Compliance with occupational safety and health practice among medical laboratory staff at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi city county, Kenya

Augustine Mutisya Mukiti; Peterson Warutere; Scholastica Mathenge

doi:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20250597

Authors

Augustine Mutisya Mukiti Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
Peterson Warutere Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
Scholastica Mathenge Department of Human Pathology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20250597

Keywords:

Compliance, Health practice, Medical laboratory staff, Occupational safety

Abstract

Background: This study sought to assess compliance with occupational safety and health among medical laboratory workers in Kenyatta national hospital in Nairobi city county, Kenya. The study focused on potential hazards, occupational safety and health compliance and health system factors associated with compliance to occupational safety and health among medical laboratory workers.

Methods: The study used analytical cross-sectional design. The study used a sample size of 148 respondents. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires and key informant interview schedules. Descriptive data was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences version 25.0 with the aid of Microsoft excel program to generate frequency tables. The study employed chi-square tests to establish the association between study variables.

Results: The findings showed that there was association between years worked and exposure to biological hazards (χ² (1) = 4.167, p<0.05) respectively. There was no association with age, (χ2 (2) = 8.001, p<0.05), education level, (χ² (1) = 8.06, p<0.05) and years worked (χ² (2) = 9.248, p<0.05) and exposure to physical hazards. Staff workload was significant factor influencing compliance (χ² = 155.376, p<0.001), and significant relationship between the provision of personal protective equipment and occupational safety and health compliance (χ² = 155.030, p<0.001).

Conclusions: The hospital has made significant efforts in implementing various health and safety programs which can be adopted across different departments. This includes programs such as safety audit, safety trainings and occupational health surveillance.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

World Health Organization. WHO/ILO joint estimates of the work-related burden of disease and injury, 2000-2016: technical report with data sources and methods. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240034945. Accessed 01 August 2024.

Seidelman JL, Lewis SS, Advani SD, Akinboyo IC, Epling C, Case M, et al. Universal masking is an effective strategy to flatten the severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) healthcare worker epidemiologic curve. Infect Contr Hosp Epidemiol. 2020;41(12):1466-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2020.313

Bin-Ghouth AS, Al-Shoteri S, Mahmoud N, Musani A, Baoom NM, Al-Waleedi AA, et al. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Aden, Yemen: a population-based study. Int J Infect Dis. 2022;115:239-44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2021.12.330

Zhang JJ, Dong X, Cao YY, Yuan YD, Yang YB, Yan YQ, et al. Clinical characteristics of 140 patients infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 in Wuhan, China. Allergy. 2020;75(7):1730-41. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/all.14238

Alshalani AJ, Salama KF. Assessment of occupational safety practices among medical laboratory staff in Governmental Hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. J Safe Stud. 2019;5(1):1-23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5296/jss.v5i1.14992

Asemahagn MA. Factors determining the knowledge and prevention practice of healthcare workers towards COVID-19 in Amhara region, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional survey. Trop Medi Heal. 2020;48:1-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-020-00254-3

Amri Z, Alasmari N. Self-efficacy of Saudi English majors after the emergent transition to online learning and online assessment during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Higher Educat. 2021;10(3):127-37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v10n3p127

Ndejjo R, Musinguzi G, Yu X, Buregyeya E, Musoke D, Wang JS, et al. Occupational health hazards among healthcare workers in Kampala, Uganda. J Environm Publ Heal. 2015;2015(1):913741. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/913741

Tait FN, Mburu C, Gikunju J. Occupational safety and health status of medical laboratories in Kajiado County, Kenya. Pan Afr Medi J. 2018;29(1):1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2018.29.65.12578

Tenkate T, Adam B, Al-Rifai RH, Chou BR, Gobba F, Ivanov ID, Leppink N, et al. WHO/ILO work-related burden of disease and injury: Protocol for systematic reviews of occupational exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation and of the effect of occupational exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation on cataract. Environment Int. 2019;125:542-53. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.10.001

Powell-Jackson T, King JJ, Makungu C, Spieker N, Woodd S, Risha P, Goodman C. Infection prevention and control compliance in Tanzanian outpatient facilities: a cross-sectional study with implications for the control of COVID-19. The Lancet Glo Heal. 2020;8(6):e780-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30222-9

Che Huei L, Ya-Wen L, Chiu Ming Y, Li Chen H, Jong Yi W, Ming Hung L. Occupational health and safety hazards faced by healthcare professionals in Taiwan: A systematic review of risk factors and control strategies. SAGE Open Medi. 2020;8:2050312120918999. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312120918999

Zhao S, Lin Q, Ran J, Musa SS, Yang G, Wang W, et al. Preliminary estimation of the basic reproduction number of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China, from 2019 to 2020: A data-driven analysis in the early phase of the outbreak. Int J Infect Dis. 2020;92:214-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.01.050

Mohammadyan M, Moosazadeh M, Borji A, Khanjani N, Rahimi Moghadam S. Investigation of occupational exposure to lead and its relation with blood lead levels in electrical solderers. Environmental monitoring and assessment. 2019;191:1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7258-x

Vaisbuch Y, Hosseini DK, Wagner A, Hirt B, Mueller M, Ponnusamy R, et al. Surgical approach for rapid and minimally traumatic recovery of human inner ear tissues from deceased organ donors. Otol Neurotol. 2022;43(4):e519-25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/MAO.0000000000003500

Sewunet T, Kebede W, Wondafrash B, Workalemau B, Abebe G. Survey of safety practices among hospital laboratories in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. Ethiop J Heal Sci. 2014;24(4):307-10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ejhs.v24i4.5

Gestal MC, Blas-Machado U, Johnson HM, Rubin LN, Dewan KK, Bryant C, et al. Disrupting Bordetella immunosuppression reveals a role for eosinophils in coordinating the adaptive immune response in the respiratory tract. Microorganisms. 2020;8(11):1808. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8111808

Shafiabadi Hassani N, Talakoob H, Karim H, MozafaryBazargany M, Rastad H. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings in 2954 COVID‐19 adult survivors: a comprehensive systematic review. J Magnet Reson Imaging. 2022;55(3):866-80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jmri.27852

Krishna A, Herd KB, Aydınoğlu NZ. A review of consumer embarrassment as a public and private emotion. J Consumer Psychol. 2019;29(3):492-516. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1086

Coggon D, Harris EC, Poole J, Palmer KT. Mortality of workers exposed to ethylene oxide: extended follow up of a British cohort. Occupat Environm Medi. 2004;61(4):358-62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.2003.008268