COAL WORKERS PNEUMOCONIOSIS: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND OPINION AMONGST PERSONNEL OF ODAGBO COAL MINE, NIGERIA

Coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP) is an occupational pulmonary disease that occurs by chronic inhalation of coal dust. The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitude and opinion of miners at Odagbo coal mine regarding coal workers pneumoconiosis. A questionnaire was developed and administered to fifty coal miners at Odagbo coal mine. Information regarding their personal data, knowledge, attitude and opinion about coal workers pneumoconiosis were obtained. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 16.0. The mean age of the study subject was 37.16 ± 10.4 years. Eighty-eight percent of the miners were married, while 12% were single. Seventy-four percent of the miners had no knowledge of CWP and sixty-eight percent of the study subjects do not wear any form of personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent inhalation of coal dust. Seventy percent of the study subjects reported that asthma and cough are the main human health effects of working in a coal mine. Majority of the miners had no knowledge of CWP and they have negative attitude towards CWP and its effect on human health. This study recommends the use of PPE by miners as a form of protection against CWP and effort should be made by the mine management to enlighten the miners about CWP and other forms of occupational diseases.