ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY AMONG SOLID WASTE WORKERS IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL

Purpose: Risks occur at every step in the waste management process, from the point of collection at homes, during transportation and at the sites of recycling or disposal. This study aimed at assessing the occupational health and safety of solid waste workers in Abuja Municipal Area Council.   Methods: Descriptive survey research was employed for the study. A sample population of 327 waste workers was obtained by using the Krejcie & Morgan, (1970) model for sample size determination. The random sampling technique using the table of random numbers was employed in selecting the waste workers. The instrument used for this study was a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire collected information on socio-demographic characteristics of waste workers, safety tools and hygiene practices, occupational injuries and diseases and awareness on Covid 19, disease. Descriptive statistics were employed in analyzing the data, with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: The results were presented in tables and charts. The results revealed that aprons and face masks were the most commonly used PPE among waste workers. It accounted for 73% and 52% among the waste collectors/ sweepers respectively.  Among the crewmen, it also accounted for 45% and 23% respectively. Only about 46 % of the waste workers take their baths after work. Injuries from vehicles accounted for the highest among the waste workers. This accounts for 34 % among the domestic waste collector/sweepers and 29% among the crewmen. Conclusion: The several types of occupational diseases among the solid waste workers include fatigue (78% among the domestic waste collector/sweepers and 66% among the crewmen), back pain, chest pain, and cough. There is a significant difference in the prevalence of occupational health diseases among solid waste workers. Recommendations: The study, recommends that waste workers should be trained on occupational and health safety and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) should be encouraged among the workers.