TITLE:
Non-Fatal Occupational Injuries and Safety Climate: A Cross-Sectional Study of Construction Building Workers in Mit-Ghamr City, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt
AUTHORS:
Reem Abbas Abbas, Marwa Mohamed Zalat, Nanees Salah Eldeen Ghareeb
KEYWORDS:
Occupational Injuries; Occupational Accidents; Construction Building Workers; Safety Climate; Risk Factors
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Safety Science and Technology,
Vol.3 No.4,
December
13,
2013
ABSTRACT:
Background: Construction is a dangerous industry, with high rates of fatal and non-fatal
injuries. Although, safety climate has been linked with safety performance and
work-related accidents, yet it is scarcely studied and considered in injury
prevention programs in developing countries. So, the objectives of this study
are to find out the magnitude, pattern and risk factors of non-fatal
occupational injuries among a sample of construction building workers and to
explore the level of safety climate and its relationship with occupational
injuries. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted
on 91 workers, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, in 18 large construction
sites in Mit-Ghamr city, Dakahlia Governorate. Data about socio-demographic and
occupational characteristics, description of occupational injuries, and
work-related and behavioral risk factors were collected using a structured
questionnaire. Results: Occupational
injuries in the past 12 months were reported by 46.2% of workers. The most
common body parts injured were upper and lower limbs (31.0% and 26.2%). The
majority of injuries were cuts/lacerations (30.9%) and contusions (28.6%).
Falls (47.6%) and injuries by manual tools (23.8%) were the main causes of
injuries. The majority of injured workers (90.5%) reported complete recovery
after the most serious injury. The average of working days was lost
per year due to occupational injuries (18.6 ± 7.8 days/year). None of the
injured workers reported receiving sufficient first-aid treatment at worksite
or filling an accident notification form. Extended working hours, poor safety
climate, short duration of work, job dissatisfaction, young age, and job stress
were significant risk factors of occupational injuries. Conclusion: Non-fatal occupational injuries are common among this sample
of construction workers with significant relation to extended working hours and
poor safety climate and other risk factors. So, it is important to build upon
this research in order to help develop successful policies to prevent
work-related injuries and promote safer work practices for construction
building workers.