An Assessment of the nature and causes of occupational injuries and illnesses at Triple C pigs

Author

Sena, Elton

Title

An Assessment of the nature and causes of occupational injuries and illnesses at Triple C pigs

Abstract

Occupational health and safety is a critical concern in the agricultural sector, yet research on workplace hazards and their impacts remains limited, especially in developing country contexts. This study intended to examine the nature and causes of occupational injuries and illnesses at triple c pigs. The objectives of this study was to (1) to determine nature of occupational injuries and illnesses to which swine practitioners are subject (2) To determine factors that contribute to occupational injuries and illnesses among to swine practitioners. A random sampling to select 145 participants from various workstations at Triple C Pigs which included, Feed meal site, Main site, Weaner, Grower, Workshop and maintenance and Yard maintainers. Of the 145 workers who were issued with the questionnaires, only 101 responded giving a response rate of 69.7%. The questionnaire gathered information on demographic details, the nature and types of injuries sustained by workers and health ailments suffered by workers. Observations were also conducted to validate the questionnaire data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data. All analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23. Data on these variables were presented in the form of charts, graphs and tables. The results indicated that physical injuries such as cuts and lacerations, electrocution, fractures and amputations were the least frequently reported type of injury at the different workplaces at Triple C Pigs, accounting for 41.4% of the total injuries while ergonomic injuries such as musculoskeletal disorders, sprains and strain injuries were reported most frequently representing up to 58.6% of the total injuries reported. Health problems perceived due to working with swine Workers suffering from allergies are the majority (25.39%) followed by those battling with respiratory issues constituting about 19.3%. Hearing problems are significant contributing about 11.17%, headaches and skin infections are least with 6.9% and 3.5% respectively. The results show that task rotation and the use of adequate personal protective equipment is essential to lessen the risk of ergonomic injuries. The study recommends that safety awareness should be given to employees so that they know the hazards associated with daily tasks.

Date

June 2024

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Occupational injuries

Occupational illnesses

Triple C pigs

Livestock farming

Nature of injuries

Supervisor

Mr. Chiboyiwa