| Peer-Reviewed

Hazards Exposures and the Common Health and Safety Complaints Among Hospital Laundry Workers: A Comparative Study

Received: 8 July 2019     Accepted: 30 July 2019     Published: 10 September 2019
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

Healthcare workers are exposed to various hazards in their workplaces that pose threats to their health and safety, however, exposure depends on the job category and their work environment. In the healthcare facilities, occupational safety and health hazards can be grouped according to location or service offered. Contaminated laundry, noise, heat, lifting, sharps, slips, trips, falls and fire hazards are among those located in the laundry department. In industrial laundries, chemical exposure, injuries from sharps left in linen, slips from wet floors, and exposure to pathogens in contaminated linen are among the most common accidents. The purpose of the study was to provide information on the exposure of hospital laundry workers to previously identified workplace hazards, in order that appropriate interventions to minimize occupational risks due to workers exposures to hazards in the healthcare laundries would be established. Furthermore, it also provides information on the common health and safety complaints among laundry workers. The study adopted a comparative cross-sectional study design, conducted in hospitals with a laundry department in Benin, Nigeria. A survey was conducted as semi-structured questionnaires were issued to the study participants to obtain data on their exposure to different workplace hazards as well as on work-related injuries and diseases. Also, body mapping exercise was conducted to obtain workers’ health information resulting from exposures to ergonomic hazards. All the respondents handled clean linen but only 74% handled dirty linen, while 62% handled soiled linen. In addition, respondents reported that they were exposed to sharps (62%), ergonomic (40%), illumination (2%), noise (28%), electrical (50%), heat (38%) and chemical (68%) hazards in the workplace. The common workplace injuries or illnesses reported were sharps injury (20%), musculoskeletal pain (92%), hearing disorder (4%), burns (8%), electric shocks (6%), slips, trips, or falls (28%) and cuts or bruises (18%). The most common musculoskeletal complaints were that of the lower back (74%), shoulders (42%), upper back (34%), and knee (34%). Various types of hazards were identified in all the health facilities. Hospital laundry workers in both secondary and tertiary health facilities alike suffered from various adverse health and safety conditions due to exposure to occupational hazards in the workplace. It is recommended that laundry workers be frequently educated on the occupational health and safety risks associated with their job.

Published in Journal of Health and Environmental Research (Volume 5, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.jher.20190503.11
Page(s) 63-77
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Hazards Exposures, Hospital Laundry, Health Facilities, Laundry Workers, Accidents, Injuries, Health and Safety, Occupational Health

