Document Details
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Document Type |
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Thesis |
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Document Title |
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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN SELECTED SMALL INDUSTRIES IN JEDDAH AND STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE IT. السلامة والصحة المهنية في الصناعات الصغيرة المختارة في جدة والاستراتيجيات المتبعة لتحسينها |
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Subject |
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Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture |
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Document Language |
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Arabic |
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Abstract |
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Small-scale industries account for a large proportion of jobs and play a vital role in most countries’ economic growth and prosperity but their employees are routinely and regularly exposed to numerous physical, chemical and accidental hazards and risks. These are characterized by deficient resources, untrained and unskilled labor force having no legal contracts and job security. The working conditions in such industries are hazardous, unsafe and unhealthy effecting employee’s health and safety negatively. The objective of this research study was to assess the status of occupational health and safety (OHS) at selected (vehicle repair, welding and spray painting workshops and taxi driving) small-scale industries in Jeddah, the first-ever study of its kind in Jeddah, KSA.
Information, evidence, and data gathered during past three years through questionnaire, checklist, and health surveillance surveys employing personal field visits, observations, record investigations, focused group discussions, one to one interviews and walk-through inspection at selected small-scale industries provided the basis of this dissertation. The data were collected from different target groups of vehicle repairers, welders, painters and taxi industry workers in urban premises of Jeddah. Five original articles are included in this thesis, dealing with work conditions, practices, exposures and facilities and employee’s safety, ergonomics and respiratory problems.
For OHS status assessment at selected vehicle repair local workshops (LWs) and companies workshops (CWs), a checklist having ten OHS elements and sixty-nine items was employed. Safety score of different OHS elements and items were calculated and comparison was made between LWs and CWs performance. The overall OHS score of all elements in LWs was 47% much lower than 84% for CWs. Survey results revealed that many inspected elements scores were unsatisfactory and concerning among LWs. Furthermore, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and occupational exposures among workers at repairing, welding, and painting workshops were assessed through a custom-made questionnaire. The results showed that use of PPEs was low and in the following descending order, i.e. knee joints mats > welding shields > safety glasses > gloves > face masks > safety shoes > ear plugs/ muffs. The noise and heat/sunlight exposures were, respectively, the maximum and minimum reported exposures among surveyed workers.
The evaluation and comparison of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary functions among exposed and unexposed controls were made using Medical Research Council (MRC) questionnaire and Micro Direct computerized automated spirometer, respectively. The highest reported respiratory symptoms were chest tightness and whistling. More than 90% surveyed cases reported incidences of occupational exposure. The exposed group on contrary to control one has decreased mean values for lung function parameters like FEV1, FVC, FEV1/ FVC % and PEF. The present study reveals that exposed workers are at increased risk of developing respiratory symptoms and decreased pulmonary functions as compared to unexposed. The 1-year and 1-week prevalence rates of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among employees of taxi industry was assessed employing Standard Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ). The prevalence rates among drivers were higher than office workers. The lower back and elbows were, respectively, the most and least affected body regions among the surveyed population.
Results of the research will offer insight into a better understanding of safety and health issues in studied small industries. Also, it will contribute toward the improvement of employees safe use of equipment’s, tools, machinery and workplace conditions, practices, and environment, and ergonomically designed workstations, the practical concern of this dissertation. This thesis also attempts to contribute the author's own opinions and recommendations with the optimism for increasing awareness of employees and employers towards unsafe conditions, practices, acts and for enhancing the enactment of respective regulations and legislation. |
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Supervisor |
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Dr.Mansour Ahmed Balkhyour |
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Thesis Type |
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Doctorate Thesis |
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Publishing Year |
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1439 AH
2018 AD |
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Added Date |
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Thursday, March 1, 2018 |
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Researchers
| اعجاز احمد | Ahmad, Ijaz | Researcher | Doctorate | |
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