الفهرس 
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Abstract
SUMMARY
Sewage workers exposed to varieties of hazards in the occupational
environment which may cause various diseases, these are related to physical
condition such as temperature, humidity, noise, light & chemical agents in the
form of vapors, fumes, droplets, gases, unsafe, unprotected machines &
technical equipment responsible for causing accidents.
Hence, the aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence of
occupational health hazards among workers in El–Beheira wastewater
stations and to identify the determinants of occupational health problems
among sewage workers in El-Beheira governorate.
A cross sectional descriptive design was adopted to carry out this study.
The study was carried out in all sewage water treatment stations in 14
Administrate centers in El-Beheira governorate which including 32 stations. The
present study sample included a total of 400 sewage workers who have
experience of not less than 1-year permanent workers and selected by using
convenience sample technique from the different selected sewage stations.
Tools for data collection
Three tools were used by the researcher in order to collect the necessary data
from the workers. Tool (I): Sewage Workers Structural Interview
Questionnaire
It
included
four
parts:
Part
I:
Socio-demographic
characteristics it was used to assess personal data of workers. Part II: working
profile it was used to assess the occupational data. Part III: Workers’
occupational hazards knowledge structured interview sheet. It was to assess
workers knowledge regarding occupational hazards, safety and personal
protective devices and their source of knowledge. Tool II: Observational
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149
checklist of sewage workers regarding safety and health at work. It was used
to assess the occupational health hazards. Tool (III): Workplace stress scale
used to assess job stress levels. The tools were tested for validity and reliability.
The main results of this study composed of the following:
Part (I): Profile of Workers in Sewage Stations
Personal data
More than one third of the sewage workers (35.3 %) aged from 50<60 years,
while 12.2 % of them aged from 20 <30. approximately two thirds of workers
(66.5%) were married, more than half of them (52.2%) had preparatory
education and only (3.3%) of them were obtained university education.
More than half (53.5%) of sewage workers were living in urban areas, and
more than one third (34.2%) of workers lived in family include of 5 to less
than 7 members.
Work profile
More than half (58.8%) of the sewage workers had experience of 15 years or
more, the majority of study workers (86.4%) hadn’t enough income to meet
the demands of their lives.
Less than two thirds (63.5%) of the study workers stated that they were using
the public transportation.
Less than three quarters (71.5%) of the study workers were working 8 hours
per day and more than three quarters (77%) of the study workers were
working in alternated work schedule.
More than two thirds (67.9%) from those who were absent from work, absent
more than 5 days during the last 6 months due to illness.
Occupational safety
More than half (58.5%) of the study workers had health insurance.
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Nearly three quarters (73.5%) of workers attend training program while,
more than one quarter (26.5%) of workers didn’t attend or participate in any
occupational health programs.
The majority of the sewage workers (90.2%) didn’t have health clinic in the
stations and slightly two thirds (64.2%) of workers didn’t receive any
vaccine.
Worker’s health-related data:
More than one third (40.2%) of workers suffering from chronic diseases.
More than half (51.2%) of study workers suffering from previous infectious
disease. from those, more than half (50.2%) of workers infected with
hepatitis C viral, while, more than one quarter (28.8%) were infected with
covid19, and more than fifth (21%) of them suffering from Tuberculosis (TB).
As regards to work accidents, less than half (42%) of them were exposed to
previous work accidents. The same percent of those (48.2%) were
experienced of fracture and wounds. more than half (55.4%) of the study
workers were got hurt of hands, more than one quarter (26.8%) of them were
got hurt of feet.
In relation to causes of experienced work accidents, more than three quarters
(80.4%) of workers reported that they didn’t use PPE, and about half (46.4%)
of workers not follow occupational safety instructions.
Workers Current health problems
Majority of workers 391 (97.8%) had current health complaint and minority 9
(2.2%) of them hadn’t health problems.
