ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS AMONG THE TRAFFIC POLICE OF RAWALPINDI & ISLAMABAD

Abstract

Objective: To determine the work related hazards faced by traffic policemen & utilization of safety measures by the traffic police during their duty hours.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Traffic wardens of Rawalpindi & Islamabad were recruited for duration of 3 months, from Sep 2018 to Nov 2018.

Methodology: Consecutive sampling was done with inclusion criteria of age 25-50 years, non-asthmatic traffic wardens who had minimum two years of service. Those traffic police officers who were deputed for administrative work & not posted at traffic sites were excluded. Participants were interviewed using a structured, questionnaire and a checklist. Data was analyzed using the SPSS version 20.0.

Results: Among 82 traffic policemen 43 (53%) were having 6-8 hours of duty while 37 (46%) were serving as wardens for last 3-6 years. About 81% were wearing mask whereas 78% were using sunglasses during duty hours. Respiratory problems were acknowledged in 33 (41%) of participants as breathlessness followed by cough after joining the job. Redness of eyes & musculoskeletal cramps was observed in 33 (40%) & 41 (51%) of the individuals respectively. Most disturbing problem regarding their duty was long working hours 49 (60%) due to VIP movements.

Conclusion: Majority of traffic policemen were wearing masks & sunglasses during duty hours. A lot of them were facing respiratory hazards; breathlessness being the most common among them.