OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTICES AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN SOME SELECTED HOSPITALS IN TAMALE METROPOLIS

Abstract

Occupational health and safety hazards at a work environment are of critical public health concern. Many developing countries are battling with this canker particularly among healthcare workers and Ghana is not an exception. The study aimed to assess the occupational health and safety hazards among healthcare workers in some selected hospitals in the Tamale Metropolis. This was a cross sectional descriptive study carried out in two hospitals in the Tamale Metropolis (Tamale Central Hospital and Seventh Day Adventist Hospitals) Ghana. Purposive and simple random sampling methods were employed to gather data from 200 study participants. Data was presented as frequency, percentages and graphs. Mean and standard deviation were used to describe the data. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess the risk factors associated with occupational health and safety hazards and p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Majority of the respondents were females (70.5%) and aged between 20-34 years, 50.5% married and 89.0% had attained tertiary education. The study participants were stratified into clinical and non-clinical staff with majority (86.5%) of the clinical staff being nurses and midwives. Biological hazards being experienced by workers were mainly cuts and wounds; 141(70.5%), pathogens/Agents, 66(33.0%), irritation from disinfectant, 52(26.0%) and toxic fumes, 22(11.0%). On the other hand, the non-biological hazards experienced were lower back pain, 99(49.5%), slips, trips and falls, 54(27.0%), noise and vibration, 30(15.0%), electric shock, 16(8.0%), extreme pressure from work, 86(43.0%) assault (verbal abuse), 81(40.5%) and sexual abuse 2(1.0%). Risk factors associated with biological hazards were being Clinical staffs [OR= 2.487 (1.146-5.397), p=0.021], poor maintenance of hospital items [OR=0.446 (0.240-0.831), p=0.011], assault (verbal) abuse [OR=2.581(1.317-5.059), p=0.006] and extreme pressure from work [OR=2.975 (1.519-5.829), p=0.001]. Non-biological hazards were associated with being single [OR=0.499 (0.263-0.947), p=0.034] being verbally assaulted [OR=3.581 (1.865-6.876), p< 0.0001]. In conclusion, clinical healthcare providers are more vulnerable to occupational health and safety hazard. Poor maintenance of hospital items, verbal (assault) abuse and extreme pressure at work are factors associated with biological hazards whilst being single and verbal (assault) abuse are factors associated with non-biological hazards. Occupational safety policy and frequent training on safety in hospital (three times yearly) will go a long way to help curb this menace.