Occupational safety practice among metal workers in Bangladesh: a community-level study

Abstract

Background The overall information on occupational health and safety (OHS)-related knowledge and workplace practices are scarce in Bangladesh. This study aimed to (i) examine the prevalence of occupational injuries, (ii) explore the level of OHS-related knowledge and practice among workers and associated factors, and (iii) investigate the socioeconomic factors and OHS-related knowledge and practice scores as determinants of injury among metal workers at a community setting in Bangladesh. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted on all the functional metal workshops in a community of a town. The sociodemographic characteristics, history of injury and its consequences, and the state of knowledge and practice were measured using descriptive statistics. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to measure the association between practice scores and sociodemographic factors and knowledge. Logistic regression was conducted to get the odds ratio of getting injured. Results A high annual rate (82.9%) of occupational injuries was documented in a one-year timeframe and the majority (81.1%) of injured workers lost more than three working days (median 20 days). Workers working in workshops with more than three workers were 3.3 times more likely to be injured [AOR = 3.33, 95% CI = 1.16, 9.58] compared to the workers in factories with one to three workers. Most of the workers had the basic knowledge related to OHS but the mean practice score was very low, 1.86 (SD 1.17). Higher education, lower monthly family income, and being an owner significantly led to higher practice scores. Conclusions The OHS-related knowledge was not properly translated into good workplace practices in small informal metal workshops because of the absence of implementation of OHS policies and monitoring by the relevant authority. Government should support the informal metal working sector to increase awareness and skills for the prevention and proper management of injuries and risks, and to ensure access to safety equipment and a safe environment.

Occupational respiratory and auditory disorders among workers of agricultural equipment factory in Tanta city, Gharbia governorate

“…Respondents said that there were 27.6% functioning hazard warnings and 40.2% of goods that were kept property [20] . Also, about workers awareness and knowledge Islam et al, (2022) [10] , 92.7% of respondents were aware of the health dangers connected to metal cutting sounds, and the majority of respondents (99%) were aware of the detrimental consequences of metal dust. To protect one's health at work, 99% of participants nearly unanimously agreed that one must wear shoes, masks, safety goggles, or glasses.…”

“…The majority of them, 91.8%, 85.4%, and 61.3%, respectively, were wearing coveralls, goggles, and safety shoes [1] , this because of better awareness of workers by safety measures and importance of wearing PPE. Islam et al, (2022) [10] , Regarding PPE use, they found that 76.1% of the workers said they wore goggles, and 18.5% said they wore masks. At least 2.4% of those surveyed mentioned using safety shoes [10] .…”

“…Islam et al, (2022) [10] , Regarding PPE use, they found that 76.1% of the workers said they wore goggles, and 18.5% said they wore masks. At least 2.4% of those surveyed mentioned using safety shoes [10] . Mamat et al, (2014), showed that 30% of employees regularly wore earmuffs and earplugs, while just 6% of workers never used hearing protection equipment [11] .…”

“…PPE was worn by a significant majority of participants (77.1%), and nearly all workshops lacked a clear policy or process for operations. Of the personnel surveyed, just 2.9% had completed safety awareness and training programmes [10] . Moreover, occupational health treatments are inaccessible to the majority of workers globally.…”

Compliance with Standard Occupational Health and Safety Measures and Associated Factors Among Small-Scale Metal Industry Workers in Central Ethiopia

“…Lack of attention by managers, employee educational status, income, lack of training on health and safety, lack of knowledge on health and safety, negative/poor perception regarding health and safety measures, lack of procedures or regulations, lack of safety materials, and poor supervision/inspection are the main reasons for non-compliance with health and safety measures. [11][12][13] Small-scale industries in Ethiopia are among the most dangerous places to work, with an annual prevalence of selfreported occupational injuries ranging from 30% in the Bale Zone to 58.2% in Mekelle City. 14,15 Metal sectors have a greater rate of occupational injuries and majority of employees did not adhere to occupational safety and health standards such as proper use of personal protective equipment.…”