Occupational Injuries among Marble and Granite Processing Workers: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Introduction: Marble and Granite are natural stones that can be shaped into blocks,slabs or tiles. Their production passes through several stages. The production processcould result in many injuries. Aim of Work: to detect the prevalence of workplaceinjuries, their predictors and causes among marble and granite workers. Materialsand Methods: A descriptive comparative cross-sectional study was conducted infour workshops at Damietta Governorate from June 1, 2016 to May 30, 2017. Thestudied groups were composed of an exposed group engaged in the marble andgranite processing and a comparison one who were not engaged in this industry (eachgroup comprises of 90 workers). They were subjected to an interview questionnaireasking about sociodemographic characteristics, occupational profile, injury profileand their anthropometric measurements were taken. Results: All marble and graniteworkers experienced one or more injuries in the past year compared to (13.3%) ofthe comparison group with highly statistically significant difference (p≤0.001).They showed high prevalence of superficial wounds, contusion/bruises, tear andlaceration compared to the control group. Unsafe working environment, usinginappropriate instruments, lack of protective equipment and nonadherence to  donning them were the main causes of workplace injuries. Regarding predictorsfor injuries, workers with low income (being in debt) are 18 times prone to injuresthan those who can save money. Current smokers are 7.6 times than nonsmokers,unmarried workers are 6.61 times than married and who live in rural areas are 4.43times than others who live in urban areas. Conclusion: Providing safe workingenvironment, donning suitable protective equipment, implementing effective trainingprograms for all workers especially high-risk ones are crucial preventive measures.