Knowledge and Safety Practices Related to Exposure to Physical and Chemical Hazards among Welders in Sokoto, Nigeria

Introduction: The workplace is an important part of man’s environment, and there is no occupation that is free of hazards. Due to the upsurge in construction activities (many of which involve welding) sequel to the increasing urbanization and industrialization across the world, exposure to occupational hazards has become an important public health problem globally. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and safety practices related to exposure to physical and chemical hazards among welders in Sokoto, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 280 welders selected by systematic sampling technique. Data were collected with a set of standardized, semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire, and analyzed using the IBM SPSS Version 20 statistical computer software package.

Results: The mean age of the respondents was 30.98±9.42 years, and all of them were males. Majority, 197 (70.4%) of the 280 respondents had good knowledge of the physical and chemical hazards of welding. Most of the respondents (66.4% to 95.7%) were aware of the various workplace accidents and injuries of welding. Almost all the respondents (99.3%) had good knowledge of prevention of welders’ workplace hazards, accidents and injuries. Although, most of the respondents reported observing the various preventive measures against welders’ workplace hazards, accidents and injuries, consistent use of personal protective equipment (PPE) was poor, and this was majorly attributed to non-availability. Almost all the respondents (99.3%) have experienced workplace accidents and injuries, with the most common injuries sustained being cut injuries to the fingers and other parts of the body (86.1%), burns from fire or explosions (86.1%), and eye injuries due to sparks (78.6%).

Conclusion: The low utilization of PPE and the correspondingly high prevalence of accidents and injuries despite good knowledge of welding hazards and their prevention among welders in Sokoto, Nigeria, underscore the need for government, employers and other stakeholders to promote ownership and consistent use of PPE, in addition to monitoring welders and their employers for compliance with workplace health and safety standards.