Risk Perception and Hazard Prevention Behaviors of Garbage Collector of the Sathon District

Abstract

The objectives of this cross-sectional descriptive research were to study the risk perception and hazard prevention behaviors of garbage collectors in the Sathon district office. The data were collected among 130 garbage collectors who had worked in this office at least 6 months by using a questionnaire and interviewed the executive officers related to occupational safety management. Descriptive statistics used for analysis were frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, while inferential statistics were Chi-square and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient at the statistical significance level of 0.05. The result showed that garbage collectors had a risk perception at a good level of only 38.5%, but the overall occupational hazard prevention behavior was at a good level of 53.1%. Personal factors, health and safety factors that had statistically significant correlation with occupational hazard prevention behaviors, were work cycle (p=0.042), working time in the day (p<0.001), and work-related accidents/illnesses (p<0.001). There was a moderate positive correlation between risk perception and occupational hazard prevention behavior (r=0.498, p-value<0.01). In addition, the interview results revealed that the Sathon district office had administrative control for occupational hazard prevention such as organizational safety policy, preventive training program, and supported personal protective equipment. Therefore, the Sathon district office should enhance the garbage collectors’ occupational hazard prevention behaviors at a good level continually by setting compliance with rules or regulations about occupational hazard prevention behaviors, such as establishing a clear penalty and providing information about correct occupational practices which will help workers collecting waste more efficient and safer.