KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE TOWARDS PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT USE AMONG STEEL INDUSTRY WORKERS IN THAILAND

Abstract

Background: Steel industry workers have been involved in several hazards such as heat, noise and some chemicals because of a complexity of operation process. Personal protective equipment(PPE) plays its important role in protection and prevention workers from exposing to those hazards including workers’ health. Therefore, current study aimed to access levels of knowledge, attitude and practice on PPE use and to examine an association among those levels of steel workers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 336 workers from scrap preparation and rolling mill department in a steel industry. Face to face interview was conducted for each worker to complete questionnaire. Bivariate analysis was applied by using Chi-square test and Spearman’s rank correlation. Results: Average age(±SD) of participants was 36.58 (±9.47) years. Most of them had worked in the steel industry less than 5 years. Most of work hazards reported by workers were noise and dust 100%. Percentages of the practice of workers 39.9% that using PPE to protect themselves from their work, 81.2% of the workers using helmet, 87.95% of the workers using safety shoes and 86.17% of the workers using boots. Around 50% of workers reported as always use ear plug and ear muff. Sixty-two percent of participants were classified their knowledge regarding PPE use in good level. Attitude and practice towards PPE use among majority of workers were also sorted into moderate levels. Knowledge and attitude levels of those workers were associated with their practice level(p<0.05). Furthermore, an increasing of knowledge was predicted as a factor of increasing PPE use among these workers(rs= 0.494, p-value<0.01). Discussion: An association and among knowledge, attitude and practice levels provided solid evidences to strengthen an encouragement of PPE use among steel workers through providing an innovative interventions.