Risk Perception and Occupational Accidents among a Group of Egyptian Construction Workers in Cairo, Egypt

Mostafa, Nayera; M. Ellaban, Manar; H. Rady, Mervat; Allah MS. Gabal, Hebat

doi:10.21608/efmj.2019.70447

Risk Perception and Occupational Accidents among a Group of Egyptian Construction Workers in Cairo, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of community medicine, environmental & occupational medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University

² Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University

10.21608/efmj.2019.70447

Abstract

Background: Construction sector is one of the risky businesses in which fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries occur frequently. Information about workers’ awareness about health hazards, risk perception, and safe work practices can help in implementing prevention strategies. Unfortunately, construction sites had limited access for research, accounting only for 2.28% of all available researches. Objectives: The current study aimed to estimate the perception of construction workers to the occupational hazards. Also, it aimed at identifying types of common occupational accidents involving construction workers in an Egyptian company, and to identify the workers’ personal and work-related characteristics of their risk perception. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among construction workers in one of the projects in Cairo. During the period from January to August 2018, 104 workers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire inquiring about sociodemographic characteristics and work-related variables together with assessment of workers’ risk perception. Results: The majority of the workers had low risk perception for falls, contact with chemicals, being struck by objects, sharp objects, manual lifting, repetitive movements, and heat stress, while noise was reported to be in “no or acceptable risk” category. The study identified age, health and safety training, working hours, and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as significantly related factors to risk perception. Conclusion: Risk perception among studied workers in average is low. Older age, prolonged working hours, lack of training, and not wearing PPE are significant risk factors shaping workers’ perception. Safety training and change of work environment may reduce the risk of injuries.

Keywords