Knowledge and Attitudes on Practices of Occupational Safety and Health in the Informal Non-food Manufacturing Sector in Kampala City, Uganda (original) (raw)

Occupational Safety and Health Hazards in the Informal Non-food Manufacturing Sector in Kampala City, Uganda

Asian Journal of Medicine and Health, 2019

The informal non-food manufacturing sector is an engine of growth and development in both developed and developing countries. This particular sector is unregulated and unregistered in official government statistics. It is a heterogeneous sector found in open places, road reserves and marginal lands. However the sector is faced with occupational safety and health hazards without preventive measures. The study assessed occupational safety and health hazards in the informal non-food manufacturing sector in Kampala City, Uganda. The study adopted a cross sectional survey design that involved both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. A total of 424 firms were sampled from the 6 clusters of the informal sector. Primary and secondary sources using questionnaires, checklists and interview guide were used in data collection. Various types of hazards inherent in the informal non-food manufacturing sector in Kampala that included; physical, chemical, mechanical, biological,...

Factors Influencing Non-compliance to Occupational Safety and Health Practices in the Informal Non-food Manufacturing Sector in Kampala City, Uganda

Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 2020

The informal non-food manufacturing sector is an engine of growth and development in both developed and developing countries. It’s unregulated and unregistered in official government statistics. However, this particular sector is faced with occupational safety and health hazards without preventive measures. A number of factors affect compliance with control measures. The study assessed factors influencing non-compliance to occupational safety and health practices in the informal non-food manufacturing sector in Kampala, Uganda. The purpose of the study was to acquire occupational safety and health data on the informal sector and identify needed interventions for mitigation. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted with qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques in 424 firms. Chi-square analysis showed occupational safety and health was good among male respondents compared to females (p<0.05. c2 =23.9), use of Personal Protective Equipment (c2 =40.393, p<0.000),...

Workplace Health and Safety in the Informal Sector: A Case Study of Nigeria Informal Entrepreneurs

2019

Over half of the labour force in developing countries is employed in the small scale enterprises in the informal sector of the economy. In these enterprises, health and safety hazards are high, but existing occupational health and safety (OHS) policies and services are poorly implemented. This puts many business owners in developing countries at undue risk of fatal or non-fatal work-related health problems and associated medical costs and economic hardship. This paper examines the OHS challenges of entrepreneurs in the informal sector. The objective is to identify the OHS challenges and the stakeholders that could bring improvement. The paper reviews existing published and grey literatures gathered through desk search of electronic databases. All studies providing outcome data on OHS among informal workers were assessed for the rigor of each study. It identifies various challenges to OHS such as ignorance of occupational hazards; lack of OHS regulation in informal sector; ignorance of OHS issues and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) coverage to informal sector. Suggestions made to overcome these challenges include commitment on the part of government, harnessing the activities of various stakeholders that were identified in controlling occupational hazards, and functional trade union that will provide OHS support to members. The study concludes by suggesting more empirical research on the subject matter.

Occupational Safety In The Urban Informal Sector Of Gaborone, Botswana: A Situational Analysis

International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 2013

The informal sector constitutes an employment refuge for individuals who may not have formal employment and those that seek to earn an extra income. The sector is therefore, becoming the realm of employment for the majority of urban dwellers in developing countries who apply their energies in semi-skilled jobs. However, seldom do developing countries monitor the activities of this sector and or the working conditions of those employed in this sector. Safety is increasingly becoming more important in the worlds dynamic environment. This study analyzed the working conditions of the urban informal sector of Gaborone. The purpose was to assess the working conditions of different survey research methods, interviews and focused group discussions with the owners and employees in the trade. The results depict that the level of education amongst workers is high but however safety awareness is not being practiced and were it is being practiced standards are compromised.

www.ijstr.org Occupational Safety In The Urban Informal Sector Of Gaborone, Botswana: A Situational Analysis

2015

Abstract: The informal sector constitutes an employment refuge for individuals who may not have formal employment and those that seek to earn an extra income. The sector is therefore, becoming the realm of employment for the majority of urban dwellers in developing countries who apply their energies in semi-skilled jobs. However, seldom do developing countries monitor the activities of this sector and or the working conditions of those employed in this sector. Safety is increasingly becoming more important in the worlds dynamic environment. This study analyzed the working conditions of the urban informal sector of Gaborone. The purpose was to assess the working conditions of different survey research methods, interviews and focused group discussions with the owners and employees in the trade. The results depict that the level of education amongst workers is high but however safety awareness is not being practiced and were it is being practiced standards are compromised.

