A comparative study of the common health and safety complaints among laundry workers in secondary and tertiary health facilities in Nigeria
Journal Title: IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT) - Year 2018, Vol 12, Issue 5
Abstract
The most common accidents in industrial laundries involve chemical exposure, sharp objects left in soiled linen, slips from wet floors, exposure to pathogens in contaminated linen, among others. This study sought to provide information on the common health and safety complaints among laundry workers in tertiary and secondary health facilities, as this would prove useful in order to establish appropriate interventions. It was a comparative cross-sectional study, conducted in six hospitals with a laundry department in Benin-city, composed of one available tertiary healthcare facility and five secondary healthcare facilities. Questionnaires were administered to the workers to obtain data on their work-related injuries and diseases. Also, body mapping exercise was conducted to obtain workers’ health information resulting from exposures to ergonomic hazards. The common workplace injuries or illnesses reported were sharps injury (20%), musculoskeletal pain (92%), hearing disorder (4%), burns (8%), electric shocks (6%), slips, trips, or falls (28%) and cuts or bruises (18%). The most common musculoskeletal complaints were that of the lower back (74%), shoulders (42%), upper back (34%), and knee (34%). Hospital laundry workers in both secondary and tertiary health facilities alike suffered from various adverse health and safety conditions due to exposure to occupational hazards in the workplace.
Authors and Affiliations
EmmanuelNosa Omoijiade1* ,, Oladapo Titus Okareh1
Keywords
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A comparative study of the common health and safety complaints among laundry workers in secondary and tertiary health facilities in Nigeria
The most common accidents in industrial laundries involve chemical exposure, sharp objects left in soiled linen, slips from wet floors, exposure to pathogens in contaminated linen, among others. This study sought to prov...