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Occupational health hazards among quarry employees in Ebonyi state, Nigeria: sources and health implications


C.N Oginyi

Abstract

The study examined the quarry industrial environment, and studied specifically its unwholesome practices such as pollution and unprotective behaviour and how these problems affect the conditions of employees in such industries in Ebonyi State. The research also concentrated on the identification of those diseases, their sources and other psychological ailments and how they impacted negatively on employees and other residents around the quarry sites. The study aimed at determining the level of compliance of safety and protective devices among employees. The study also probed to ascertain the gender distribution and the level of proneness to the hazards. The study adopted survey design and used cluster sampling technique in the selection of participants in small and medium scale quarries in Abakaliki capital territory. Statistical summarization technique (Pearson correlation co-efficient) was used in the data analysis. The study made use of self constructed and validated questionnaire in the gathering of primary data among selected participants. Also, the study made use of hospital dispensary file records as secondary data gathering technique to augment information for data analysis. The results of the study showed wide scale negative impact on environment, the physical and psychological health of the employees, the productivity and efficiency of the quarry employees.

Key Words: Occupational health hazards, Industrial pollution, Quarry industry, Sources of hazards, Preventive practices, Awareness of knowledge of hazards

Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 2734-3316
print ISSN: 1597-9482