Health hazards associated with spray painting among workers in small scale auto garages in Embakasi Division, Nairobi, Kenya
Loading...
Date
2013-09-05
Authors
Mwatu, Agnes K
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Most hazardous health effects of activities in small scale industries may not be
apparent immediately, however they emerge much later in the life of the exposed
individuals. One such small scale industrial activity, is spray painting in informal
auto garages, popularly known in Kenya as “Jua Kali garages”. Although various
disease symptoms may be associated with spray painting, respiratory and skin
diseases are the major ones. The objective of this study therefore, was to establish
occupational health hazards associated with spray painting in small scale auto
garages in three selected locations of Embakasi division. To carry out the study,
which took three months (June–August 2010), pre-tested questionnaires and
checklists were administered to spray painters in the selected auto garages. Key
informant individuals (KII) were interviewed to get details of disease symptoms
and other issues to support the information captured by the questionnaires and
checklists. A sample population of two hundred and seven spray painters was
selected from small scale auto garages in the study area, their age ranged between
17-62 years, with 34% of the population being below 25 years. Half (51%) of the
spray painters had been in this occupation for between 1-5 years. 65.3% of them
had attained primary education, while the rest (34.7%) had secondary level of
education. It was observed that, the main activities in the study garages were
scraping off the old paints and spray painting. The two activities posed an
exposure due to dust from old paints and over spray paint mists within the
breathing zone of unprotected spray painters, and therefore data on asthmatic and
bronchitis symptoms, and eye problems was collected, edited, coded and analyzed
by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Chi-square test of
significance was used to measure association between the disease symptoms and
exposure time, application methods, and amounts and types of paints. The
analyzed data was presented using percentages, frequency tables and bar charts.
Painters’ health seeking behaviors and presence of the disease symptoms
associated with this occupation were also studied. Application methods had a
significant relationship between asthmatic symptoms, (_² = 18.72338; df = 2; p =
0.00009), but non between bronchitis symptoms (_² = 0.055885; df = 2; p =
0.97246). Exposure time had no significant relationship between all disease
symptoms in the study (asthmatic symptoms; _² = 3.75855; df = 3; p = 0.28871,
bronchitis; _² = 6.4773; df = 3; p = 0.09056 and eye problems; _² = 2.33641; df =
3; p = 0.50558). Types and amounts of paint also had no significant relationship
between all diseases symptoms. According to the study, this was due to onset of
the disease symptoms within a short duration of exposure. 85.7% and 67.3% of all
the spray painters had bronchitis and asthmatic symptoms respectively, while
49.3% had eye problems. This indicated a high prevalence of disease symptoms
associated with spray painting among the spray painters in the study area, who also
had poor health seeking behaviors. Health hazard awareness creation among all
stakeholders was recommended to ensure health and safety of workers and further
research in the field, especially effectiveness of interventions.
Description
Department of Community Health, 111p. The RC 967 .M9 2011
Keywords
Industrial safety --Kenya --Nairobi --Embakasi Division, Industrial hygience --Kenya --Nairobi --Embakasi Division