety training [AOR = 6.05, 95% CI: 3.49–10.49], medical check-ups [AOR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.11–3.86], inspected by health professions [AOR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.32–3.88], work experience [AOR = 4.71, 95% CI: 2.11–10.50], and good food safety knowledge [AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.32–3.86] were significantly associated with food safety practices. Poor food safety practices were assessed in Ambo Town, Ethiopia.

Food Safety and hygiene practices and the Determinants among street vendors during the Chain of Food Production in Northwest Ethiopia

BackgroundThere is mounting evidence that Ethiopia is becoming a more street-food-consuming nation. The hygienic and safety procedures, however, are not adequately evaluated. ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the magnitude of food safety and hygiene practices and associated factors among street food vendors of Bahir Dar City. MethodA community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from March 10 to April 10, 2019. The data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire with an observational checklist. The collected data were entered into EPI Data and analyzed by R software. Descriptive statistics were computed. A Binary logistic regression model was fit to identify the association and strength of exploratory variables and food safety and hygiene practices at a 95 % confidence interval and p-value <0.05. ResultsA total of 421 participants participated. The level of good food safety and hygiene practices was 36 % (95%CI: 31, 41). Monthly income of >2500 Birr (AOR = 4.99; 95%CI: 2.42, 10.3), work experience of >2 years (AOR = 2.05; 95%CI: 1.15, 3.65), having supervision by health professionals (AOR = 2.45; 95%CI: 1.25, 4.85), having good knowledge about food safety and hygiene (AOR = 3.84; 95%CI: 1.42, 10.36), and having a favorable attitude towards food safety and hygiene (AOR = 2.71; 95%CI: 1.12, 6.57) were determinants of food safety and hygiene practice. ConclusionsThe level of good food safety and hygiene practices was low. Monthly income, work experience, supervision by health professionals, knowledge, and attitude toward food safety and hygiene were identified as the determinants of good food safety and hygiene practice.

Food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices among online food delivery services during COVID-19 pandemic in Jabodetabek area, Indonesia

The coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in some countries including Indonesia, has changed consumer behavior in accessing their food from direct buying from food services (i.e. food groceries, restaurants, cafes) to online buying by using an application from their smartphone. By using online food delivery services, knowledge, attitude, and practices of food handlers (FH) and food delivery workers (FDW) contributed to food safety. This study aimed to predict the food safety practices of FH and FDW by conducting a survey on their knowledge and attitude on food safety in Jakarta-Bogor-Depok-TangerangBekasi (Jabodetabek) area, Indonesia. The FDW were from Gofood, Grabfood, Shopeefood, and Kulina. The questionnaire was distributed via social media, ecommerce sites, and messenger applications to 675 respondents. The survey contained 36 questions and the data were analyzed by using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. This study revealed that knowledge (β = 0.311 for FH; β = 0.136 for FDW; p &lt; 0.05) and attitude (β = 0.417 for FH; β = 0.342 for FDW; p &lt; 0.05) were positively correlated to good food safety practices. The study also indicated that attitude was the main variable in predicting the practices of FH and FDW. Overall, the structural model for FH has a better prediction (R² = 0.374) than that for FDW (R² = 0.165). There were gaps in food safety practices between FH and FDW that could contribute to achieving safe foods. Comprehensive knowledge through food safety campaigns, food safety training, and food safety culture for FH and especially FDW could be a strategy to strengthen food safety.

Knowledge and practices toward occupational safety among workers in vibrated block industries: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: Workers in block industries are exposed to significant occupational hazards and consequently are at high risk of work-related diseases. This study aimed to determine knowledge and practices toward occupational safety among workers in the Vibrated Block Industries in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted using a semi-structured questionnaire to elicit information from 120 workers in 40 vibrated block industries. Data collected were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Statistics version 25. Associations were tested using Chi-square statistics. Results: The results indicate that 112 (94.1%) respondents were aware of occupational hazards associated with their job. The majority of the respondents 107 (89.9%) had a good knowledge level of occupational hazards and safety measures. The majority of the respondents 112 (94.1%) reported that personal protective equipment was available in their workstations. Only 54.6% had a good safety practice level. The majority of the respondents 83 (69.7%) knew that their job could pose an adverse effect on their health and 80 (67.2%) reported having experienced one or more health challenges associated with their work. A significant association was found between years of experience and level of safety practice (P = 0.008). The majority of the industries had never been inspected by regulatory agencies. Conclusion: The study observes an overall good level of knowledge of occupational hazards but the level of safety practice is poor among block industry workers. Regular monitoring of workers by industry administrators and occasional monitoring of industries by relevant regulatory agencies to ensure adherence to safety measures are imperative.

