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Exposure to chemical agents in the Spanish construction sector: A risk assumed and accepted by workers.
- Source :
- Work; 2023, Vol. 74 Issue 4, p1551-1561, 11p, 2 Charts, 7 Graphs
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- BACKGROUND: The weak preventive culture among workers in the construction sector leads to the underestimation of risks posed by the presence or handling of chemical agents on-site and, consequently, harms workers' health. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this paper are to classify exposure to chemical agents present or used on-site, determine workers' perception of said agents and establish the influence that socio-demographic variables have on chemical agent exposure and the perception of such exposure. METHODS: A total of 490 workers in the Spanish construction sector participated in this study. The data were gathered through a self-administered questionnaire that explored socio-demographic characteristics, the degree of exposure to chemical agents, attitudes toward exposure and the prevention of consequences. The underlying dimensions of perception were researched using an adapted version of the questionnaire used by the Paul Slovic group to apply the psychometric paradigm. RESULTS: The levels of exposure to and handling of chemical agents found in the sample were high and moderate, respectively. The participants were found to have advanced knowledge about the effects of exposure, with the majority of the workers considering the probability of suffering a serious disease to be low. Statistically significant associations were found between the socio-demographic variables identified in the sample and the various exposure characteristics. A factor analysis performed on the underlying dimensions of perception provided a final version of the instrument comprising two factors. CONCLUSION: Measures are needed to improve the preventive culture among workers in the construction sector and reinforce on-site preventive measures aimed at preventing or minimising the consequences of exposure to chemical agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- OCCUPATIONAL disease risk factors
WORK environment
EMPLOYEE attitudes
INDUSTRIAL safety
OCCUPATIONAL exposure
BLUE collar workers
ORGANIC compounds
CONSTRUCTION industry
RISK assessment
PEARSON correlation (Statistics)
T-test (Statistics)
PSYCHOSOCIAL factors
QUESTIONNAIRES
CHI-squared test
FACTOR analysis
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC factors
INDUSTRIAL hygiene
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10519815
- Volume :
- 74
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Work
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 163316044
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-211420