The purpose of this chapter is to bring to focus
various findings made in different parts of the world and particularly in
Nigeria with respect to the problems of workers engaged in quarry mines and
other related occupations. The first occupational health issue
seen was on the relationship bewtween the disease of miners and their work made
by Georgius Agricola (1494-1555) in mental mining published in 1556 and in 1493
-1541, paracelsius drafted his monograph on occupational diseases of mine and
smelters which was published eleven years later in 1567.
In 1713, Bernadino
Ramazzini (1633-1714), published the first systematic study on the influence
that work may have on health. He emphasized the importance of questioning the
patients about his occupation as this information may have almost weight on the
management of the patient. He wrote what was the first text book in the subject
title “De morbis Artificum Diatriba” and was therefore rightly acclaimed the
father of occupational medicine.
Other notable names associates with
the evolution of occupational medicine include Percival pott (1713-1788) who
associated soot as a cause of scrotal cancer in chimney swee pers in 1775.
Charles Tuner Thanckrad (1795-1833) a British physician who published the first
British book on occupational medicine in 1831, Sir Thomas Morrison Legge in
1899, introduced the idea of notifying occupational diseases especially lead
poisoning and is also the brain behind the legge aphorisms.
In Singapore, by Lee Hock siang
carried out prevention of silicosis 1997.
Department
of industrial health ministry of labour gives a statistics on all reported and
verified occupational disease. In 1970 at end of 1995, 362 cases of silicoisis
has been verified, 8% of which were contracted in granite quarries. Nigeria
Nwogu, in 1981 did an experiment on coal miners, consideration the varying
length of service and location of work. They found out a significant difference
in hearing loss between the two groups that can be accounted for only by
exposure to noise. In a similar study in zambia, it was found out among copper
to conduct audiometric test on them. Among 30 workers who had spent 20 years
working underground as miners, 7 people were completely deaf in both ears. It
was also observed in the study that the commonest complaint was the tinnitus
which was worse at night.
In a study by Aliu et al; in (2006)
to safety measures among stone quarry workers in Zaria, Northern – Nigeria; a
total of seventy four workers were interviewed; their age ranging from 15-59 years. They found out that most of
the workers has injuries / cuts from stone (68.9%) respiratory symptoms (52.3%)
eye irritation (14.9%), and digit amputations, peak expiratory flow values of
most of the workers were abnormal (55,4%). They conclude that most workers are
at risk of serious risk of ill health and injuries / accidents because of the
conditions they encounter in their work place; some of the hazards these
workers are exposed to include: loud noise vibration, particulate dust,
mechanical injuries, expose to sun and radiation etc.
The study on pattern of occupational
hazards, provision of occupational health services and safety among workers of
Kaduna refinery and petrochemical company limited. A total of 250 respondents
participated in the study. Most of the respondents were in the age of 30- 44
years of the respondents (90%) were male. Majority of respondents (95.0%) knew
and were aware of occupational hazards, they were exposed to. these include
chemicals (90%), noise pollution (64.51/2) and machine (58,3%). (44 %) of
respondents have had injury in the course of their work. The commonest injuries
aware or by respondents aware respectively cuts/ lacerations (58.7%), bruises
(15.6%). Almost all the respondents (97.0%) were aware of safety measure in the
work place; and majority (92. 1%) had formal training on occupational safety.
Most of the respondents (78%) admitted to regulate use of protective device.
Reasons given for non regular user were; feels uncomfortable (29.11/2); makes
work difficult to perform (25.5%) and no cogent reason (23.6%)8.
Another study done by Aliu and Saidu
on occupational hazards and safety measures among stone quarry workers in
northern Nigeria shows that exposure to high noise has been reported to depend on variety of factors including
occupational industry, work place factor and use of protective device etc. High
noise level can cause masking of warming signs, annoyance and fatigue. Low
back pain accounted for (64.5%) of musculoskeletal symptoms. Almost all the
workers were aware of safety measures in the workplace and majority had a
formal training on occupational safety. Despite all these, there is knowledge
practice gap in the use of protective device as only (78%) of respondents
admitted to regular use9.
In 2008, a study was carried out in
owerri to assess the burden of eye disease among occupational workers in terms
of magnitude, causes and time, out of the 463 persons studied. Result obtained
showed the following: conjunctivitis (31.10%). Pterygia (12.53%) foreign
bodies/ injury / traumas (31.10%) pinguecula (7.34%) uveitis (2.16%). The
workers who have spent close to 16-20 years in the industry recorded the
highest prevalence (12.92%) of the eye disease while those who have spent about
1-5 years recorded the least prevalence of (4.57%)10.