References
[1] Ford M. T. and Tetrick L. E. (2011). Relations among occupational hazards, attitudes, and safety performance. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology 16 (1), 48–66.
[2] Tziaferi S. G., Sourtzi P., Kalokairinou A., Sgourou E., Koumoulas E. and Velonakis E. (2011). Risk assessment of physical hazards in greek hospitals combining staff’s perception, experts’ evaluation and objective measurements. Safety and Health at Work Journal 2 (3), 260–72.
[3] Ajayi A. D., Garba S. N., Abdul A. J. and Mfuh A. (2006). Use of protective devices and occupational hazards among nurses in ABUTH, Zaria. West-African Journal of Nursing 7 (1), 14.
[4] Bell J. L., Collins J. W., Tiesman H. M., Ridenour M., Konda S., Wolf L. and Evanoff B. (2013). Slip, trip, and fall injuries among nursing care facility workers. Workplace Health and Safety Journal 61 (4), 147–52.
[5] Hasselhorn H. M., Toomingas A. and Lagerstrom M., Occupational health for health care workers: A practical guide, Amsterdam: Elsevier Science B. V., 2001, pp. 1-113.
[6] Ugbebor J. N., Modern safety: Principles and practice, Ibadan: Vertex media, 2014, 180p.
[7] Pingle S. R., Occupational health, The Godrej House Magazine, 2005.
[8] Borg M. A. and Portelli A. (1999). Hospital laundry workers - an at-risk group for hepatitis A. Occupational Medicine (London) 49, 448-450.
[9] Topf M. (2000). Hospital noise pollution: An environmental stress model to guide research and clinical interventions. Journal of Adv. Nurs. 31, 520-528.
[10] Pyrek K. M., Lessons in Linen: Following Aseptic Technique in the Laundry Department, Informa Exhibitions LLC., 2003.
[11] Stonerock T., “Women and the labour market,” in Professional burnout: Recent developments in theory and research. London, vol. 2010, Rutledge S., Maslach W. C. and Marek T., Eds. New York, 2004.
[12] World Health Organization (WHO), “Health worker occupational health,” in Occupational Health - Health workers, vol. 2012, Geneva: WHO; 2010.
[13] Amosun A. M., Degun A. M., Atulomah N. O. S., Olanrewaju M. F., Aderibigbe K. A. (2011). Level of knowledge regarding occupational hazards among nurses in Abeokuta, Ogun state, Nigeria. Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences 3 (6), 586–590.
[14] J. M. Harrington, F. S. Gill, T. C. Aw, G. Applebey and C. P. Atwell, Occupational health, 4th ed., Oxford: Blackwell Pup, 2000, pp. 3-347.
[15] Russi M. B. and Howarth M. V., Occupational medicine in health care industry: Text Book of Clinical Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2nd ed., USA: Elsevier Inc., 2005, 245pp.
[16] Pyrek K. M., Infection Control Today: Preventing Sharps Injuries and Blood-borne Pathogen Exposures in the Healthcare Laundry, Informa Exhibitions LLC., 2015, 12pp.
[17] Keeffe E. B. (2004). Occupational risk for hepatitis A: A literature-based analysis. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology 38, 440–448.
[18] World Health Organization (WHO), Universal precautions, including injection safety, Geneva: WHO, 2006.
[19] Orji E., Fasubaa O. and Onwudiegwu U. (2002). Occupational health hazards among health care workers in an Obstetric and Gynaecological unit of a Nigerian Teaching hospital. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 22, 75-78.
[20] World Health Organization (WHO), Aide memoire for a strategy to protect health workers from infection with blood borne viruses, Geneva: WHO, 2003.
[21] Gawkrodger D. J., Lloyd M. H. and Hunter J. A. (1986). Occupational skin disease in hospital cleaning and kitchen workers. Contact Dermatitis 15, 132-135.
