article · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Municipal street sweepers in Port Harcourt Metropolis experience severe workplace risks linked to awkward postures, environmental exposures, and inadequate safety measures. An assessment of 386 workers using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment tool, environmental monitoring, and structured questionnaires revealed that repetitive sweeping motions and prolonged bending were highly prevalent. Half of the surveyed sweepers fell into high or very high ergonomic risk categories. Musculoskeletal disorders were widespread, dominated by lower back, knee, ankle, and shoulder pain. Furthermore, environmental assessments detected unhealthy air quality, elevated particulate matter, excessive heat, and high noise levels. Common hazards included dust exposure, heat stress, and cuts from sharp objects. Higher ergonomic risk scores, shifts longer than eight hours, and low personal protective equipment compliance significantly heightened accident risks, whereas ergonomic safety training notably lowered them.
Street sweepers perform essential municipal public health functions but face severe bodily strain, hazardous pollutants, and injuries. Documenting these specific ergonomic and environmental threats provides evidence for municipal managers and occupational health authorities to justify improved protective equipment, revised working hours, and targeted safety training to protect vulnerable urban workers.
The findings can inform municipal authorities, occupational safety gear manufacturers, and training organisations developing targeted intervention packages for municipal sanitation workers. Practical solutions include redesigned ergonomic sweeping tools, specialised protective gear, and structured workplace safety programmes. This applied research indicates immediate operational use cases for municipal waste managers, though specific product developments remain at an early concept stage.
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re routinely exposed to occupational hazards associated with repetitive work postures, manual handling of waste, environmental pollutants, and inadequate safety practices. This study evaluated work postures, occupational accident hazards, environmental exposures, and preventive measures among municipal street sweepers in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted. Four hundred (400) questionnaires were administered through a multistage sampling technique, and 386 valid responses (96.5%) were analyzed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) tool, an observational checklist, and environmental monitoring instruments measuring particulate matter (PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀), ambient temperature, relative humidity, noise level, and Air Quality Index (AQI). Descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, and binary logistic regression were employed for data analysis at a 5% level of significance. The findings showed that repetitive sweeping motion (90.2%) and prolonged bending (76.7%) were the most common work postures. Half of the respondents were classified within the high or very high ergonomic risk categories, with a mean REBA score of 7.62 ± 2.41. Lower back pain (74.4%), knee pain (59.1%), ankle/foot pain (54.1%), and shoulder pain (50.3%) were the predominant musculoskeletal disorders. Dust exposure (77.2%), heat stress (66.3%), and cuts from sharp objects (59.8%) were the leading occupational hazards. Environmental monitoring revealed elevated concentrations of PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀, high ambient temperature, excessive noise levels, and unhealthy air quality, confirming adverse workplace conditions. A significant association existed between REBA risk level and musculoskeletal disorders (χ² = 62.84, p < 0.001). High REBA scores, poor PPE compliance, working more than eight hours daily, and limited work experience significantly increased the likelihood of occupational accidents, whereas ergonomic training reduced accident risk. The study concluded that municipal street sweepers face considerable ergonomic and environmental health risks. It recommends ergonomic workplace improvements, consistent provision and use of personal protective equipment, regular occupational health surveillance, environmental exposure monitoring, and continuous safety training to reduce occupational injuries and improve workers' health and productivity.
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DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.22166567
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