Work related injuries among construction industry workers in Dar es salaam city: exploring factors and prevention strategies

Abstract

kground: Work-related injuries in the construction industry is a public health problem in Tanzania. Different causes of work-related injuries are known but factors for work-related injuries in the construction industry are not well known in Dar es Salaam City. Therefore, this study intended to explore factors for work-related injuries, the available prevention strategies and construction workers experience on the available prevention strategies of work-related injuries in the construction industry in Dar es Salaam City. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore factors for work-related injuries, explore the available prevention strategies and analyze construction workers experiences on the available prevention strategies of work-related injuries in the construction industry in Dar es Salaam City. Method: A cross-sectional explorative study design using a qualitative approach was used. A purposive sampling method was used to sample construction workers and supervisors in three selected construction industries in Dar es Salaam City for the study. In-depth interview guides and focus group discussions guides were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using content analysis with the aid of NVivo qualitative data analysis computer software. Results: The study found factors of work-related injuries in the construction industry in Dar es Salaam City to be laser fair behavior of construction workers, falls from higher heights by construction workers, substance abuse among construction workers and capacity inadequacy of construction industry. The study also found that available prevention strategies for work-related injuries in Dar es Salaam City to be available health and safety education, ensuring the good working environment, provision of personal protective equipment and other measures and peer to peer initiatives. The study uncovered the following in terms of construction workers experiences on the available prevention strategies of work-related injuries in the construction industry in Dar es Salaam City. Concern on the quality of the prevention measures offered, feeling on the decline in the magnitude of work-related injuries and a sense of underestimated values on workers welfare. Conclusion: Work-related injuries in the construction industry are mainly caused by both human factors (factors which are caused by construction workers such as carelessness) and non-human factors (factors which are not caused by construction workers such as lack of safety rules and policy). There are different preventions measures that are employed to prevent injuries in the construction industry. The available prevention strategies employed in the construction industry vii are perceived to be of low quality. Despite being perceived to be of low quality, they still prevent work-related injuries in the construction industry. Therefore, the quality of prevention measures offered should be improved.