Assesment of the Awareness of Occupational Health Hazards and Practice of Safety Measures among Welders in Maiduguri Metropolis Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

Welding is hazardous profession which exposes workers to various kinds of physical and chemical hazards with untoward health effects. This study assessed the awareness of occupational health hazards and practice of safety measures among welders in Maiduguri Metropolis Borno State, Nigeria. Interview on a across-section of 150 welders was done through Systematic random sampling technique was used in choosing the respondents of the study in Maiduguri Metropolis Borno State, Nigeria. All welders were males with a mean age of 37.5 years. The illiteracy rate was 51(34.0%. Almost all the welders were aware of the one or more workplace hazards. This was positively influenced by educational level, age nature training and work experience of the 150 respondents 32(21.3%) and 37(44.7%) was found to be more experience among welders who had experience for 14 years and above 20 years. The most common injuries sustained were foreign body in the eye 14(84.3%), electric shock 129(86.0%, explosion 63 (42.0%), cut from sharp object 99(66.0%), Burns 89(59.3%) arc eye 141(94.0%), chronic cough 86(57.3%, welding fumes 55(36.7%), impaired hearing 45(30.0%) and back pain 109(72.7%). Respondents practiced safety measures in their work among them were goggle 43.5%, apron 16.1% hand gloves 14.6% and masks 12.5% regular use of safety device, shorted working hours and increasing experience were protective of occupational accident.