Study Background
Ebonyi State is one of the five (5) South Eastern State
of the 36 State of Nigeria which was created out of Enugu State and Abia State
in the year, 1996 and it has 13 Local Government Area. Ezza North Local
Governemnt where Umuoghara is located is thickly populated with a land mass of
about 580. 72 sq km. it has eleven (11) wards and two (2) state constituencies.
The major occupational of the people there are farming, trading and stone
quarrying.
Ezza North local Government Area was
created in October, 1996. It was carved out from old Ezza local Government. The
local Government is thickly populated with a land mass of about 580,72 sq km.
it is bounded in the North by Ebonyi local Government Area, in the west by
ohaukwu local Government in the east by Abakaliki local Government and in the
South by Ezza South local Government Area. The local Government is majorly
inhabited by Ezza people the major occupations of Ezza North Local Government
are: farming, trading, transportation and stone quarrying. The local Governmnet
is blessed with quarry industry, and block industries. (The information is
gotten from Ezza North diary documentary 2011)
Study Area
This study was carried out in
Umuoghara Commuinty of Ezza North local Government Area in Ebonyi State where
the quarry industrial site is located. The quarry sites were formerly scattered
along the, Abakaliki and Enugu –Abakaliki Express way until 2006 when Dr. Sam
Egwu initiated their move to Umuoghara for their temporal site but only
acquired the land for the site. His Excellency, Chief Martin Elechi surveyed
the land and provided the basic requirements for the take off, he then mandated
and enforced their move on April 1, 2009. The quarry industry has about 300
crushers arranged in 4 clusters, with about 250 workers per day. Between 20-25
workers made up of both male and female aged between 15-45 from mainly the
South Eastern States.
The Executives govern their union of
which all South Eastern States are represented. In case of injuries, the
Executive take the workers to Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki for
treatment. There is also a hospital at quarry site but is yet to be equipped.
Disputes are settled by executives if they arise.
The study design
The study was a cross- sectional
descriptive type aimed at assessing the health hazards confronting quarry
workers in Umunoghara, Ebonyi State.
The study population
The study population composed of
men, women, adolescents who work at the quarry site in Umuoghara, Ezza North
Local Government Area and is about 6,000, which was drawn from the 300 quarry
stands.
Sample Size Determination
The sample size can be determined
using the formular
n=
Z2pq
D2
N= desired sample size
Z=
the standard normal deviation usually set at 1.96 (corresponds to 95%
confidence level).
P=
(prevalence gotten from previous study (0.5).
Q
=1-p =1-0.5=0.5
D =Degree of accuracy
desired, usually set at 0.05 (ie if 95% accuracy is desired 100 -95 =5% 0.05
q=0.5
Thus sample size (n) =Z 2pg
n (1.96)2 x 0.5
x0.5 d2
(0.05)2
N=0.9604
0.0025
N=384.16
Using nf =n
1+n/n
N=6000 (total number of
quarry workers).
Nf =384.16
1+348.16/ 6000
=384.16
= 1+0.64
=361.0
= 400
Sampling method
By simple random method, 20 quarry
units were selected; the participants were selected from these 20 units. In
each unit, a total number of all eligible workers aged between 17-60 year were
used. The first stage is to group them in clusters where 4 units were selected
from each clusters and after which a simple random method was used.
Data collection
Using pre-tested questionnaire to
the workers who will consent to participate in the study.
Inclusion criteria
Male
and female, who are full time workers at the quarry site.
Exclusion criteria
Children
and adolescents who may not be full time workers are excluded.
Ethical considerations
Permission
for this study was obtained before interviewing the workers. We enlightened
them on the study and its aim and thereafter their consent was sought and
obtained while reassuring them on confidentiality of any information provided
by them and the use of the information solely for academic purposes.
DATA ANALYSIS
The data collected were
analyzed using Epi Info
Data was presented using
frequency tables, Bar chart Pie chart