[22] Stingeni L., Lapomarda V. and Lisi P. (1995). Occupational hand dermatitis in hospital environments. Contact Dermatitis 33, 172-176.
[23] Bello A., Quinn M. M., Perry M. J. and Milton D. K. (2009). Characterization of occupational exposures to cleaning products used for common cleaning tasks-a pilot study of hospital cleaners. Environmental Health 8, 11-21.
[24] J. Zock, M. Kogevinas, J. Sunyer, E. Almar, N. Muniozguren, F. Payo, J. Sanchez and J. M. Anto (2001). Asthma risk, cleaning activities and use of specific cleaning products among Spanish indoor cleaners. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health 27, 76-81.
[25] J. Zock, M. Kogevinas, J. Sunyer, D. Jarvis, K. Toren and J. Anto (2002). Asthma characteristics in cleaning workers, workers in other risk jobs and office workers. European Respiratory Journal 20, 679-685.
[26] A. Karjalainen, R. Martikainen, J. Karjalainen, T. Klaukka and K. Kurrpa (2002). Excess incidence of asthma among Finish cleaners employed in different industries. European respiratory journal 19, 90-95.
[27] M. Kopferschmitt-Kubler, J. Ameille, E. Popin, A. Calastreng-crinquad, D. Vervloet, M. Bayeux-Dungladd and G. Pauli (2002). Occupational asthma in France: A 1-year report of the Observatorie National de Asthmes Professionnels Project. European Respiratory Journal 19, 84-89.
[28] M. Medina-Ramon, J. P. Zock, M. Kogevinas, J. Sunyer and J. M. Anto (2003). Asthma symptoms in women employed in domestic cleaning: a community based study. Thorax 58, 950-954.
[29] M. Medina-Ramon, J. P. Zock, M. Kogevinas, J. Sunyer, Y. Torralba, A. Borrell, F. Burgos and J. M. Anto (2005). Asthma, chronic bronchitis, and exposure to irritant agents in occupational domestic cleaning: a nested case-control study. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 62, 598-606.
[30] M. Medina-Ramon, J. P. Zock, M. Kogevinas, J. Sunyer, X. Basagana, J. Schwartz, P. S. Burge, V. Moore and J. M. Anto (2006). Short-term respiratory effects of cleaning exposures in female domestic cleaners. European Respiratory Journal 27, 1196-1203.
[31] G. L. Delclos, D. Gimeno, A. A. Arif, K. D. Burau, A. Carson, C. Lusk, T. Stock, E. Symanski, L. W. Whitehead and J. P. Zock (2007). Occupational risk factors and asthma among health care professionals. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 175, 667-675.
[32] E. Andersson, A. C. Olin, S. Hagberg, T. Nilsson and K. Toren (2003). Adult onset asthma and wheeze among irritant exposed bleachery workers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine 43, 532-538.
[33] Ashton I, Gill SF, Monitoring for health hazards at work, 3rd ed. Oxford (United Kingdom): Blackwell Science; 2000. p. 33-185.
[34] Gehanno J. F. and Ledosseur P., “Radiation problems in the health care professions, ” in Occupational health for health care workers: A practical guide, Amsterdam: Elsevier Science B. V., 1999, pp. 144-151.
[35] Jefferies P, Clemett R. S. and Turner J. R. (1993). Radiation hazards during cobalt 60 plaque therapy for choroidal melanoma. Aust. N. Z. J. Ophthalmol. 21, 37-41.
[36] Christensen M. (2007). Noise levels in a general intensive care unit: a descriptive study. Nursing Critical Care 12, 188-197.
[37] Ryherd E. E., Waye K. P. and Ljungkvist L. (2008). Characterizing noise and perceived work environment in a neurological intensive care unit. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 123, 747-756.
[38] Tsiou C., Efthymiatos G. and Katostaras T. (2008). Noise in the operating rooms of Greek hospitals. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 123, 757-765.
