| Peer-Reviewed

Adequacy of Work Environments in Public Dispensaries and Health Centers in Machakos County, Kenya

Received: 19 October 2018     Accepted: 7 November 2018     Published: 3 December 2018
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) mandates employers to uphold the highest standards of occupational safety and health in their workplaces. However, occupational incidents persist in public health facilities. The researcher sought to assess the adequacy of work environments in public dispensaries and health centers in Machakos County. The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted in February, 2018 involving fourteen (14) dispensaries and seven (7) health centers. Researchers took linear dimensions and angles in the facilities. Assessment involved measuring workrooms, doors, windows, and passageways; computing areas and air volumes; and observing patient examination couches and material storage. The researcher recorded data in checklists then tabulated and analyzed for adequacy.79% of the workrooms ceiling heights were less than the required 3m. 52.5% of the workrooms had less air volumes per worker than the specified 10m3. 61.5% of the rooms did not have through ventilation. All the 27 patient examination couches had no height adjusters. 77.8% of material storage shelves had no equipment to reach heights. 51.3% of doors were less than 900mm wide. 57.1% of passageways were less than 1.2 meters wide. 61.9% of the passageways were obstructed. Work environments within the selected facilities were inadequate. OSHA should be reviewed to provide standards for various elements. Directorate of safety and health services should help health facilities to improve adequacy of work environments. Health management should make all aspects of work environments adequate.

Published in Journal of Health and Environmental Research (Volume 4, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.jher.20180404.13
Page(s) 135-139
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), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Adequacy, Work Environments, Dispensaries and Health Centers, Machakos County

References
[1] International Labor Organization (2011). Occupational Safety and Health Management System: A Tool for Continual Improvements: World Day for Safety and Health at Work: International Labor Office (ILO): Geneva.
[2] Takele Tadesse & Mengesha Admassu (2006). Occupational Health and Safety: Lecture Notes for Environmental and Occupational Health Students. Ethiopia: University of Gondar.
[3] International Labor Organization (2010). Safety and Health at Work: International Labor Office (ILO): Geneva.
[4] World Health Organization (2016). Health Workforce Requirements for Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals: Human Resources for Health Observer, 17. Geneva: WHO.
[5] World Health Organization (2010). Health Worker Occupational Health. In: WHO (Ed) Occupational Health - Health workers, Volume 2012. Geneva: WHO.
[6] Ndejjo, R., Musinguzi, G., Yu, X., Buregyeya, E., Musoke, D., Wang, J. S. ... & Ssempebwa, J. (2015). Occupational Health Hazards among Healthcare Workers in Kampala, Uganda. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2015, 913741-913741.
[7] Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2013). Safety and Health Management Systems: Facts about Hospital Worker Safety- New York: U.S. Department of Labor.
[8] European Union (2011). Occupational Health and Safety Risks in the Healthcare Sector: Guide to Prevention and Good Practice. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
[9] Klevens, R. M., Edwards, J. R., Richards Jr, C. L., Horan, T. C., Gaynes, R. P., Pollock, D. A., & Cardo, D. M. (2007). Estimating Health Care-Associated Infections and Deaths in US Hospitals, 2002. Public health reports, 122(2), 160-166.
[10] Ministry of Health (2010). National Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines for Health Care Services in Kenya: Nairobi: MOH.
[11] Government of Kenya (2007). Occupational Safety and Health Act. Kenya Law Reform Commission, Nairobi: Government Printer.
[12] Kenya Ministries of Health and IntraHealth International (2013). Report of the Occupational Safety and Health Risk Assessment. Nairobi: MsOH.
[13] Ministry of Health (2016). Occupational Exposure to Blood and Body Fluids and HIV Post-exposure Prophylaxis in Health Care Facilities in Kenya 2011 – 2014. Nairobi: MOH.
[14] National Planning and Building Authority (NPBA), (2009). Planning and building Regulations, Volume 2 & 4.
[15] Health and Safety Authority (2007). The Guide to Safety, health and Welfare at Work(General Application) Regulations 2007. Dublin: Health and Safety Authority, Retrieved from: http://www.hsa.ie/eng/.
[16] International Labor Organization (2012). Your safety and health at work: Basic ergonomics principles, Geneva: International Labor Office.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Patrick Njogu, Charles Mburu, Benson Karanja. (2018). Adequacy of Work Environments in Public Dispensaries and Health Centers in Machakos County, Kenya. Journal of Health and Environmental Research, 4(4), 135-139. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20180404.13

