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Abstract Child labor is a worldwide phenomenon which is considered inhumane by many international organizations. The term “child labor” is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, potential and dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. In its most extreme forms, child labor involves children being enslaved, separated from their families, exposed to serious hazards and illnesses and/or left to fend for themselves on the street often at a very early age (Perera, 2014). Safe work place is an environment where the highest degree of the workers well being physically, mentally and socially promoted and maintained. All possible efforts are made to prevent workers illness, to protect workers from factors adverse to their health and to keep working environment that are adapted to their individual physiological and psychological conditions while also promoting and maintaining a work environment that free of harassment (Popov; et al., 2016). Aim of the Study: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the occupational health program for hazards prevention among child labor in delinquency care agency through: - Assessing the health condition of child labor toward safety measures. - Recognizing the child labor’ knowledge and practices about the occupational health hazards related to their workplace to detect child needs. - Assessing the safety workplace environment in delinquency care agency. - Designing and implementing of occupational health program for prevention of occupational health hazards among child labor. - Evaluating the effect of the occupational health program on improving the child labor knowledge and practice toward safety measures. Research Hypothesis: Implementation of the occupational health program will improve the child labor’ knowledge and practices toward safety measures to prevent hazards among child labor in Delinquency Care Agency. Technical Design A quasi experimental design was utilized in this study. Research setting:- The study was conducted at juvenile delinquents youth institution for social care at Ain Shams, Cairo. As this institution is one of the most crowding institutions in Egypt and serve big numbers of juvenile delinquents coming from all over the country. Sample of the study:- According to the statistics of the previous setting the total children number was 120 and the study sample size was equal 92 and exclude 10% (10) for pilot study. Convenience sampling was selected from previous setting. All children participated from a selected workshop; all was males, whose ages ranged from 14 to 18 years. The sample was calculated using normal distribution (50%) to calculate the optimum sample size as the population size was 120 based on confidence level 95% and the margin of error 5% the sample size was 92. Study Tools of data collection: The data was collected through the following tools: I- First tool: A structured interviewing Questionnaire: This tool was divided into five parts: A- Socio-demographic characteristics of the child labor and his family as regards: age, residence, level of educational and father’s and mother’s education, father’s occupation, family size, parent supervision and family income, etc. B- Child labor’ health history related to their work nature regarding; types of occupational health problems at the work, frequency and severity of injuries they received during work,first aids providers,place of treatment,smoking and drug abuse,etc. C- Assess work characteristics of the child including: type of work (either in printing, baker, carpentry, welding, mechanic workshop, others), working hours/daily, daily wages, availability of safety measures, etc. D- Child labor’ knowledge related to safe working environment as sufficient ventilation and lighting, etc., personal protective equipment, importance of using it. In addition to, occupational risk exposure to the occupational hazards as (physical hazards, chemical, etc.,) and their related health problems and first aid measures. E- Child labor’ practices related to the occupational health hazards of the workplace as regarding: using of personal protective equipment, training, proper waste disposal, etc. II- Second tool: Modified Observational Checklist Sheet: A. Modified Observational Checklist Sheet of OHSAS (2008). To assess the application of the work field which covers the proper ventilation, lighting, hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control, presence of PPE. B. Observational Checklist sheet: for application of different first aid measures at workplace environment such as (fracture, bleeding, etc.) The Main Results: The results of the present study could be summarized as following: 1. (47.8 %) of the total sample aged less than ≤16years old with the mean age 16.12 ± 0.739. And (38.0%) of them stop education. While (39.1%) of them were living with single parent. 2. Mostly of child labors had satisfactory knowledge regarding to safe working environment with statistically significant differences with (P <0.05). 3. Concerning the child labors’ satisfactory level of knowledge pre and post test regarding PPE, occupational hazards and dealing with the injuries and first aid at workplace; the child labors’ had satisfactory knowledge about PPE, occupational hazards and dealing with the injuries and first aid post program compared with pre program with highly statistically significant differences (P< 0.001). 4. In concern to the child labors’ practices regarding PPE and waste disposal, dealing with the injuries and first aid pre and post program, more than two third of total sample of study had correctly practices post program compared with pre program with highly statistically significant differences (P< 0.001). 5. There were statistically significant differences between children total knowledge and practices pretest and posttest. Regarding total knowledge (83.7%) from total sample was unsatisfied and (16.3%) of them was satisfied pretest compared by (95%) was satisfied and (4.9%) was unsatisfied post test. While regarding total practices (89.1%) from total sample not done correctly and (10.9%) correctly done pretest compared by (14.1%) of them not done correctly and (85.9%) done correctly post test. 6. There was a positive correlation highly statistically significant between child labors’ total knowledge and total practices pre and post test with (P<0.001). Conclusion In conclusion, according to findings and research hypothesis, occupational health program improved the child labor knowledge and practices regarding safety measures and first aid with statistically significant improvement after the program’ implementation. In addition to, the current study reflected that there was a positive correlation highly with statistically significant between child labors’ total knowledge and total practices pre and post program with (P<0.001). Recommendations: Based on the findings of this study, the following suggestions can be recommended for: Periodic checkup of health status for children early detection of occupational hazards and vigilant identification of occupational health injuries and diseases in order to provide the right treatment and counseling on prevention and control to monitor their health status physically and psychologically. Develop instructional guideline about safety measures selection, proper use and maintenance of personal protective equipment and occupational health hazards and injuries prevention practices and first aid with proper monitoring. |