Awareness of ocular hazards among welders in Bindura, Zimbabwe

Occupational health issues are the highest among workers in developing nations. This study aimed to assess the awareness of ocular hazards among welders in Bindura. An observational cross-sectional design with a validated structured self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the awareness of ocular hazards among 400 welders. Among the 400 welders, 397(99.3%) were males and their ages ranged from 19 – 56 with a mean age of 36 ± 8 years. Most (35%) of them, 140 had been involved in welding for 6-10 years. The most common type of welding among the participants was arc welding (87.8%). Majority (99.3%) of the welders were aware that welding without the use of protective equipment is a potential source of ocular hazards. Many welders had access to protective face shields and used them all the time (84.5%). The most common condition was ocular foreign bodies (17.7%), followed by Arc eye (4.8%). Awareness about welding as a source of ocular hazard depends on the type of welding used (p < 0.05). The awareness of ocular hazards among welders in Bindura is high. Although, protective devices are provided, regular utilization needs to be encouraged and enforced.