Citation

Kursunoglu N, Onder S, Onder M. Saf. Health Work 2022; 13(2): 180-186.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute)

DOI

10.1016/j.shaw.2022.03.004

PMID

35664905

PMCID

PMC9142738

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In occupational studies, it is a known situation that technical and organizational attempts are used to prevent occupational accidents. Especially in the mining sector, if these attempts cannot prevent occupational accidents, personal protective equipment (PPE) becomes a necessity. Thus, in this study, the main objective is to examine the effects of the variables on the use of PPE and identify important factors.

METHODS: A questionnaire was implemented and structural equation modeling was conducted to ascertain the significant factors affecting the PPE use of mining employees. The model includes the factors that ergonomics, the efficiency of PPE and employee training, and PPE usage habit.

RESULTS: The results indicate that ergonomics and employee training have no significant effect (p > 0.05) on the use of PPE. The efficiency of PPE has a statistically meaningful effect (p < 0.05) on the use of PPE. Various variables have been evaluated in previous studies. However, none of them examined the variables simultaneously.

CONCLUSION: The developed model in the study enables to better focus on ergonomics and employee training in the PPE usage. The effectiveness of a PPE makes its use unavoidable. Emphasizing PPE effectiveness in OHS training and even showing them in practice will increase employees' PPE usage. The fact that a PPE with high effectiveness is also ergonomic means that it will be used at high rates by the employee.

Language: en

Keywords

Structural equation modeling; Mining employees; Occupational accidents; Personal protective equipment