Prevalence and factors affecting work-place injuries in Bahir Dar textile factory, Amhara regional state, North West Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Work related injuries have become major public health problem drowning much of public and governments attention. Studying the prevalence and determinants of injuries will help planners and decision makers at every level in planning, managing and allocating the scarce resources they have. Objective: This study tried to assess prevalence of work related injuries and their determinants in Bahir Dar textile factory. Methodology: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted from first –to second week of September, 2010 in Bahir Dar Textile Factory ,Bahir Dar. Study subjects were selected among 1240 workers who were directly involved in production processes by systemic random sampling using the payroll list by proportional allocation from all departments. Data was collected using pretested questionnaire guided face to face interview by six final year nursing students. Supervision was done by the principal investigator and one Bsc nurse. Work environment observation, physical examination, and reviewing injury records were also employed to complement self reported information. Statistical analysis was done using epi-info version 3.5.1 for data entry and cleaning, and SPSS 15 for descriptive and logistic regression analysis. Results: The overall occupational injury prevalence rate was 139 per1000 exposed workers per Year. Among 47 injured workers, 22(46.9%) were hospitalized for more than 24 hours. A total of 659 working days were lost making the average working days lost per injured worker 14 days .No death was reported during the study period. Low monthly income, and working in weaving and spinning departments were associated with workplace injuries (AOR: 2.49 (1.16, 5.36) and (AOR: 0.34 95 % CI (0.13, 0.87) respectively. Conclusion and recommendation: Low monthly-income and working in weaving and spinning department were found to be determinants of injury. Reasonable payment and comprehensive occupational health and safety activities are recommended to solve the problem.