Patterns and Management of Occupational and Health Hazards in the Informal Economic System of Sango-Ota, Nigeria

2021

This study investigated the effects of occupational health hazards on work efficiency and productivity within the informal sector of the economy. To achieve this, it focused attention on the occupational risks experienced by workers in the informal sector of Ota, a suburb within Ogun State, Nigeria. The study adopted the quantitative method to source primary data from the workers. A Questionnaire survey was conducted with 200 respondents sampled from the community. The data collected were analyzed and interpreted in frequency and simple percentage. The results showed that the informal workers saw occupational hazards as capable of affecting work efficiency and productivity through low production and eventual loss of production; exposure of employees to the hazardous substances can lead to injury; injured employees may not be able to contribute effectively to production thereby resulting in a reduced profit. Other effects are damaged materials and machinery which lead to time loss. The study concludes on the need for proper sensitization of informal workers and better monitoring by the government, as well as more empirical studies on the effects of occupational hazards within the informal economies of developing countries.

Occupational Health Hazards and Safety Practices Among the Informal Sector Auto Mechanics

2017

Rate of globalization has contributed to an increase in informal sector employment, usually characterized by flexibility, dangerous and insecure work which poses great risk to the well-being of workers. The study aimed at assessing occupational health and safety practices among informal sector auto mechanics in Sekyere East District of Ghana. About 70 auto mechanics were sampled through accidental sampling. A well-structured questionnaire and observation checklist were used for the data collection. It was found that, the informal sector automechanic was male dominated and young people between the ages of 17-35 constituted the majority (84.3%). Most of the apprentices had basic primary education (85.7%) and were engaged in the vocation through verbal negotiation with the master of the garage or shop. The workers were found to be exposed to physical hazards such as heat and burns, chemical hazards such as exposure to asbestos and fumes, biological hazards such as insect bites, and psy...

Occupational Health Hazards and Safety of the Informal Sector in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Area of Ghana

Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 2013

In Ghana, the informal sector comprises over 70% of the labour force and contributes substantially to the poverty reduction objective of the country. Yet most of their activities are often considered hazardous and take place in unhealthy and unsafe environment. This study was conducted to systematically identify the various occupational hazards and risks faced among beauticians, Garage/mechanics, taxi Drivers and head Porters in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Area of Ghana. The study finds that workers are exposed to a range of physical, ergonomic, chemical and psycho-social hazards which cause diseases. Yet nearly 62.5% of them have not registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which can cushion them for paying high medical bills in cases of serious injuries. The paper consequently recommends that an Occupational Health and Safety Policy is formulated and intensive education through the mass media, undertaken to sensitize workers on their work environment and the level of risk exposure.

Knowledge about Physical Hazards and Use of Personal Protective Equipment Based on Demographic Characteristics and among Small Scale Welders in Nairobi City, Kenya

Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, 2020

Introduction: The sprawling of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the developing world provides several challenges to ensuring health and safety practices among workers in the urban poor. Purpose: The main objective of the study will be to determine the knowledge of physical hazards and the use of PPEs based demographic characteristics among welders in Embakasi constituency, Nairobi County. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among 214 welders from 72 workshops in the Embakasi region, namely in Kariobangi South Light Industries, Kayole, and Umoja. Data collection procedure entailed observation, focus group discussions, and interviews with welders in Embakasi, Nairobi. Data were analysed using SPSS version 22 and both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were conducted to explain the association between the study variables. Results: The study indicated that 90.2% of welders knew the activities at the workplace that pose health hazard...

Can occupational safety and health problems be prevented or not? Exploring the perception of informal automobile artisans in Nigeria

Safety Science, 2021

It is well-known that informal workers in developing countries run a high risk of Occupational Safety and Health Problems (OSH problems). However, little is known about their perception of the preventability of these problems. This study explores how informal automobile artisans in Nigeria perceive the preventability of OSH problems and possible barriers to prevention. 43 artisans were purposively interviewed. Only one-third of the participants perceived OSH problems as preventable, while a majority perceived OSH problems as not preventable. Their perception of the causes of OSH problems and cost considerations strongly influenced their perceptions of the preventability of OSH problems. The major perceived barrier to prevention is economic insecurity and, as a consequence, non-availability of modern equipment. The study concluded that availability of accessible loans and regular training of the artisans may be helpful in preventing and reducing OSH problems in the informal sector.