Concerning respiratory problems of workers, more than two thirds (69.3%) of
workers had respiratory problems, from those, about two thirds (61.3%)
suffering from dyspnea, less than two thirds (63.8%) of workers suffering
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151
from cough and the majority of workers (90.8%) suffering from sputum. All
respiratory problems of workers increase by exposure to allergens as
chemicals, gases and smoking.
In relation to musculoskeletal problems the study showed, more than one
quarter (26.6%) suffering from musculoskeletal complains. from those, three
quarters (75%) of workers suffering from low back pain, also half (50%) of
workers had hand pain and more than half (56.7%) of workers were suffering
from shoulder pain.
The prevalence of auditory problems was more than one quarter (27.1%) of
workers. About one third (30.2%) of them were suffering from ear pain.
The prevalence of skin problems was the majority (96.2%) of sewage
workers, also less than half (42.3%) of workers had effects of chemicals on
their skin and the majority of workers (98.5%) were using chemical
substances in their work.
less than half (43.5%) of workers were suffering from vision problems,
In relation to neurological problems about one third (32.5%) of workers were
suffering from neurological problems. from those, majorities (95.3%) of them
were suffering from headache.
Nearly one quarter (24.8%) of workers were suffering from vascular
problems, from those, less than half (43.3%) of workers were suffering from
tachycardia and more than three quarters (76.3%) of workers were suffering
from varicose veins.
More than half (58.8%) of workers were suffering from gastro-intestinal
problems. from those, less than quarter (18.7%) of them were suffering from
abdominal distention, more than two thirds (67.4%) of them were suffering
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152
from constipation, and more than tenth (10.4%) of them were suffering from
diarrhea.
Worker’s lifestyle
More than half (59.5%) of workers didn’t practicing exercises.
More than one tenth of them (11.2%) had presence of sleeping problems. As
regards to types of sleeping problems, less than half (42.2%) of workers
suffering from insomnia.
The majority of workers (91.8%) didn’t perform regular checkup.
Nearly two thirds (64.5%) of workers were smokers. from those, one third
(33.5%) were smoking cigarettes and less than one third of them (31%) were
consume of shisha.
Nearly two thirds of workers were obese and overweight (36% - 35.4%)
respectively.
Part II: Occupational Safety
Nearly three quarters (71.3%) of sewage workers reported unavailability of
personal protective equipment at their sewage stations.
More than two thirds (70.5%) of studied workers had poor level of
occupational health knowledge score, and less than one third (29.5%) of
them had fair level of occupational health knowledge.
More than two thirds (65%) of workers had exposure to severe chemical
hazard and more than half (56.3%) had exposure to severe biological
hazards.
Part (III): Workplace stress level
More than half (53.2%) of workers had sever level of stress. Also, more
than one quarter (27.5%) of them have very severed level of stress.
Part (IV): Determinants of occupational health problems
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153
The multi regression analysis revealed that there were significant
associations between workplace occupational hazards and age, income,
number of family members, years of experience, absents from work,
presence of health clinic at workplace, health insurance, previous infectious
diseases, regular station checkup, total workers’ knowledge, and total
fatigue. Also, the present study showed that there was significant
association between stress and exposure to occupational health hazards.
Based on the findings in this study, the following recommendation could
be made:
Regular implementation of health education & training programs for
workers about environmental safety, health hazards and problems
related to sewage treatment plant and first aid. Proper use and
maintenance of personal protective equipment.
Encourage workers for self-protection measures that go hands –in –
hands and use PPE and encourage regular investigation and treatment.
Enrich the knowledge of workers regarding prevention of health
problems, protection from health issues and promotion of their health.
Health guidance programs should be conducted for both the workers and
the relevant authorities regarding occupational health hazards and its
prevention.
International standard occupational health and safety assessment series
in sewage treatment plant to improve occupational health and safety
performance of the workers and emphasizing on the importance and
usefulness of personal protective equipment to be used in the right way.