Assessing the knowledge of workers in occupational safety and health hazards a case study of selected wood workshops and sawmills within Ada and Sogakope District in Ghana

Abstract

In order to understand the issue of workplace safety among woodworkers, there is the need to assess the knowledge of workers in occupational safety and health hazards. Consequently, the purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge of workers in occupational safety and health hazards in some selected wood workshops and sawmills within Ada and Sogakope Districts in the Volta Region of Ghana. The study adopted a cross sectional descriptive survey research design. The study focused on wood producers working with sawmill firms and small-scale furniture workshops within Ada and Sogakope Districts. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 160 respondents. Data was gathered through questionnaires formulated based on the research questions. The study revealed that the job category that records the highest prevalence of injuries at the workshops and sawmills were wood cutting followed by logging, trimming and processing. The study found that woodworkers usually report of back pains, hip and leg pains, headaches, respiratory problems, nausea and small cuts. The study revealed that the level of knowledge and experience of woodworkers in the occupational health hazards and safety practice was low. The study revealed that woodworkers’ sources of information of occupational hazards and safety measures were mainly from personal experiences and colleagues. The study brought to light that the safety trainings that exist among woodworkers in the study area do not equip woodworkers with adequate knowledge and skill to promote safety in an effective way. The study concluded that the knowledge of Ghanaian woodworkers is limited and outmoded to minimize risk of accidents and diseases at the workshop. Promotion of occupational health and safety through workshops, seminars and public lectures is recommended. Similar research could be carried out in other regions to confirm or refute the findings of this study.