In another study showed on Singapore
on occupational diseases in 1970 showed that 362 cases of silicosis had been
verified 8% of which were contracted in granite quarries.
Also,
a radiological survey of 1, 188 granite quarry workers in 1955 revealed that 8%
had silicosis a follow-up survey of 1,230 quarry workers carried out in 1971,
showed that 15% had silicosis11.
The study carried out by Department
of environmental health collage science, university of Shargah, united Arab
Emirate among cement workers, 153 workers were used its assess the knowledge of
occupational health hazards and result showed the majority 114(4.5%) of the
workers know about exposure to dust was serious hazards to their health but
only (52.9%) of the workers knew the hazards other than the dust that were
associated with work. All workers mentioned that they have been provided with
mask to protect them claimed they use it (9.2%) had low knowledge of it,
(26.8%) had moderate knowledge while (48.5%) had high knowledge12.
In Ebonyi State, Nigeria a study was
done to determine the prevalence of respiratory problems and lung function
impairment among quarry workers by AN Nwibo, ELUGWUJA, NO Nwambeke, O.E.
Emelumadu, L U Ogbonnaya. 403 quarry workers aged 10-50 years were used to
carry out the study. The respiratory problems found were chest pain (47.6%)
occasional cough (40.7%) occasional shorting of breath (6.5%) and wheezing
(5.2%)
Review of specific objective
To
asses the type of hazards resulting from quarrying.
There are so many health hazards
associated with quarry mining Examples: On a study done by Nwibo A.N., Ugwuja
EI , Nwambeke N.O. et al on pulmonary problem among quarry workers using 403
quarry workers showed that (47.6%) had chest pain cough, 6.4% had occasional
shortness of breath 5.2% had wheezing. Also on the work done in 2008 in owerri
using 463 workers as to assess the burden of eye diseases among occupational
workers showed that conjunctivitis (31.10%) foreign bodies (31.10%) pterygia
(12.53%) pinguecula (7.34%) uveitis (2.16%).
To find out the prevalence rate of each of these
hazards
Since
the awareness of the danger had been made to the public, the prevalence rate
has keep on been reducing for instance on the study done in Owerri in 2008 on
burden of eyes diseases among occupational workers using 463 workers who have
spent 16-20 years have of the eye diseases while those who have spent about 1-5
years have the least prevalence of (4.57%).
According to the study done by A N
Nwibo, EI Ugwuja, No Nwambeke, et al on
27 march, 2012 among 403 quarry workers showed that the prevalence rate include
chest pain (47.6%) occasional shortness of breath (6.5%) wheezing (5.2%).
A radiological survey of 209 employed in six operating
granite quarries, carried out in 1990 showed that the prevalence of silicosis
among drilling and crushing workers was 12.5% the prevalence among maintenance
and transport workers being 0.8%.
In Abeokuta, Ogun State, the most
prevalence health problem of the prevalence near quarries in a work done on 7th
march 2013 include: Nasal infection 29.3% cough (26.0%) catarrh (20.0%) and
sinusitis (15,0%). Also on a study done by Ghottar, et al the prevalence among
stone quarry workers was 32.5%.
To assess knowledge of workers on the hazards
of their occupation
The knowledge of workers on the
hazards of their occupation some workers knew the hazard nature of their
occupation for example by the work done in Kaduna on provision of occupational
health service and safety among workers of Kaduna refinery on petrochemical
company limited using 250 persons at the age of 30-44 years (95%) were aware of
the health occupational hazards such as cut / lacerations (58.7%) bruises
15.6%),
Chemical
(90%), noise pollution (64.5%), machine (58.3%).
To established factors predisposing them
to these health hazards
There are so many factors that can predispose them to
health hazards. For example occupational exposure to dust is a well known
phenomenon especially in developing countries
v Sources of plants, cement factories, refineries and
petrochemical industries, the emission of particulates is quite high from
quarries
v Based on radiological study the severity of pulmonary
functions impairment was significantly associated with increasing age, duration
of exposure to dust, smoking status and presence of chronic obstructive airways
disease. On radiological study, it was shown that dusts generated from granite
quarrying contain 71% silica.
To evaluate knowledge and use of personal
protective equipment among quarry workers IN Umuoghara.
The knowledge and use of personal
protective equipments among quarry workers in umuoghara according to the study
carried out by AN. Nwibo, EL, Ugwuja, et al showed that almost all the quarry
workers (98.3%) used no self protective devices. Only (0.5%) used either apron
or other protective devices while working.