Occupational Hazards: Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception of Medical Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria

Abstract

The Medical laboratory facility is known for carrying out different activities such as diagnosis of diseases, screening, and research in health-related matters and thus it stands the chance of increasing the risk of injury or ill health on staff involved with routine work (Ajayi, 2006). These activities that endanger the lives of the workforce is controlled via the introduction of a process which aims at protecting the health and safety of staff in the healthcare industry such as the laboratory. This study sought to understand the level of awareness and perception of Medical Laboratory Scientists on occupational hazards. The study was conducted among Medical Laboratory Scientists attending the annual Scientific conference organized by the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria which held in Kaduna state, Nigeria in November 2017.Data generated were analyzed using SPSS version 21 and results were presented as descriptive in the form of percentages and frequencies. The study revealed that out of the one hundred and twenty questionnaires administered to the participants, only 86 returned their surveys giving a response rate of 71.6%. Based on the sex distribution, 57(66.3%) were males while 29(33.7%) were females. Majority of the respondents 75(87.2%) identified recapping of needles as a significant cause of occupational hazard. A total of 80(93%) were aware of safety precautions against occupational dangers in contrast to 1(1.2%) that were not aware of safety practices to prevent the occupational hazard. The use of gloves 76(88.4%) and laboratory gowns 71(82.6%) were the most practiced safety measures against the occupational hazard. This study shows that the level of awareness of respondents on occupational hazards and safety practices is high. However, findings from the study suggest that factors that militate against the application of these safety measures include negligence and carelessness on the part of the respondents. There is, therefore, need for urgent intervention on proper implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of safety measures application from both employers and the regulating body for the practice of Medical Laboratory Science in Nigeria.