ASSESSMENT OF THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS IN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH AMONG RICE MILL WORKERS IN CENTRAL KENYA (MWEA)

Abstract

Rice milling involves removal of the husk and bran layer, a process which causes emission of inorganic dust and synthetic chemicals that have adverse effects on respiratory health, eyes and skin of exposed workers. Further, rice husk is known to have high silica content which may cause pulmonary disease resembling asbestosis and possibly bronchogenic carcinoma. It is estimated that most workers spend a third of their time at work hence the need for positive occupational risk perception through awareness which has a significant impact on safe behaviour at work. This study assessed the level of awareness on occupational safety and health among rice mill workers in central Kenya (Mwea). Four out of the seven large scale mills were selected at random for the purpose of this study. The study population was 400 and the sample size was 196. Cross sectional survey study design was adopted and structured questionnaires were administered. The level of training (21%) and knowledge (24%) of safety and health at workplace was low. The supervisors’ awareness was also low (33%) across the sampled mills. The respondents’ perception of the positive safety climate was (53%) disagree while the managers’ measure of importance of health and safety in the workplace on a scale of 1 to 10 was at an average of 4.5. There was no significant association between safety awareness and age (p=0.919) and the cross tabulation between level of education and safety awareness was p=0.98. None of the selected mills had registered their premises as a workplace or formed safety and health committee. The study concluded that the level of awareness on safety and health was low among the workers and occupiers of the workplaces in the selected rice mills. The government should deal with the abysmal registration of workplaces for improved level of awareness, workers enlightenment of legal rights and reduced workplace hazards, injuries and accidents.