Occupational Hazards and Safety Measures Among Medical Laboratories Staff in Eastern Province- KSA

Background: With the increase in interest and awareness about occupational health and safety. However, in Saudi Arabia, few studies have been conducted about the condition of workers in medical laboratories. Objectives: This study attempted to determine the main occupational hazards among medical laboratory staff in Eastern Province- KSA. To assess and evaluate the safety measures undertaken by the medical laboratory staff in Eastern Province- KSA, as well as to identify the factors which hinder the implementation of good occupational safety and health (OSH) practice among medical laboratory staff in Eastern Province- KSA. Method: This was a cross-sectional study research design that entailed the use of a modified structured questionnaire. The study was conducted in 10 medical laboratories out of 105 samples from the respondents. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28, basic descriptive statistical analysis used to perform the following: frequency account, and count percentages. Bar charts and pie charts were used for the presentation of descriptive statistics. Result: The most common types of occupational hazards in medical laboratories are biological hazards are bacteria (39.45%). Meanwhile, the most common chemical hazards include flammable liquids and solids (33%). Whereas, the most common physical hazards the most common were related to electricity (26.32 %). The most contributive control measure to mitigate occupational hazards is providing PPE (94.3%). The most common factors that stymie good practice in medical laboratories included poor laboratory design (61% and lack of awareness about laboratory safety procedures (58.1%). Conclusion: Increasing awareness about safety procedures within medical laboratories and improving the infrastructure and design of laboratories will greatly contribute to the prevention of risks to which medical laboratory staff is exposed.

Food safety knowledge and practices among university students in the northern region of Ghana

Food safety knowledge and practices are necessary for eliminating food borne diseases, however, there is a scarcity of information on food safety knowledge and practices among young adults in the Northern Region of Ghana. This research was therefore aimed at assessing the food safety knowledge and practices of university students in the Northern region of Ghana and to determine if any relationship exists between their food safety knowledge and practices and their socio-demographic and academic characteristics A cross-sectional study was carried out where data was collected from 397 randomly selected students of the University for Development Studies and Tamale Technical University using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS V20. Results showed that 54.4% had good level of food safety knowledge, 38.5% had moderate level of food safety knowledge and 7.1% had poor levels of food safety knowledge. Similarly, students also showed 46.3%, 39.3% and 14.4% levels of good, moderate and poor food safety practices, respectively. The department and level of study significantly influenced (P &lt; 0.05) the food safety knowledge of participants, however no demographic characteristics influenced (P &gt; 0.05) the food safety practices of the participants. The findings from this study suggest the need for increased effort on how to guide students to translate their food safety knowledge into practice. Innovative and creative approaches should be applied to food safety education to increase practice since the students showed good food safety knowledge than food safety practice.

Assessment of Healthcare Workers’ Perception of Health Hazards and Management’s Safety Practices

Health workers are vital workforce in the society globally. In many countries, such as Sub-Sahara Africa, workers are at great risk of preventable, life-threatening work-related hazards. The impacts of these hazards are irrefutably crucial generally such as health workers’ shortage, apathy, patient and health workers’ vulnerability to infections, poor services, cost effect, death etc. Hence, this study assesses health worker’s perception of health hazards as well as management safety practices in selected public hospitals in Rivers State, Nigeria. Descriptive cross-sectional design and a sample size of 347 were used. The study employed a multi-staged sampling technique and a structured instrument based on a coefficient of 0.88 as reliability. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results revealed good health worker perception of health hazards but poor management’s safety practices. However, management opined that there are protective measures and safety procedures meant to reduce risk of health hazards in the hospitals. Also, there is no significant (p&gt;0.05) association between health workers perception of health hazards and socio-demographic variables. Therefore, to limit frequent health hazards, there is great need for strong advocacy on health hazards, standard safety rules and good management safety practice in the hospitals. It is of importance for the government and hospital managements to develop quality safety management system, integrated standard safety regulation policies and procedures in conformity with global best practices.

Occupational health and safety practices and associated factors among workers in Ethiopia’s Metehara and Wonji sugar industries: a convergent parallel mixed design

IntroductionInformation regarding workers’ practices concerning safety measures in Ethiopia’s sugar industries is inadequate.ObjectivesTo assess occupational health and safety practices and associated factors among workers in Ethiopia’s Metehara and Wonji sugar...

