400 questionnaires were shared and all were recovered and the following
observations were made from the results, the study shows that majority of the
work force in quarrying industry falls between the ages of 20-30 years which
accounted for 34.17% of total population under study. The age range of total
population of workers studied is between 10-70 years. This is followed by age
range of 30-40 years with a percentage of 31.91%.
This is followed by age range
of 40-50 years with percentage of 16.83% this is followed by 10-20 years with a
percentage of 9.3%. This is followed by age range of 50-60 years with a
percentage of 6.53%.
The lowest of all is age range of 60-70 years with
percentage of 1.26%. Concerning the sex, the quarry workers are more of female
than male with percentages of 55% and 45% respectively.
Incase
of marital status, most of them are married with a percentage of 56.06%. This
is followed the singles (unmarried) with a percentage of 34.34%. The lowest
number as the separated with a percentage of 9.6%.
Concerning
religion, most of the quarry workers are Christians with a percentage of
90.75%. This is followed by traditional religion with percentage of 8.36%. This
is then followed by Muslims with percentage of 0.6%. Some who did not disclose
their religion make up 0.3%.
For
educational status, most of the quarry workers are senior secondary certificate
holders with percentage of 42.07%. This is followed by first school leaving
certificate holders with a percentage of 31. 99%. This is followed by those
with no formal education with a percentage of 19.88%. Only very few of them are
degree holders with a percentage of 8.06%
Concerning the duration of the work, most of the
quarry workers have worked for the duration of 3-5 years so far. This is
followed by those who have staged for the duration of 1-2 years with percentage
of 36.73% and 36.48% respectively. This is followed by those with duration of
6-10 years with percentage of 20.15%. this is then followed by those with
duration of 11-15 years with percentage of 4.59%; followed by those with
duration of 16-20 years with percentage of 1.28%. The least are those with age
above 20 years with percentage of 0.77%.
With
regard to the type of work being carried out there, most quarry workers are
store carriers with 44.72%. This is followed by cashiers with 17.59% of them
store breakers with 15.58%. This is followed by machine operators with 10.55%. The
fewest of the workers are the supervisors 6.78%. Others constitute 4.75%.
Concerning
whether they have been doing the work in the past, 56.50% of them agreed while
43.50% of them said no.
Concerning
whether they have fallen sick since they started the work, 84.29% of them
admitted to have fallen sick since they started the work, while 15.71% them
said no that they have not.
Concerning
the type of sickness they have suffered, 37.39% of them suffered cough, while
32.94% of them suffered chest pain. This is followed by waist pain with
percentage of 13.95%; followed by age problem with 5.64%; followed by having
problem with 3.86%; followed by skin rash with 2.97%; followed by those who with visual problem
with 0.89%. 2.37% of them could not tell us any problem with or sickness
suffered.
Concerning
whether they have had accident in the place of work, 69.43% of them admitted to
have had accident while 30.57 have not had. For those who have had accident,
38.38% of them had open wound, while 24.72% of them had me chemical injury;
18.45% had crushing injury, while 0.74% had burns. 17.71% of them could not
identify any of the above injuries.
Concerning
the cause of the accident, 41.01% of the accident is due to carelessness, while
37.77% is due to falling object. Rush at work accounts for 15.47%, while
drunkenness contributes 2.52%.
Concerning
whether they have had skin problem, 67.87 admitted that they have had skin
problem, while 32.13% had never had. For the skin problems, 50 35%. Of them had
rashed, while itching had 40.97%, burns constitutes 5.9% while other ones constitute
2.78%.
In
case of electrical injury, 74% of them have never had electrical problem, while
26% of them have had electrical problem or injury.
Concerning
whether the job affect their health, 93.56% of them admitted that the nature of
their job affect their health while only 6.44% of them objected to this. The
effects of the job on their health were noticed mostly through personal problem
with a percentage of 57.61%, while 28.26^ got to know by way of
reasoning 9.78% of them got to know by discussion with co-workers while 3.53%
of them know this through health education. Others constitute 0.82%.
With
respect to whether the problem can be minimized, 70.74% of them said no. 21.37%
of them have no idea about this.
Regarding
how they can be minimized, 56.01% of them can be prevented through the use of
face mask; 7.9% can be minimized through the
use of boots, wearing of overall clothes is 6.87% use of helmet
constitutes about 6.53%, use of muffler is 11.34%, protecting of eye is 6.53%
while others constitute 5.50%.
The
results obtained showed that 76.40% of them have heard of personal protective
device while 23.60% of them have no heard.
As
regards to how they heard of the PPE, 59.77% of them heard it through the radio,
while 21.43% of them heard it through their co-workers. 14.29% of them heard it
from television while 1.13% of them heard it from printing media. Others
constitute 3.38%.
With
respect to whether they wear the PPE at work, 53.75% they admitted to be
wearing PPE at work while 46.27% of them do not wear.
Concerning
the particular PPE in use, 56.22% of them use face wears, 16.67% of them use
foot wears, 8.11% pf them wear rubber glove, 4.86% of them wear goggle, 2.16%
of them wear apron while others constitute 11.89%.
Regarding
whether they have discomfort using the PPE, 67. 07% of them expressed
discomfort while 32.93 did not express comfort.
With
respect to their knowledge of the health hazards associated with the work,
89.23% of them were aware of the hazards associated with work while 10.77% were
not aware.
Concerning
how they got to know about the hazard associated with the work, 63.19% of them
knew it from the radio, 22.90% from their co-workers, 11.88% from television,
while 2.03% knew it from print media.
With
regard to the type of work related health hazards they are aware of, 52.29% of
them are aware of respiratory infection, 30.73% of them are aware of eye
infection, 16.98% are aware of skin infection.
Concerning
whether the use of PPE with reduce the rate of hazard exposure, 87.95% of them
said yes that it can reduce, while 11.51% do not really know whether it
reduces, 0.55% said no.
Regarding
the frequency of the usage of PPE, 48.17% of them said they will be wearing it
sometimes, 34.29% agreed to be wearing it always while 17.54 decided not to use
it at all.
With
regard to whether there is compensation for workers from the company in case of
accident or loss of life, 50.13% agreed that they are being compensated while
49.87% said they are not being compensation.
Concerning
whether the operation of quarry affect the surrounding, 50.53% of them said
that it dose not have effect on the surrounding since the industry of located
far away from the place of residence, 41.05% of them said that it affects the
surrounding while 8.42% are not really sure whether it affect the surrounding.
Regarding
the reason why they work in quarrying industry, 55.13% of them work there due
to hardship, 30.77% of them due to unemployment, 7.95% of them due to choice,
4.87% due to illiteracy while others constitute 1.28%.
With
respect to whether they will still continue the work given another opportunity
of the same income, 64.29% of them said they cannot continue they cannot
continue while 35.71% of them said they will continue despite the nature of the
work.