Safety Measures in Welding and Spray Painting in Pakistan: A Systematic Review

Use of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) is an integral segment in occupational safety program in order to improve injury and loss prevention; however, in developing nations the occupational safety is often undermined. Across the under developed countries, employees in informal sector are executing their duty in the absence of adequate safety setup. We conducted a systematic literature review of studies on use and impact of protection equipment in informal sector focusing on welding and spray painting in Pakistan. Google Scholar, directory of open access journal and Pub Med were searched for studies pertaining to use of occupational PPE in welding and spray painting in Pakistan. Search resulted in fifty six (56) studies. The initial, abstract and full text review finally yielded seven (7) studies for this review. Overall state of use of PPE was found very disappointing. No Policy exists and poor field implementation was reported. Eye shields and gloves were among the highest available used PPEs. There was no use of respirators in welding and spray painting areas. This is the first-ever review on the state of occupational safety in informal welding and spray painting sectors in Pakistan. Detailed studies in informal sector are required to depict the safety practices

paint fumes, the best approach is to manage the techno logy. Most studie s were conduc ted in threat by applying the hierarchy of controls i.e. developed countries, whereas limited research has elimination, substitution, administrative controls, been conducted in under developed countries. engineering, and environmental controls and by the Welders and spray painters in Pakistan have mere use of PPE [11]. Elimination or substitution of arrangements of safety protection at work. The thr eat and app lic ati on o f en gin eer ing and working conditions are poor and occupational environmental controls is an advisable and viable workers health surveillance system is weak [23]. approach, however, due to limited resources and The aim of this study was to ascertain the use of costly technology, it is not always possible in safety measures in welders and spray painters in countries like Pakistan to substitute and switch Pakistan. over to safer technology. Companies require the 2.0 Method: services of a qualified safety specialist to ascertain 2.1 Study Design: which course of action is most suitable in any given A systematic literature review (SLR) was done situation [12]. Viable options available in under using PRISMA guidelines. developed countries are administrative controls 2.2 Search Strategy: and the use of PPE. Administrative controls Studies were searched through Google Scholar, comprise issuances of standard procedures and DOAJ and Pub Med using specific words. Following protocols, rotations of employees and awareness specific words were used: 'PPE', 'protection programs. PPEs are considered an essential Equipment' , 'eye shield', 'face mask', 'respirator', necessity in order to mitigate the effects of any 'gloves', 'welding', 'Spray Painting', 'Fumes fever', accident and saving the life and health of workers 'Pakistan' 'Punjab', 'Sindh', 'Balochistan' and from toxic effects of welding and painting fumes.
'Khyber Pakhtunkhaw'. The studies were included The selection of appropriate level of PPE depends till 2019 with a limit of 10 results per page. First five upon the toxic gas level at site [13].
pages for each key word were reviewed. After initial Previous studies revealed a state of poor knowledge scrutinizing, the authors conducted review of title about health hazards associated with welding and and abstracts for final selection of studies for spray painting fumes [10]. Moreover, there are also comprehensive review. evidences that despite awareness of the health 2.3 Selection of Studies: hazards, there is reluctance in use of PPE among Occupational surveys, Exploratory and descriptive occupational workers [14]. The injuries and risks studies conducted in any city of Pakistan and caused by welding and paintings hazards are 100 % published in English language were incorporated in preventable if proper PPE is donned [12]. The main review. The review emphasised on the use of components of PPE for welding and spray painting protective equipment in welding & sprays painting tasks are helmet, eye shield, respirator, gloves, and industry. Therefore only those studies are included safety boots [15][16][17][18][19]. The helmet fitted with eye in which PPE was discussed. Conference papers shield is used extensively for protection of eyes. To were excluded. protect the hands from conventional injury and shock gloves are used. To get protection from fumes of welding and spray painting, use of respiratory protection is inevitable [20][21][22].
