Knowledge, Attitude, Behavior Practices and Compliance of Workers Exposed to Respirable Dust in a Zambian Copper Mine

Mwaba Sifanu (), Thomas K. Taylor, Kennedy K. Kalebaila, Patrick Hayumbu, Lubinda Nabiwa and Stephanus J. L. Linde
Additional contact information
Mwaba Sifanu: School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Copperbelt University, Kitwe P.O. Box 21692, Zambia
Thomas K. Taylor: School of Built Environment, Copperbelt University, Kitwe P.O. Box 21692, Zambia
Kennedy K. Kalebaila: School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Copperbelt University, Kitwe P.O. Box 21692, Zambia
Patrick Hayumbu: School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Copperbelt University, Kitwe P.O. Box 21692, Zambia
Lubinda Nabiwa: School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Copperbelt University, Kitwe P.O. Box 21692, Zambia
Stephanus J. L. Linde: Occupational Hygiene and Health Research Initiative, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 18, 1-17

Abstract: Work in the copper mining industry is often associated with exposure to respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica. This exposure has the potential to cause silicosis, an incurable occupational respiratory lung disease. This study aimed at establishing the relationship between knowledge, attitudes, work behavioral practices and compliance with safety standards and workers’ exposure to respirable dust. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted on 528 mine workers. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for the descriptives. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with latent variables and partial least squares (LVPLS) analysis were employed to determine the relationship among these variables. The results indicated that of the four hypotheses, two were supported, and two were rejected, showing that there is a significant relationship between exposure to respirable dust and work behavioral practices, as well as compliance with safety standards. Knowledge and attitudes toward respirable dust exposure did not significantly influence exposure. According to the results from the survey, positive work behavioral practices as well as compliance with safety standards were significantly associated with exposure to respirable dust. It is recommended that mines should focus on the miners’ work behavioral practices and compliance with safety standards.

Keywords: attitudes; compliance and safety standards; copper mine; knowledge; respirable dust; work behavioral practices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/18/6785/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/18/6785/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:18:p:6785-:d:1243635

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().