[39] J. A. F. Curado, W. C. S. V. Rabelo, W. Alves, R. F. Perini and P. H. Siqueira (2001). The incidence of PAIR in a university hospital. Arq. Int. Otorrinolaringol. 5 (2), 113-116.
[40] IJzelenberg W., Molenaar D. and Burdorf A. (2004). Different risk factors for musculoskeletal complaints and musculoskeletal sickness absence. Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment and Health 30 (1), 56-63.
[41] Sukumar S. and Karthiga V. (2014). A Study on Laundry Workers Attitude towards Health Care Industry in Trichy City. International Journal of Scientific Research and Publication 4 (1), 1-8.
[42] Muslim E., Nurtjahyo B. and Ardi R. (2011). Ergonomic analysis of the garment industry with posture evaluation index in the virtual environment. Makara Teknologi. 15 (1), 75-78.
[43] Health and Safety Executive-UK (HSE-UK), Research report 491: Cost benefit studies that support tackling musculoskeletal disorders, 2006.
[44] Tseko G. and Pilane C., The nurse-midwife and use of universal precautions at a health facility in Botswana: implications for nurse training, AIDS 2006 - XVI International AIDS Conference, 2006.
[45] Kumar M. S., Goud B. R. and Joseph B. (2014). A study of occupational health and safety measures in the Laundry Department of a private tertiary care teaching hospital, Bengaluru. Indian Journal Occupational Environment Medicine 18 (1), 13-20.
[46] Enwere O. O. and Diwe K. C. (2014). Knowledge, perception and practice of injection safety and healthcare waste management among teaching hospital staff in South East Nigeria: an intervention study. Pan African Medical Journal 17, 218.
[47] Ofili A., Asuzu M. and Okojie O. (2003). Knowledge and practice of universal precaution amongst nurses in Central Hospital, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Nigeria Postgraduate Medical Journal 10, 26-31.
[48] DHHS-NIOSH Publication No. 97-117, Symptom Survey: Ergonomics Program, Page 87.
[49] M. E. Imam, R. M. Alazab, A. Abdel-Wahed, A. A. Ghandour and W. H. Elsaidy (2013). Risk Assessment of Physical Health Hazards in Al-Azhar University Hospital in New Damietta, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine 53, 1019-1035.
[50] Steed C. and Lettau L. (1995). Hepatitis B Infection and Sharp-Object Injuries in Hospital Laundry Workers. Adv. Exp. Prev. 1 (5), 1-3.
[51] Fontoura F. P., Gonçalves C. G. O., Lacerda A. B. M. and Coifman H. (2014). Noise Effects on Hospital Laundry Workers’ Hearing. Rev. CEFAC. 16 (2), 395-403.
[52] A. C. L. Lopes, K. A. Otubo, T. C. Basso, E. J. I. Marinelli and J. R. P. Lauris (2009). Occupational hearing loss: Tonal Audiometry X Audiometry of high frequencies. Arq Int Otorrinolaringol. 3 (3), 293-299
[53] L. G. Steinmetz, B. S. Zeigelboim, A. B. Lacerda, T. C. Morata and J. M. Marques (2009). Characteristics of tinnitus in workers exposed to noise. Rev. Bras. Otorrinolaringol. 75 (1), 7-14.
[54] Ekawati I. W., The Influence of Work Posture To The Musculoskeletal Disorder On Laundry Workers In Tembalang Region, International Seminar and Workshop on Public Health Action, 2015.
[55] Manuel M., Daphnie L., D’cunha S. and Suresh S. (2015). A study to assess awareness on occupational health hazard among laundry workers. Muller Journal of Medical Science Research 6 (1), 40-44.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Emmanuel Nosa Omoijiade, Lucky Evbuomwan. (2019). Hazards Exposures and the Common Health and Safety Complaints Among Hospital Laundry Workers: A Comparative Study. Journal of Health and Environmental Research, 5(3), 63-77. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20190503.11