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Patrick Njogu; Charles Mburu; Benson Karanja. Adequacy of Work Environments in Public Dispensaries and Health Centers in Machakos County, Kenya. J. Health Environ. Res. 2018, 4(4), 135-139. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20180404.13

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Patrick Njogu, Charles Mburu, Benson Karanja. Adequacy of Work Environments in Public Dispensaries and Health Centers in Machakos County, Kenya. J Health Environ Res. 2018;4(4):135-139. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20180404.13

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.jher.20180404.13,
      author = {Patrick Njogu and Charles Mburu and Benson Karanja},
      title = {Adequacy of Work Environments in Public Dispensaries and Health Centers in Machakos County, Kenya},
      journal = {Journal of Health and Environmental Research},
      volume = {4},
      number = {4},
      pages = {135-139},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jher.20180404.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20180404.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jher.20180404.13},
      abstract = {The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) mandates employers to uphold the highest standards of occupational safety and health in their workplaces. However, occupational incidents persist in public health facilities. The researcher sought to assess the adequacy of work environments in public dispensaries and health centers in Machakos County. The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted in February, 2018 involving fourteen (14) dispensaries and seven (7) health centers. Researchers took linear dimensions and angles in the facilities. Assessment involved measuring workrooms, doors, windows, and passageways; computing areas and air volumes; and observing patient examination couches and material storage. The researcher recorded data in checklists then tabulated and analyzed for adequacy.79% of the workrooms ceiling heights were less than the required 3m. 52.5% of the workrooms had less air volumes per worker than the specified 10m3. 61.5% of the rooms did not have through ventilation. All the 27 patient examination couches had no height adjusters. 77.8% of material storage shelves had no equipment to reach heights. 51.3% of doors were less than 900mm wide. 57.1% of passageways were less than 1.2 meters wide. 61.9% of the passageways were obstructed. Work environments within the selected facilities were inadequate. OSHA should be reviewed to provide standards for various elements. Directorate of safety and health services should help health facilities to improve adequacy of work environments. Health management should make all aspects of work environments adequate.},
     year = {2018}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Adequacy of Work Environments in Public Dispensaries and Health Centers in Machakos County, Kenya
    AU  - Patrick Njogu
    AU  - Charles Mburu
    AU  - Benson Karanja
    Y1  - 2018/12/03
    PY  - 2018
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20180404.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jher.20180404.13
    T2  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    JF  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    JO  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    SP  - 135
    EP  - 139
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2472-3592
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20180404.13
    AB  - The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) mandates employers to uphold the highest standards of occupational safety and health in their workplaces. However, occupational incidents persist in public health facilities. The researcher sought to assess the adequacy of work environments in public dispensaries and health centers in Machakos County. The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted in February, 2018 involving fourteen (14) dispensaries and seven (7) health centers. Researchers took linear dimensions and angles in the facilities. Assessment involved measuring workrooms, doors, windows, and passageways; computing areas and air volumes; and observing patient examination couches and material storage. The researcher recorded data in checklists then tabulated and analyzed for adequacy.79% of the workrooms ceiling heights were less than the required 3m. 52.5% of the workrooms had less air volumes per worker than the specified 10m3. 61.5% of the rooms did not have through ventilation. All the 27 patient examination couches had no height adjusters. 77.8% of material storage shelves had no equipment to reach heights. 51.3% of doors were less than 900mm wide. 57.1% of passageways were less than 1.2 meters wide. 61.9% of the passageways were obstructed. Work environments within the selected facilities were inadequate. OSHA should be reviewed to provide standards for various elements. Directorate of safety and health services should help health facilities to improve adequacy of work environments. Health management should make all aspects of work environments adequate.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Health, Nyeri County, Kenya

  • Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Juja, Kenya

  • Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Juja, Kenya

  • Sections