Evaluation of Meat Safety Practices and Hygiene among Different Butcheries and Supermarkets in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Good hygienic practices are required to reduce the risk of microbial contamination during meat processing. We evaluated good hygiene and meat safety practices among different village butcheries (6), commercial butcheries (8), and supermarkets (18) through direct personal observations. The supermarkets and commercial butcheries wore personal protective equipment (PPE) and used proper waste procedures. Moreover, there were pest control devices, a safe water supply, and staff handling money away from meat. At village butcheries, wearing hairnets and aprons, and the display of raw meat being separate from offal were identified as good practices. The irregular washing of hands (67%), less use of gloves (83%), wearing of open sandals (67%) and jewelry (33%), use of the same coat for different activities (100%), lack of paper towels (100%) and pest control devices (67%) and mismanagement of waste (33%) were practices that led to unsafe meat handling. Our study identified good meat safety practices at supermarkets. A combination of good and unhygienic meat handling practices were identified at commercial and village butcheries. These findings suggest a need for intervention through training on food safety in order to improve the hygienic practices of meat handling along the beef supply chain, more especially in commercial and village butcheries.

Pesticide use safety practices and associated factors among farmers in Fogera district wetland areas, south Gondar zone, Northwest Ethiopia.

Farmers in developing countries, including Ethiopia, are exposed to agricultural pesticides, including pesticides that are restricted or banned in developed countries. There is little information available on pesticide use safety practices and associated factors among Ethiopian farmers, particularly in the study area. To assess pesticide use safety practices and associated factors among farmers in Fogera district wetland area, Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study design that employs quantitative and qualitative methods was used from August 25 to September 30, 2021. Four hundred thirty participants were included by using a stratified random sampling technique. Pre-tested interview questionnaires, observational checklists, and key informant and in-depth interview guides were used to collect data. The quantitative data were collected by face-to-face interviews of farmers, whereas the qualitative data were collected by in-depth interviews of selected farmers and key informant interviews of responsible stalk holders. The data were entered into Epi data version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Bi-variable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the dependent variable. A p-value of less than 0.05 was used as a cut-off point to declare a statistically significant association between factors and outcome variables. The odds ratio and 95% CI were calculated to describe the strength of the association between factors and outcome variables. The qualitative study included 35 respondents from various backgrounds and levels of expertise, which were analyzed using thematic analysis by open-code 4.03 version software. The proportion of good pesticide use safety practices in the study area was 24.4% (95% CI: 21.4%-29.3%). Educational status (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 3.19, 95% CI: 1.44-6.71), experience of pesticide spraying (AOR: 6.85. 95% CI: 2.426-9.35), knowledge of pesticide usage (AOR: 3.40, 95% CI: 1.459-7.855), access to safety materials (AOR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.198-3.536), and ever having received training (AOR: 4.93, 95% CI: 2.88-8.59) were factors associated with good safety practice in pesticide use. Qualitatively, limited material access, lack of government attention, insufficient training opportunities, absence of media coverage, weak enforcement of laws, and limited guideline access barred good safety practices for pesticide use. The study revealed that good safety practices were low in the study area. Being educated, having experience with pesticide spraying, having good knowledge of pesticide usage, having access to safety materials, and having received pesticide use training all increased the likelihood of good pesticide use practice. Insufficient training opportunities and material access, weak law enforcement, limited access to guidelines, and a shortage of media coverage were challenges identified qualitatively.

Microwave-enhanced hydrogen production: a review.

Currently, the massive use of fossil fuels, which still serve as the dominant global energy, has led to the release of large amounts of greenhouse gases. Providing abundant, clean, and safe renewable energy is one of the major technical challenges for humankind. Nowadays, hydrogen-based energy is widely considered a potentially ideal energy carrier that could provide clean energy in the fields of transportation, heat and power generation, and energy storage systems, almost without any impact on the environment after consumption. However, a smooth energy transition from fossil-fuel-based energy to hydrogen-based energy must overcome a number of key challenges that require scientific, technological, and economic support. To accelerate the hydrogen energy transition, advanced, efficient, and cost-effective methods for producing hydrogen from hydrogen-rich materials need to be developed. Therefore, in this study, a new alternative method based on the use of microwave (MW) heating technology in enhanced hydrogen production pathways from plastic, biomass, low-carbon alcohols, and methane pathways compared with conventional heating methods is discussed. Furthermore, the mechanisms of MW heating, MW-assisted catalysis, and MW plasma are also discussed. MW-assisted technology usually has the advantages of low energy consumption, easy operation, and good safety practices, which make it a promising solution to supporting the future hydrogen society.