Health Hazards Among grain Storage Workers in Nigeria

Potential hazards to the health of grain storage workers have increased over the years basically because of the sophistication in storage systems, grain dust, biological contaminants and chemicals used in storage. To identify the hazards of grain storage in southwest and middle belt regions of Nigeria, analysis of medical records, interviews and questionnaires were used in eleven selected establishments from flour mills, the strategic grain reserves (SGRs) and breweries. Findings showed that the principal cause of hazards was the grain dust and other forms of dust like soil from harvest, insect and chemical preservative residues. The results obtained showed that 33.85% of workers were affected with catarrh, 21.54% with skin irritation, 18.46% headache, 4.62% high body temperature and 21.54% with cough. However, skin irritations were higher in SGRs, headache and cough were higher in breweries while flour mills were more associated with catarrh. Hazards in grain storage can be minimized or even eliminated if proper handling techniques are adopted and all necessary safety precautions strictly adhered to. Keywords : Grain, Storage, Workers, Health, Hazards, Dust Journal of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology Vol. 6 (1) 2006 pp. 1-7