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Emmanuel Nosa Omoijiade; Lucky Evbuomwan. Hazards Exposures and the Common Health and Safety Complaints Among Hospital Laundry Workers: A Comparative Study. J. Health Environ. Res. 2019, 5(3), 63-77. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20190503.11

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Emmanuel Nosa Omoijiade, Lucky Evbuomwan. Hazards Exposures and the Common Health and Safety Complaints Among Hospital Laundry Workers: A Comparative Study. J Health Environ Res. 2019;5(3):63-77. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20190503.11

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.jher.20190503.11,
      author = {Emmanuel Nosa Omoijiade and Lucky Evbuomwan},
      title = {Hazards Exposures and the Common Health and Safety Complaints Among Hospital Laundry Workers: A Comparative Study},
      journal = {Journal of Health and Environmental Research},
      volume = {5},
      number = {3},
      pages = {63-77},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jher.20190503.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20190503.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jher.20190503.11},
      abstract = {Healthcare workers are exposed to various hazards in their workplaces that pose threats to their health and safety, however, exposure depends on the job category and their work environment. In the healthcare facilities, occupational safety and health hazards can be grouped according to location or service offered. Contaminated laundry, noise, heat, lifting, sharps, slips, trips, falls and fire hazards are among those located in the laundry department. In industrial laundries, chemical exposure, injuries from sharps left in linen, slips from wet floors, and exposure to pathogens in contaminated linen are among the most common accidents. The purpose of the study was to provide information on the exposure of hospital laundry workers to previously identified workplace hazards, in order that appropriate interventions to minimize occupational risks due to workers exposures to hazards in the healthcare laundries would be established. Furthermore, it also provides information on the common health and safety complaints among laundry workers. The study adopted a comparative cross-sectional study design, conducted in hospitals with a laundry department in Benin, Nigeria. A survey was conducted as semi-structured questionnaires were issued to the study participants to obtain data on their exposure to different workplace hazards as well as on work-related injuries and diseases. Also, body mapping exercise was conducted to obtain workers’ health information resulting from exposures to ergonomic hazards. All the respondents handled clean linen but only 74% handled dirty linen, while 62% handled soiled linen. In addition, respondents reported that they were exposed to sharps (62%), ergonomic (40%), illumination (2%), noise (28%), electrical (50%), heat (38%) and chemical (68%) hazards in the workplace. The common workplace injuries or illnesses reported were sharps injury (20%), musculoskeletal pain (92%), hearing disorder (4%), burns (8%), electric shocks (6%), slips, trips, or falls (28%) and cuts or bruises (18%). The most common musculoskeletal complaints were that of the lower back (74%), shoulders (42%), upper back (34%), and knee (34%). Various types of hazards were identified in all the health facilities. Hospital laundry workers in both secondary and tertiary health facilities alike suffered from various adverse health and safety conditions due to exposure to occupational hazards in the workplace. It is recommended that laundry workers be frequently educated on the occupational health and safety risks associated with their job.},
     year = {2019}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Hazards Exposures and the Common Health and Safety Complaints Among Hospital Laundry Workers: A Comparative Study
    AU  - Emmanuel Nosa Omoijiade
    AU  - Lucky Evbuomwan
    Y1  - 2019/09/10
    PY  - 2019
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20190503.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jher.20190503.11
    T2  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    JF  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    JO  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    SP  - 63
    EP  - 77
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2472-3592
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20190503.11
    AB  - Healthcare workers are exposed to various hazards in their workplaces that pose threats to their health and safety, however, exposure depends on the job category and their work environment. In the healthcare facilities, occupational safety and health hazards can be grouped according to location or service offered. Contaminated laundry, noise, heat, lifting, sharps, slips, trips, falls and fire hazards are among those located in the laundry department. In industrial laundries, chemical exposure, injuries from sharps left in linen, slips from wet floors, and exposure to pathogens in contaminated linen are among the most common accidents. The purpose of the study was to provide information on the exposure of hospital laundry workers to previously identified workplace hazards, in order that appropriate interventions to minimize occupational risks due to workers exposures to hazards in the healthcare laundries would be established. Furthermore, it also provides information on the common health and safety complaints among laundry workers. The study adopted a comparative cross-sectional study design, conducted in hospitals with a laundry department in Benin, Nigeria. A survey was conducted as semi-structured questionnaires were issued to the study participants to obtain data on their exposure to different workplace hazards as well as on work-related injuries and diseases. Also, body mapping exercise was conducted to obtain workers’ health information resulting from exposures to ergonomic hazards. All the respondents handled clean linen but only 74% handled dirty linen, while 62% handled soiled linen. In addition, respondents reported that they were exposed to sharps (62%), ergonomic (40%), illumination (2%), noise (28%), electrical (50%), heat (38%) and chemical (68%) hazards in the workplace. The common workplace injuries or illnesses reported were sharps injury (20%), musculoskeletal pain (92%), hearing disorder (4%), burns (8%), electric shocks (6%), slips, trips, or falls (28%) and cuts or bruises (18%). The most common musculoskeletal complaints were that of the lower back (74%), shoulders (42%), upper back (34%), and knee (34%). Various types of hazards were identified in all the health facilities. Hospital laundry workers in both secondary and tertiary health facilities alike suffered from various adverse health and safety conditions due to exposure to occupational hazards in the workplace. It is recommended that laundry workers be frequently educated on the occupational health and safety risks associated with their job.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

  • Department of Microbiology, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria

  • Sections