OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of occupational injuries in the welders and lathe machine operators and their hazard perception. SETTING: This study was conducted in the welders and lathe machine operators working in the welding and metal working shops in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted by two trained health interviewers using uniform questionnaire with both close and open-ended questions. RESULTS: Two hundred and eight welders and 104 lathe machine operators were interviewed. Thirty nine (18.7%) welders and 27 (26%) lathe machine operators reported an injury in the past three months, while 63 (30.3%) welders and 76 (73.8%) lathe machine operators reported sustaining an injury in the past twelve months. However, only half of the welders and 31 (29.8%) lathe machine operators believed that their occupation was hazardous for health. CONCLUSION: For effective public health policy there is a need preventive education and enforcement of safety regulations for the informal occupational sector in Pakistan.
OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of occupational injuries in the welders and lathe machine operators and their hazard perception. SETTING: This study was conducted in the welders and lathe machine operators working in the welding and metal working shops in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted by two trained health interviewers using uniform questionnaire with both close and open-ended questions. RESULTS: Two hundred and eight welders and 104 lathe machine operators were interviewed. Thirty nine (18.7%) welders and 27 (26%) lathe machine operators reported an injury in the past three months, while 63 (30.3%) welders and 76 (73.8%) lathe machine operators reported sustaining an injury in the past twelve months. However, only half of the welders and 31 (29.8%) lathe machine operators believed that their occupation was hazardous for health. CONCLUSION: For effective public health policy there is a need preventive education and enforcement of safety regulations for the informal occupational sector in Pakistan.