Risk Factors For Work-Related Eye Injuries Among Stone Quarry Workers: A Field Report

Objectives: To determine the prevalence, types, and risk factors for work-related eye injuries in a Nigerian population of stone quarry workers. Materials and Methods: The study was a questionnaire-based cross-sectional ophthalmic survey of stone quarry and stone processing industry workers in Abakaliki, south-eastern Nigeria. Data on participants’ socio-demographics, job characteristics, clinical ophthalmic symptoms and previous work-related eye injuries were collected and analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics. Statistical significance was indicated by P < 0.05. Results: The participants (n = 384; males 158, females 226) were aged 32 ± 11.8 SD years (range, 14–68 years). Of them, 140 (36.5%) reported previous work-associated eye injury. Industrial injuries accounted for uniocular loss of vision in 2 (0.52%) of these workers. The most common eye injury was Blunt ocular trauma 106 (58.2%). The majority 379 (98.7%) of the workers did not use eye protective devices. Risk factors for work-related eye injury included unprotected eye exposure 85 (46.2%) for quarry sites and 117 (62.2%) for stone processing plant sites, following nonuse of eye protective devices, time of the day: 99 (53.8%) quarry site and 103(57.2%) stone processing site, occurred in the afternoon representing the highest time of occurrence. Occurrence of eye injury was found to be higher in the younger age group, male gender working in the stone processing plant, being a nontechnical worker, afternoon duty, and nonutilization of personal protective eye device (PPED). Conclusion: Adequate health education, emphasizing these risk factors, should be mandatory while comfortable and standard eye protective devices should be enforced for prevention of work-related eye accidents and work environment should be modified to ensure safety of workers.