Abstract:
Occupational
injuries
associated
with staff of different
departments
of the
Cement
Company
of Northern
Nigeria
(CCNN)
Sokoto,
PLC, was studied
through
the
case records
at the factory
clinic of the company.
The aim was to establish
the
relationship
between
jobs undertaken
and diseases
amongst
the employees.
Of the 270
diseases
encountered
by the CCNN
staff, only 62 (22.9%)
cases were occupationally
related.
Pruritus
and skin rashes appeared
with the highest
frequency
29 (10.7%)
and
occurred
amongst
staff of production
department
only, affecting
mainly,
those working
in
the raw mill section
of the department.
The cases of Chronic
Obstructive
Airway
Diseases
(COAD)
accounted
for 16 (5.9%)
with those working
in the quarry and raw mill
sections
being the most affected.
Cases of bums accounted
for 14(5.2%),
with over
ninety
two percent
of it occurring
in the kiln section
alone. Although
the cases of
crushing
of extremities
were seen in both mechanical
and electrical
departments,
most
(over 66%) of them occurred
in the mechanical
department
alone. Diseases
such as
hypertension,
malaria,
typhoid,
etc, which are not occupation
related,
occurred
amongst
staff of almost
all the departments
of the company.
The year 1994, had the highest
frequency
of work related
diseases,
while the least occurrence
was seen in the year 2000.
It is concluded
that pruritus
and skin rashes,
Chronic
Obstructive
Airway
Diseases
(COAD),
bums and traumatic
crush injuries
of the extremities
were the prevalent
occupational
injuries
amongst
the staff of CCNN,
PLC, Sokoto,
and production
is the
most hazardous
department
in the company.
Understanding
the distribution
of diseases
in
different
departments
ofthe company
by the employers
is recommendable.
This will help
the employers
to provide
safety measures
for the employees.
Key words:
Occupation,
hazard,
CCNN
Staff, Sokoto.
