Occupational Hazards and Health Status Among Pottery Workers

Abstract

This study aim to investigate occupational hazards and health status among pottery workers. The study sample comprised 307 pottery workers working at Chiang Mai province. Data collection was conducted by using industrial hygiene instruments and a self-report questionnaire which has a very remarkable validity and reliability (0.98 and 0.93, respectively). Data analysis was performed by using descriptive statistics. The result revealed that occupational hazards included level of total dust, respirable dust, noise level, and heat stress measuring by an industrial hygiene instrument did not exceed standard value. It was found that 67.14 percent of illumination at the point of work was lower than that standard value. Regarding self-reported occupation hazards, the study sample perceived that they were exposed to workplace hazards such as dust (91.86%) and heat (90.23%). There was 64.17 percent of the study sample who perceived their general health status at a moderate level. Regarding health status related to work, the most illnesses among the sample were musculoskeletal disorders including hand-armshoulder pain (89.58%), back pain (85.99%), neck pain (85.34%), and leg pain (81.11%). Skin and respiratory tract illnesses found among the samples included skinrash (67.85%), and runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and nose irritation (67.1%). Of the study samples, 14 percent had work-related injuries over the past three months.