Assessment of Occupational Health Hazard and the Use of Safety Measures among Rice Mill Workers in Ebonyi State , Nigeria

Rice milling is a desirable means of livelihood occupation not only in Nigerian setting but globally. As applicable to other areas of human endeavour, the workers are vulnerable to various occupational health hazards, some of which yield both mental and physical injuries.While others cases, if care is not properly taken, it may lead to life threatening disorders.This research investigated the assessment of occupational health hazards and the use of safety measures among rice mill workers in Ebonyi State Milling Industry, Nigeria. The research adopted a descriptive survey design.A structured and validated questionnaire was used to collect data from 418 rice mill workers using a multi-stage random sampling. Analysis was done using frequency counts and percentages. Findings indicated that backache, headache, cough, catarrh, skin rashes, eye injuries, tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory tract infections in addition to physical injuries like bruises, wounds and amputation were the most common occupational health hazards suffered by most workers in Ebonyi state rice milling industry. It was discovered that hand gloves, apron, face masks, industrial booths and helmets were not readily available for use by the rice mill workers. The study suggests that government, rice mill management, NGOs and individuals should ensure that protectivedevices are always made available to workers for use. Key word: Occupational health hazard Safety measure Rice mill workers Ebonyi Sate INTRODUCTION Occupational health is anintegral appendage of Rice milling is a desirable means of livelihood with human health in relation to work and the working occupation not only in Nigerian setting but globally. As environment. It aims at the promotion and maintenance of applicable to other areas of human endeavour, the the maximum degree of physical, mental and social wellworkers are vulnerable to various occupational health being of workers in all occupation, the prevention among hazards, some of which give rise to both mental and workers departures from health caused by there working physical injuries. While other cases, if care is not properly conditions, the protection of the workers in their taken, it may lead to life threatening disorders[1-4]. employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to Rice processing operation include: parboiling health, the placing and maintenance of the worker in an (soaking and steaming), drying and milling. This current occupational environment, adapted to his physiological research dwell on rice milling and its occupational health and psychological ability and to summarise the adaptation hazards since it is the most important part of rice of “work to man” and “Man to work” [1, 2, 12]. production from paddy. Rice milling involves the Eyayo [13] defined occupational health as a means of processing of rice husking from the paddy (Sakib & protecting and maintaining the physical, psychological Sayed, 2015)[5]. Rice mill workers are potentially exposed and social health of workers and their families. It can also to organic and inorganic rice husks and synthetic be viewed as the study of factors or conditions chemicals that may have adverse effects on respiratory influencing the health and well-being of workers not only health of the workers [6-11]. in the place of work but also at home with the aim of industrial and organizational psychology, which deals World Appl. Sci. J., 35 (7): 1133-1141, 2017 1134 promoting health, safety and welfare of the workers and Whether it actually does cause harm will depend on their family. ILO summarized occupational health circumstances, such as the toxicity of the health hazard, definition as the prevention of departure from health exposure amount and duration. Hazard can also be rated among workers caused by their working conditions; the according to the severity of the harm they cause – a promotion of workers in their employment from risks significant hazard being one with the potential to cause a resulting from factors adverse to health, the placing and critical injury or death.Occupational hazards may lead to maintenance of the worker in occupational environment illness, injury or death. They can include physical risk like adapted to their physical and psychological well-being; falls and exposures to heavy machinery, along with and the adaptation of work to man and man to his work. psychological ones such as stress. Occupational hazards Aliyu & Saidu, [14] describe occupational health as the like exposure to chemical, biological and radiological health investment for workers to help them spend their agents are also concerned among people who work in working lives in a healthy way both mentally and jobs with recognised occupational safety hazards, special physically and enable them enjoy better health in later life training is often provided so that the people are made as well. It is the sum total of all the activities and aware of the hazards [18]. programmes that are aimed at preventing, protecting and Occupational health includes studies on all factors maintaining the highest level of health and safety among relating to work, working methods, condition of work and workers in any work environment which can be industrial, the working environment that may cause adverse health non-industrial or private or organizational. While at work, hazards or diseases of workers [3, 4]. The rice mill workers individuals face a diversity of hazards almost as various if not using safety measures are much prone to as the different types of work, including chemicals, occupational hazards which may lead to illness, injury, or biological agents and adverse ergonomic conditions etc. death. They can include physical risks like falls and Globally, there are 2.9 billion workers who are unprotected exposures to heavy machinery, along with psychological to hazardous risks at their work places [15]. ones such as stress. Occupational hazards like exposure Annually there are two million deaths that are to chemical, biological and radiological agents are also of attributable to occupational health hazard while 4% of concern. These occupational health hazards are also Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is lost due to occupational responsible for the most incidents of disability claims, diseases and injuries. WHO? s programme on workers’ whether temporary, long-term, or permanent. health is concerned with the control of occupational Occupational health practice in the Ebonyi State rice health risks, the protection and promotion of the working milling industry must take cognizance of the known health populations and the humanization of work [16]. hazards that exists in the particular location of operation The joint international labour organisation committee in order to prevent and control their occurrence. To the on occupational health, 1950, defined occupational health best of researcher’s knowledge, there has not been any as the highest degree of physical, mental and social wellrecent study to identify and assess the health risk of being of workers in all occupation. A hazard is a source of occupational health hazards and safety measures of the danger that has the ability to cause injury or harm [17,13]. rice mill workers in Ebonyi rice milling industry in this part Occupational hazards are dangers to human health and of Nigeria. Thus the aim of this study was to identify and well-being which are associated with specific assess the occupational health hazards among rice mill occupations. While efforts are made to reduce hazards, workers and recommend management protocols that these hazards remain present in the workplace by nature would control and prevent these hazards from impacting of the profession [18]. Occupational or workplace hazard on the health and wellbeing of the workers. is danger to health, limb, or life that is inherent in, or is associated with, a particular occupation, industry, or work Statement of the Problem: Rice mill workers face the environment. It includes risk of accident and of dangers of occupational health hazards from potentially contracting occupational diseases [19]. Occupational deadly disorder from the use of unsafe protective device hazards can be divided into two categories: Safety and every day at work; risks that are totally unnecessary. health hazards. Safety hazards that cause accidents that The National Institute of Occupational Safety Health physically injure workers and Health Hazards which result in the development of disease. It is important to note that a hazard only represents a potential to cause harm. (NIOSH) has estimated that over 500,000 rice mill hazard occur annually leading to 1000 infections and over 200 deaths (NIOSH, 2004). The organization also estimated World Appl. Sci. J., 35 (7): 1133-1141, 2017 1135 that each year, 500 people die from occupational illnesses. According to the JDC theory, a psycho-social work Nearly 300 new cases of occupational diseases are recognized annually. Observation by the researchers during field work visitation at Ebonyi State rice milling industry indicates a high rate of backache, headache, cough, catarrh, skin rashes, eye injuries, tuberculosis, asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory tract infections in addition to physical injuries like bruises, wounds and amputation are the most common occupational health hazards suffered by most rice mill workers in Ebonyi state rice milling industry. In view of the above, the researchers deem it imperative to investigate assessment of occupational health hazard and the use of safety devices among rice mill workers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Objectives of the Study: The study was undertaken with the following objectives: To assess the occupational health hazards among rice mill workers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria To assess the use of safety measures among rice mill worker in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Significance of Study: This study attempted to create awareness of the oc