1. INTRODUCTION
Welding is a profession that has come to stay because of present
day technological development. However welding
machine of any type emits a wide spectrum of radiations ranging between
200nm–1400nm which includes ultraviolet (UV) rays (200-400nm), visible light
(400-700nm) and infrared rays (700-1400nm). All these ranges of radiations
being produced by welding machines at various ranges of wavelengths are
damaging to various parts of the eyes at different levels [1]. “These
radiations and their secondary effects are responsible causes of some ocular
hazards that are seen clinically [2]. Some of these are the factors and
conditions that pose a threat to promotion of healthy, wholesome and
comfortable vision [3]. This is why in western world like America; the
protective act is not just wearing of welding goggle but use of other personal
protective equipment [4] because they observed the implications and dangers of
welding without proper precautions appropriated. Unprotected exposure of the
eyes to these rays is known to cause both acute and chronic ocular disorders.
Artificial ultraviolet radiation from welding increases the risk of cortical
cataract, conjunctival neoplasm, and ocular melanoma [5]. Welding machines of
any type involve open electric arc or flame that is risky as its burn is
significant to cause eye problems. However, with the use of proper eye
protective wears, the risks of ocular injury associated with welding can be
greatly minimized. Full face welding helmets with dark face plates is the best
in order to prevent this exposure of any part of the face to arc radiation [6].
As it has been discovered that ultraviolet radiation and far infra-red (IR) are
absorbed by not only the cornea but also the eye lens whereas visible light and
near infra-red penetrate to the retina [7, 5]
that constitute the delicate parts of eyes. It is therefore clear that long term chronic exposure to the radiation can
lead to eye problems associated with conditions like pterygium, pingueculae,
malignant melanoma, cataract ad age related macular degeneration [10, 11, 12, 13].
When the eyes of a welder are unprotected, the welder may be exposed to his
welding arc [14] or the arc of nearby welders [15]. It has been noticed that
many causative factors for the increased ocular disorders among the welders is
due to chronic exposure to welding light as they do not care to protect their
eyes from welding light[4]. As they fail to understand or pay attention to the fact
that the eye is the most sensitive and delicate sense organ of the human body
and it plays an important role in our daily life. [14, 3] It is said that the
eye is the body’s window and about 90% of industrial activities are dependent
directly or indirectly on visual perception hence, influencing efficiency and
output. A seriously impaired eye either from injury or disease may not function
well in terms of seeing but one can still make use of a leg or hand that has
suffered from a serious injury or disease [16], and as such, the eyes should be
guarded and taken good care of judiciously. Most welders are found not to be interested
in using protective equipment because they are not aware of the adverse and
long term health implication of welding without the use protective eyewear, but
because of the nonchalant attitude towards their health, disregard the
importance of the advice on the occupational safety measure relating to their
job.
Sequel to this, we intend to survey the awareness of the harmful
effect of light from welding machines to assess the level of compliance of the
welders here at Biu to the use of protective eye-glass wear when on duty, and further
to ascertain if it is based on the lack
of experience of the job, age group of those practicing welding or whether it
is due to negligence of the adverse effect and long term implications which leads
to eye problem as a result of radiation from the welding light and other
injuries that may come from flashes of particles from welding arc, then
to create awareness by stressing on the implications, if they are negligent in the use of the protective
eyeglass wear while welding.
2 MATERIALS AND METHODS
A well-structured questionnaire was prepared for this study and
was distributed to 105 welders in their workshops within Biu, and the aim of
this study was clearly spelt out and explained to the participants; they were
explicitly detailed on the need to give honest response to the questions
contained in the questionnaire. The data for this study was randomly obtained
from selected participants through interviewing and administration of
questionnaire which was structured to suit the objectives of the study centered
on the welders population of 105 in Biu Local Government Area.
A consent form was filled by the participants who consented to
the study and confidentially was assured of the genuine nature and importance
of study. The demographic data of the participants was obtained and the
questionnaires were administered in an interview manner.
The data collected from the questionnaire for this study was
tabulated into frequency table and put in bar-chart form as well and then
analyzed using the scientific package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22
statistical software package. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the
data obtained that were arranged into frequency tables, bar charts and pie
charts.
3. RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION
Table1; Those who are aware of
the harmful effect produced by light from welding
Table 2;
Those who have the knowledge of the implication of failure to make use of the
eye-protective wear when welding
Table 1 depicts the number of the sampled welders who
are aware of the harmfful effect of
radiation from the light emmited from
the welding machine of any type[1] and those who are not, while table 2 conversly indicates
those who understand the anticipated implication of not using eye-protective
wear while welding. With the responses from these tables, there is quite an
appreciable indication that a reasonable
number of them knew and appreciate the
harmful effect of the radiation from welding machine and thus are
expected to comply effectively to the use of eye-protective wear, but unfortunately there are some
deviants who for reasons best known to them ignore the use of eye wear. This
could be termed a disregard to the risk
factors that will result based on
such negligence.
Fig.1 shows the
bar-chart of frequency distribution of the years of experience of the welders
in relation to the level of compliance; it was observed that some welders
within a certain age range complied more
than those with the other age range. For instant, those within 15-25 showcased higher level of compliance than
those within other age range. Those between 45-65 seemed to be worst. Although
many of them are no more effectively active on the job because they have many
apprentice under them who handle majority of the welding and as such they just
observe and issue instruction to those apprentice on what to do.
In a
similar manner, fig. 2 shows the bar-chart of the frequency distribution in
terms of years of experience on the job which also indicated that the level of
compliance to the use of protective wear did not conform to the years of
experience on the job.
A
chi-square test of independence
performed to examine the relation between age and the compliance with
the use of the eye protective wear
indicates that there is no relation
between these variables, to the level of
the significance, [X2=28.81, p<.057]. It was obvious that age has
no effect on the level of compliance with the use of protective equipment. In a
similar manner, the test that was also carried out on the frequency of
compliance level based on the year of work experience as presented in bar chart
in figure 3 to ascertain the level of compliance based on age. From the
chi-square test performed to examine the relation between experience on the job
and the compliance level with the use of eye protective wear, it is revealed
that there is no relationship between these variables, there is no statistical
significance [ X2=8.949; p< .347]
between the experience on the job and compliance to the use of eye
protective wear by the welders while on duty.
4
CONCLUSION
Therefore in the final analysis, results from this study shows
that there was a high awareness of the harmful effect of radiation emitted from
welding machines[17] and the need for compliance with the use of the protective eye wear because of the ocular
risk associated with the occupational nature of
welding as a profession among the welders[18], because
there is need for the eyes to be protected while welding, but some welders
still do not care with the compliance to the use of the eye protective wear.
The level of compliance to protective eye wear usage among the welders at the
age ranges of 55-65 and 15-25 is found to be relatively low. However,
irrespective of the age and experience on the job, it is still commendable that
the welders in Biu seem to comply more as to when compared
with those in some other places
where this type of study had been carried on in other places[19]. Conversely,
when compared with similar survey as was
done in Abakaliki [20,21], it was also observed that the level of compliance is
more and commendable because in some cases those who unfortunately do not
comply, often resort to use of ordinary
sunglasses which is not the correct type
of welding protective eyewear. Generally
as observed, the welders that have worked for more than 5 years comply less
with the use of protective eye wear than those who have more years of work
experience in all the cases.
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