International Journal of Occupational Hygiene (Mar 2021)
Patterns of occupational injuries and associated factors among small-scale enterprises workers in arba minch town, Sourthern Ethiopia, 2016. Facility based cross sectional study
Abstract
Background: Globally, poor occupational health and safety results in 271 million work related injuries, 2 million work-related deaths, and 160 million work-related diseases per year. The risk of having work-related injury is 10 to 20 times higher in developing countries including Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, the epidemiology of work related injuries is lacking due to scarce national and local data. Objective: - To assess prevalence of occupational injury and factors associated with it among small scale industries workers in Arba Minch town, 2016. Methods: Facility based cross sectional study was conducted from March to April, 2016. 412 small scale industries workers were include using stratified random sampling method. Data were collected by face to face interview and supplemented by observational study. Bivariate logistic regression was used to identify candidate variables and Multivariable logistic regression was employed to identify independent predictors of occupational injuries and to control confounders. In multivariable analysis p value of less than 0.05 was used to declare significance. Results: Statistically significant independent predictors of occupational injuries in each job category were numbers of workers in the industries (AOR=2.3, 95% CI=1.24, 4.35), health and safety training Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)=6.4, 95%CI: 2.89, 14.15), alcohol drinking (AOR: 2.3, 95%CI: 1.19, 4.49), and none-use of personal protective equipment (AOR: 2.74, 95%CI: 1.47, 5.10). Conclusion and Recommendation: All significant factors associated with occupational injury were assumed to be preventable with provisions of safety equipment and behavioral change communications programs on life style factors.
