Citation

Colvin M, Dalvie A, Myers JE, Macun IA, Sharp B. Int. J. Occup. Environ. Health 1998; 4(4): 231-235.

Affiliation

colvinm@mrc.ac.za

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Maney Pub.)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9876631

Abstract

To review health and safety practices and to determine the occupational health status of dam workers in the Lesotho Highlands, a health and safety audit and a health study of 258 workers was undertaken. The workers were administered respiratory health questionnaires and underwent chest x-rays and lung function and audiometric testing. The audit revealed a low level of awareness of health and safety issues at all levels of management and a lack of occupational medicine and industrial hygiene systems. Noise-induced hearing loss occurred among 92% of the study subjects. Among the 158 dam construction workers, 5.4% had pneumoconiosis. With poorly developed laws and regulatory bodies, unsophisticated trade unions, and little client supervision, health and safety had a low priority in this construction project. Recommendations are made that are pertinent to health and safety management where international companies are operating in developing countries.

Language: en