Community Medicine Abstracts - College of Medicine and Health ...

Project No. 202 (A-2003/4)Health and Safety, Knowledge and Practice and Symptomatology AmongstRadiator and Exhaust Repairers - A Pilot StudyStudent Authors: Khaled Hassan Saleh Abdulla Al-Buraiki, Hamad Rahma JumaBujaber, Saeed Mohd Abdulla Mohd Al-Ardi, Younis Mohd Abdulla Hussein MohdFaculty Supervisors: Dr. M. Newson-Smith, Dr. M. Grivna, Dr. P. BarssAbstract:Objectives To evaluate the perception, safety practice, attitude and the prevalence ofsymptoms among workers within radiator and exhaust repair workshops in Al Ain.Methods A cross-sectional survey was completed by 110 subjects from 87 workshopsin the industrial area (Sanaiya) in Al Ain in the form of interview-administeredquestionnaire.Results Knowledge: 53 out of 110 participants (48%), strongly disagree that workcan directly impact their health. Safety: 2% always put on aprons while welding.23% use gloves in welding. 13.6% always wear UV filter in welding. Up to 49% usesunglasses while welding. 8% use mask in welding. 13% always use boots whilewelding. Hazards in practice: 21% of participants exposed to burns more than threetimes during last year. 14% experienced burns from flame 1-3 times during last year.3% of workers had burns from chemical fluids more than three times in the last year.38% of participants had burns from hot objects. 28% had at least one flash burn toeyes in the last year. Symptoms: headache presents ahead of the list with (19%).Then comes general body weakness (17%), dizziness (15%) and muscle pain (14%)respectively. Abdonminal pain comes afterward with (8%) and sleep problems at theend with (6%).Conclusion There is a significant percentage of work related symptoms that correlatewith lead poisoning. The majority of workers are not using the safety measuresefficiently therefore they face work hazards frequently.