الفهرس 
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Abstract
Occupational health and safety is the field of public health that studies trends in
illnesses and injuries in the worker population and implements strategies and regulations to
prevent them. Occupational hazard is any material, processes, activities or situations that
can result in accidents or diseases at the workplace. Workplace hazards may be biological,
chemical, physical, and psychosocial in nature. These hazards have resulted in several
health impacts. Exposure to physical, mechanical and chemical hazards and the
performance of unsafe practices by workers are the leading causes of work-related injuries.
Work-related injuries among workers were more common due to lack of experience
and lack of knowledge furthermore, many workers begin working at an early age and often
without safety training. Low education status, low working experience, lack of health and
safety training, sleep disorders, were common risk factor for work-related injuries. Oil and
soap industry is considered one of the oldest and most important industries in Egypt that
includes large number of Egyptians workers.
The aim of the current study was to assess knowledge and preventive practices of
occupational hazards among workers. The study was conducted in the extracted oils and
soap company in Alexandria governorate. All workers in the previously mentioned setting
within a period of 4 months were included in the study.
Assess worker‘s knowledge and preventive practices were by three tools were used,
the first tool included workers structured interview questionnaire, was used to collect
necessary data which included characteristics of workers, workers health status assessment
sheet, life style, the second tool included occupational hazards and safety of workplace
structured interview questionnaire was used to collect knowledge about occupational
hazards, such as, definition, types, effect of occupational hazards on health, risk factors in
the work environment, safety measures, preventive practices such as use of personal
protective equipment, environmental safety and medical safety, the third tool included
observational check list of safety and health at work. Every worker was individually
interviewed to collect the necessary data.
The main results of the present study were as follows:
Approximately half of workers (46.1%)were from 40 to less than 50 years old.
The majority of the workers (88.6%)were either read and write or educated.
The majority of workers (99.1%) were lived in urban areas.
More than half of workers (62.9%) have 20 or more than years of experience.
The majority of workers (82.3%) reported that they had enough income.
The majority of workers (96.4%) reported that they had eight daily working hours.
The majority of workers (92.8%) reported that they had morning shift.
The majority of workers (95.8%) reported that they had work break.
Summary
113
More than half of workers (51.5%) reported that they had absenteeism from work,
nearly half of them (49.4%) reported that the causes of absenteeism was family
related causes.
All workers (100.0%) had health insurance.
More than one thirds of the workers (38.3%) attended training program about
occupational health, more than three quarter of them (79.7%) had training program
on civil protection.
The majority of workers (91.9%) reported that they had use personal protective
equipment in work.
All workers (100.0%) reported that there is a health clinic in company.
The majority of workers (87.4%) reported that nurse perform first aid.
The majority of workers (96.4%) reported that there is an ambulance in company.
More than half of workers (50.9%) reported that they had chronic diseases, more
than half of them had hypertension.
More than one thirds of the workers (38.0%)reported that they had presence of
current health problem, the majority of them (92.2%) reported that the causes were
related to work, almost three quarter of them (70.3%) had dyspnea, the majority of
them (83.6%) had presence of low back pain, approximately one third of them
(32.8%) had presence of hand pain, more than one third of them (35.2%) had
presence of ear problems, the majority of them (90.6%) had presence of neurological
problems such as(98.3%) headache, (70.7%) sleeping problems, approximately half
of them(46.9%)had presence of vascular problem.
Nearly three quarter of workers (74.6%) had regular check up in the company.
Nearly two third of workers (60.5%)were overweight.
Workers’ knowledge about occupational hazards:
The majority of workers (88.6%) had good knowledge regarding definition of OH.
The majority of workers (90.7%)had fair knowledge regarding types of OH.
More than half of workers (50.9%)had good knowledge regarding forms of OH.
Approximately half of workers (48.8%) had fair knowledge regarding effect of OH
on health.
The majority of workers (80.2%)had good knowledge regarding risk factors present
in work environment.
The majority of workers (91.9%)had good knowledge regarding definition of
industrial safety.
The majority of workers (92.8%)had good knowledge regarding safety plane and
guidelines.
The majority of workers (96.4%)had good knowledge regarding safety measures.
The majority of workers (94.0%)had good knowledge regarding occupational team.
Summary
114
More than three quarter of workers (75.1%)had good knowledge regarding role of
the workers in maintenance of occupational safety.
More than three quarter of workers (77.8%)had good knowledge regarding
importance of the worker‘s occupational safety training.
The total percent score of workers’ knowledge varied between fair and good (8.1%
and 91.9%).
Workers ‘level of preventive practices: -
Approximately two third of workers (62.3%)reported that they had fair use of
personal protective equipment.
More than one third of workers (40.1%)reported that they had good environmental
safety.
The majority of workers (80.2%)reported that they had fair medical safety.
The total percent score of workers’ safety practices varied between poor and fair
(24.3% and 69.8% respectively).
Studied company according to its level of hazards by observation:-
Physical hazards (100%)moderate level of hazards.
Chemical hazards (100%)moderate level of hazards.
Mechanical hazards (100%)high level of hazards.
Ergonomic hazards (100%)high level of hazards.
Psychosocial hazards (100%)moderate level of hazards.
Total occupational hazards (100%)moderate level of hazards.
There were some statistically significant relations between workers’ total score of
knowledge, total score of practices and their age, level of education as well as
residence (P =0.000) *.
Significant association were found between total score of knowledge and their total
score of practices (t= 18.007, P =0.000) *.