Compliance to Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) Usage among Small Scale Welders in Garden Compound, Lusaka

Abstract

In developing countries such as Zambia the small-scale welders know little or nothing about the health hazards that can harm their health and how best they can be avoided. Small-scale welders are routinely and regularly exposed to numerous physical, chemical and accidental hazards, which makes them a vulnerable occupational group. The main reasons for their vulnerability are a lack of education, insufficient knowledge, a dearth of awareness of OSH hazards, and non-availability or use of personal protective equipment’s (PPEs). To determine the factors leading to low compliance of appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPEs) amongst local welders in Lusaka’s Garden compound. This study utilized a quantitative approach, employing a descriptive cross-sectional design. The target population consisted of small-scale welders operating in Garden Chilulu compound in Lusaka district. A sample size of 385 participants was determined using simple random sampling. Data was collected through workplace inspections, interviews, observations, and a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Welding glasses were the most available PPE (74.81%), followed by safety boots (22.86%) and welding helmets (16.88%). Eye protection was used "All the time" by the majority of participants (365), while hand protection was used least frequently. Hand cuts (60.09%) and hand burns (77.14%) were the most common accidents experienced. There was no association observed between occupational health and safety hazards and awareness among welders as the calculated P-value was 0.231. Welding glasses were the most widely available (74.81%). The study revealed that hand cuts (60.09%) and hand burns (77.14%) were the most commonly reported accidents and that there was no association observed between occupational health and safety hazards and awareness among welders.