Occupational Injuries among Marble and Granite Processing Workers: A Comparative Study | ||
| Egyptian Journal of Occupational Medicine | ||
| Article 1, Volume 45, Issue 3, September 2021, Pages 133-148 PDF (3.39 M) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejom.2021.193265 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Kamel NM; Sleem AN; Kamel EA; Elsherbeny EE* | ||
| Department of Industrial Medicine and Occupational Health, Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Introduction: Marble and Granite are natural stones that can be shaped into blocks, slabs or tiles. Their production passes through several stages. The production process could result in many injuries. Aim of Work: to detect the prevalence of workplace injuries, their predictors and causes among marble and granite workers. Materials and Methods: A descriptive comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in four workshops at Damietta Governorate from June 1, 2016 to May 30, 2017. The studied groups were composed of an exposed group engaged in the marble and granite processing and a comparison one who were not engaged in this industry (each group comprises of 90 workers). They were subjected to an interview questionnaire asking about sociodemographic characteristics, occupational profile, injury profile and their anthropometric measurements were taken. Results: All marble and granite workers experienced one or more injuries in the past year compared to (13.3%) of the comparison group with highly statistically significant difference (p≤0.001). They showed high prevalence of superficial wounds, contusion/bruises, tear and laceration compared to the control group. Unsafe working environment, using inappropriate instruments, lack of protective equipment and nonadherence to donning them were the main causes of workplace injuries. Regarding predictors for injuries, workers with low income (being in debt) are 18 times prone to injures than those who can save money. Current smokers are 7.6 times than nonsmokers, unmarried workers are 6.61 times than married and who live in rural areas are 4.43 times than others who live in urban areas. Conclusion: Providing safe working environment, donning suitable protective equipment, implementing effective training programs for all workers especially high-risk ones are crucial preventive measures. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Marble and Granite; Occupational injuries; Protective equipment and Smoker | ||
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