Health Implications of Occupational Hazards for Street Cleaners in Eldoret Town, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the effects of occupational health hazards on street cleaners’ health in Eldoret town of Kenya. The researcher adopted a crosssectional descriptive survey design involving 70 street cleaners and 1 public health staffing officer from the department of environment in Uasin Gishu County who were purposively sampled. Data was analysed through descriptive statistics with the aid of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS)version 23.0 and the results presented in frequency tables, pie charts and bar graphs. It was established that various occupational health hazards were affecting street cleaners including: exhaust, chem icals (acids and bases), noise (from vehicles, motorbikes and human) welding lights decomposed foods and falling objects from constructions and moving vehicles carrying materials. The study also found that most street cleaners have little knowledge on possible ways infections and diseases are being transmitted within their working environment. The study concluded that occupational health hazards has led to coughs, chest pains, body injuries (broken leg/hand), hearing problems, skin irritation, low back pain , joints pain, eye irritation and loss of eyesight among the street cleaners. The study recommends that an awareness creation program coupled with behaviour change counselling (BCC) activities be prioritized as appropriate intervention to address the lack of knowledge on health hazards and low risks perception among street cleaners.