Safety of Workers in Slaughterhouses and Meat Processing Plants in Nairobi City County, Kenya
Loading...
Date
2018
Authors
Makori, Charles Motari
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Slaughterhouses and meat processing plants are known to potentially pose significant threats to worker’s safety and health due to the hazardous conditions involving animals, tools and dangerous machines used in the meat industry.The main objective of this study was to investigate the safety of workers in slaughterhouses and meat processing plants in Nairobi City County. The specific objectives were to determine the level of compliance of various categories of slaughterhouses and processing plants to Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007, establish the types of injuries experienced and the associated risk factors and the management of these injuries in these facilities. Descriptive cross sectional study design was used. Quantitative data was collected from the facilities using structured questionnaires while focused group discussions, key informant interviews and observational checklist were used to collect qualitative information. A total of 347 respondents were included in this study from 30 facilities. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 18 and relations between independent and dependent variables determined by use of Chi-Square. Frequency tables, percentages and charts were used to present the results. The study established that socio-demographic factors were statistically significant in influencing the safety of the workers where gender had the greatest impact in the safety of the workers where males received more injuries (92.1%) than the females (χ2=27.72; p<0.05 and this was followed by age where the younger population received more injuries than the older workers (χ2=25.59; p<0.05). Duration worked followed where experience had a positive impact in the safety of the workers (χ2=22.12; p<0.05). The educational level of the workers was least of these demograhic factors in affecting the extent of injuries where workers with primary school education (92.5%) received more injuries than the ones with secondary school education (χ2=21.39; p<0.05). OSHA parameters were also examined in various categories of facilities and established that the awarness level of OSHA, 2007 and WIBA, 2007 were highest in export facilities and processing plants and lowest in local facilities (χ2=237.46; p<0.05) and followed by provision of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) in the same pattern (χ2=62.43; p<0.05). Inspection of enterprises was higher in export oriented slaughterhouses than in local facilities (χ2=15.97; p<0.05), training followed the same pattern (χ 2=28.5; p<0.05). Provision of safety and health policy was more pronounced in export and meat processing plants than local facilities (χ2 = 38.41; p<0.05) and followed by training (χ2 =28.5; p<0.05). The highest number of injuries were recorded in Category C facilities and lowest in export based facilities (χ2=23.554; p<0.05) and this was significant. Safety and health committes followed (χ2 =23.38; p<0.05).The least in impact was noted in inspection with (χ2 =15.97; p<0.05). From this results, compliance levels were fairly high in export and processing plants than local facilities. In total, 85% of the workers in the meat industry in Nairobi received injuries and 15,261 working days (122,088 man-hours) were lost in the course of that year under study, 2015. The incidence rate of injury stood at 21.9 per 100-full time workers in 2015. In conclusion, the study recorded high incidence of injuries among the workers being commonly reported in young male workers who had been the service for short period of time. The injuries were commonly reported in Category C slaughter houses where the compliance levels to OSHA was very low. The study recommended that OSHA, 2007 be prudently implemented in all slaughter and processing facilities in Nairobi and nationally in order to prevent this high injury rate noted
Description
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Public Health (Occupational Health and Safety) In the School of Public Health of Kenyatta University
October, 2018