A Relative Importance Index Approach to On-Site Building Construction Workers' Perception of Occupational Hazards Assessment.

BACKGROUND: The construction industry has a percentage of work-related injuries and fatalities. Workers' perception of occupational hazards exposure can be a proactive management tool in knowing the state of construction site safety performance. This study aimed to assess the hazard perception of on-site construction workers in Ghana. METHODS: Using a structured questionnaire, data was collected from 197 construction workers at live building sites in the Ho Municipality. The data were analyzed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) approach. RESULTS: The study revealed that on-site construction workers perceived ergonomic hazards as the most frequent, followed by physical, phycological, biological, and chemical hazards. The importance level of RII revealed that long working hours and bending or twisting back during task performance were perceived as the most severe hazards. Long working hours had the highest overall RII ranking, followed by bending or twisting back during task performance, manual lifting of objects or loads, scorching temperatures, and lengthy standing for prolonged periods. CONCLUSIONS: Given the adverse health effects of working for long hours, the management of Ghanaian construction industries needs to reinforce the legislation on working hours to safeguard workers' occupational health. Safety professionals can use the study's findings to improve safety performance in the Ghanaian construction industry.

The Value Chain of Moringa oleifera Plant and the Process of Producing Its Biodiesel in Ghana.

Moringa oleifera grows well in different parts of Africa, including Ghana, and throughout the world as it can tolerate moderate cold and severe drought. Dubbed as the "Miracle Tree," Moringa has a number of nutritional, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. It is also used as a cure for diabetes and various forms of cancer. Another promising use of this plant is the production of biodiesel. However, such application demands vast cultivation areas and this can lead to competition with the cultivation of crops for food, forestry, and environmental protection. Furthermore, it requires suitable cultivation schedules that favor the growth of pods containing oil-rich seeds. The present work investigates the availability of land for Moringa cultivation in Ghana to increase the energy production from the plant. The study reports on an overview of the soil, water, and climatic conditions that favor Moringa oleifera cultivation and oil production, the conversion of Moringa oleifera oil to biodiesel, and the performance of Moringa oleifera biodiesel versus mineral diesel as well as the commercial enhancement of the Moringa product.