European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Objective: The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate and observe the compliance of automobile workers in wearing personal protective equipment and clothing at work.
Design: This cross-sectional  Observational study.
Setting: Car garages in Majmaah City, Saudi Arabia.
Participants: Maleworkers above 18 years employed in garages either as car mechanics, car painters, or car electricians constituted the sampling frame. A total of 200 automobile workers were enrolled using random sampling technique.
Primary Outcome measures: The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate and observe the compliance of car mechanics in using personal protective equipment at work.
Secondary outcome: The secondary purpose was to educate them about their occupational hazards, and recommend safety and standard measures to be taken.
Results: out of 200 participants, Indians were 55 (27.5%), Pakistanis were 19 (9.5%), Yemenis were 64 (32.0%), Egyptians were 14 (7.0%), Bangladeshis were 26 (13.0%), Afghanis were 2 (1.0%), Syrians were 16 (8.0%), Sudanese were 3 (1.5%) and  Turki was 1 (0.5%). Most workers had worked for at least 10 years or more. There were 18 (9%) with eye injury, facial injuries were 12 (6%), body injuries were 46 (23%), leg injuries were 15 (7.5%), burn injuries were 8 (4%), hand injuries were 17 (8.5%) of which only 22 got treated for their respective injuries.
Conclusion: There was non-adherence to personal protective equipment among the workers. This corresponded to the higher number of injuries reported. Strict periodic inspections are recommended to ensure compliance of car mechanics for using safety equipment during work