Health and safety incidents at a power utility in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa

Background: Many high-risk and construction-related activities are performed in the course of distributing electricity throughout South Africa, including working at heights, driving, operating electrical networks, excavation work, and maintenance of electrical structures. South Africa has one power utility that provides electricity to the entire country. Different sectors of the utility are distributed throughout the nine provinces, with eight sectors in the Eastern Cape province. Objective: We sought to compare health and safety incidents, and their causes, between the sectors in the Eastern Cape province. Methods: Incident data from 2015 to 2019 were extracted from the power utility's Systems, Applications and Products in Data Processing of Environmental Health and Safety (SAP EH&S) database. The most common health and safety incidents and their reported causes are compared across sectors and described as counts and frequencies. Results: There were 614 health and safety incidents recorded in the study period with motor vehicle accidents being the most common overall (n = 482, 78.5%). Incidents related to damage to equipment (n = 48, 7.8%), operating errors (n = 16, 2.8%), falls (n = 15, 2.4%), hand injuries (n = 13, 2.1%), and insect/animal bites (n = 13, 2.1%) were also recorded. Workers ignoring safety rules was the most common reported cause of these health and safety incidents (n = 449, 73.1%). Conclusion: Motor vehicle accidents, damage to property, operating errors, falls, and hand injuries were frequently reported in the energy utility sectors in the Eastern Cape province. The most common recorded cause was workers ignoring health and safety rules. Training workers on the importance of reporting incidents, including near misses, can potentially reduce the frequency of health and safety incidents.

Accessibility for persons with mobility impairments within an informal trading site: a case study on the markets of Warwick, South Africa

Background: There are a number of informal trading sites across cities in sub-Saharan Africa, of which the markets of Warwick is one example. Since the informal economy is an important contributor to a city's economy as well as a source of employment, it is important for these sites to be accessible for all persons. Whilst the South African government has put structures in place to identify and remove environmental barriers in order to meet the individual needs of persons with mobility impairments and improve their quality of life, persons with mobility impairments still face barriers and restricting environments that prevent them from participating in society and its social and economic activities. Objectives: This case study aimed at exploring accessibility within the markets of Warwick for persons with mobility impairments by an ergonomic assessment, augmented by voices of participants within the market. Method: A qualitative, instrumental, single case study design was utilised with purposive sampling of the markets of Warwick as the study setting. Multiple sources of data were gathered, such as semi-structured interviews, direct observations of an environmental survey supported by photographs, and the authors' review of relevant documents. Transcriptions were analysed using NVivo 10 software programme with inductive coding. Results: Whilst policies have been in place since 1996 to adjust infrastructure; the markets of Warwick still remain inaccessible to persons with mobility impairments and do not meet the standardised infrastructural design. Conclusion: The findings of this study may offer a significant understanding of the complexity of accessibility within an informal trading site and create an awareness of the limitations this has for persons with mobility impairments. Additionally, these findings may assist in effecting a positive change in terms of the infrastructure of the Markets and in continuous advocating for the rights of persons with all disabilities

The effect of occupationally related low back pain on functional activities among male manual workers in a construction company in Cape Town; South Africa

This study determined the prevalence as well as the effect of occupationally-related low back pain on the functional activities of workers in a construction company in Cape Town. A cross-sectional; descriptive survey using a validated questionnaire was carried out. The questionnaire comprising demographic data; low back pain symptoms information; functional limitations scale and the participation restriction scale was used as a closed ended interview guide. Workers suffered physical; emotional; fi nancial and functional problems with 41.5 reporting sickness absence. Lifting and bending were the most affected activities associated to low back pain (p0.05) while walking/running; recreational activities and carrying out of everyday tasks were among the restricted activities. The one year prevalence of low back pain was 25 ; comparable with that of developed countries. Occupationally-related low back pain is a challenge among construction workers which they perceive to cause serious functional activity limitation. All stakeholders must be procured for the prevention and management of occupationally-related low back pain in order to prevent functional activity limitations among construction workers. Physiotherapists should raise the levels of awareness and monitor construction activities on site in order to prevent disability at primary level

Introduction of a blended teaching strategy in an Occupational Health Nursing Education programme

The purpose of this case study is to describe the use of a blended learning strategy to address some of the challenges experienced by adult nursing students in a specialised occupational health nursing course. These students are generally employed on a full-time basis and have a number of competing responsibilities that may impact on their studies. Blended learning using e-learning and face-to-face problem-based learning was identified as a useful educational strategy to address some of the challenges faced by these students in furthering their education. A blended learning strategy addresses the main assumptions of adult education; including self-directed learning; experience as a resource for learning; readiness to learn; problem-centred orientation with immediacy of application; and internal motivation. This educational strategy is recommended for adult learners and a formal evaluation of this blended learning method is planned

An exploratory examination of poor construction work practices: Opportunities for ergonomic interventions in the Western Cape

Construction activity is ergonomically challenging. In the study reported in this paper; the ergonomics challenges that construction artisans and their assistants encounter are examined in detail using naturalistic enquiry. The findings reveal unfavourable and repetitive poor work practices. It is contended that these practices; when extrapolated over the working life of the artisans and their assistants could arguably lead to musculo-skeletal syndromes and associated absenteeism. Recommendations for ergonomic interventions are made as solutions to these health consequences