With the advancement in technology, there is a continuous up gradation in the field of PPE both in terms of design and material in welding and spray human health. Three of them discussed welding in After through scrutinizing and abstract review, a shops and manufacturing areas [2, 24,25], while total thirty two (32) studies were selected for full one study discussed the effects on lungs [26]. Three study review out of fifty six (56) studies. Full study studies discussed the health effects of spray review yielded seven (7) relevant studies which are painting on painters and machinists in the absence included in this study and displayed in Table No 1. of PPE [27][28][29]. We reported safety issues in occupational welding / spray painting studies conducted in informal sector   25]. There were no safety policies industrial hygiene and extended working duration and operating instructions for occupational workers in contaminated environment were also considered in those areas. Workers were getting training as contributing factors in workers ill health [28]. through observation and experiences without any Studies pointed out that there was no Reporting written instructions and formal training [2,25].
and Investigation mechanism of accidents in There were no statistical data available about the informal sector of Pakistan, which was a major exact number of welders and spray painters impediment in executing the corrective actions [24]. working in the country; in addition no independent 4. Discussion: legislation was formulated for occupational workers We conducted review on physical protection working in informal sector in Pakistan [2]. The measures and effects on workers health in case of absence of statistical data regarding occupational non availability of these measures in welding and welders and spray painters in informal sector was spray painting (informal sector) of Pakistan. There considered a major constraint to devise an effective is deficiency of quality studies in these disciplines OHS policy [2,25]. and advanced studies should be conducted to ascertain the impact of safety practices in welding 3.3 Availability and USE of PPE: and spray painting in Pakistan. The major issues Studies showed that workers were not issued observed were absence of safety culture at work proper PPE to prevent the occupational injury [25], place, unawareness and lack of education about moreover, in certain cases the PPE provided to hazards and their impacts, non availability of workers were not standardized and appropriate for operating procedures, non availability of PPEs, sub injury prevention [2]. The relation of health injury standards PPEs and tendency to work without with the absence of PPE is supported by wearing proper PPEs. There is a need to nourish the researchers, one study in this regard pointed safety culture at work stations and proper towards the positive result of lungs disease in the awareness and education about safe work practices absence of PPE [26]. Researchers also pointed out be fostered among the workers. The awareness the tendency of workers for not using the PPE, about hazards and cost of PPE are major factors besides they were provided with adequate PPE [28], while deciding about use of safety measures in One study explained that workers were considering Pakistan [2]. injuries as part of job and they were not using PPEs Risk assessment and awareness about hazards is [2]. The significance of availability and use of PPE the first step in order to motivate the workers to for injury and ill health prevention is also discussed adopt any safety program and adopt safe measures. among researchers [27]. Gloves were reported on Workers should know the result of exposing the top of list in available PPEs, where as eye themselves to these hazards. Studies showed that nd rd shields and respirators were reported on 2 and 3 this most important step is entirely missing in place [2].
Pakistan's informal sector. The awareness level was found very poor; no proper education was imparted to workers to operate safely [24]. The occupational workers in these professions are This study has only considers the Google scholar normal workers with education less then high and DOAJ in search. Other data bases may yield school and majority of them work on daily wages. more elaborated results. There is no proper OHS training system for these 5. Conclusion: workers. Workers should be trained to execute their The state of OHS in welding and spray painting in assigned jobs in a safe manner [2,24].
informal sector of Pakistan depends upon many This study also high lights the non availability or contributing factors. Mainly the unawareness and availability of sub standard PPE at work stations in lack of education were major factors along with non Pakistan. PPEs come as a last resort to prevent availability of PPEs. Due to poor regulatory injury if other engineering and administrative implementation of OHS laws, the overall state is measures fail. Studies revealed that in Pakistan very disappointing. Many injuries and health other measures are also not in place as well. The related issues were reported. Extensive training most widely used PPEs are gloves and eye shield. and proper education can enhance the safety state The standardization of PPE is another challenging of occupational workers in these areas. Vocational domain as workers were using normal eye shields training institutes can play significant role in instead of certified equipment[2]. The appropriate promoting safe working culture. In addition, training should be provided to the workers to use government should uplift the working conditions of PPE effectively [27]. The most alarming fact was informal sector in this regards. Studies involving that workers are using available protection many under developed countries are required to measures for acute effects only e.g. protection from report the awareness level and use of safety plasma, heat and physical effects only whereas measures by welders and spray painters in informal chronic effects interms of inhalation of sector. contaminated air / welding fumes were not Disclosure statement: considered by workers in those areas [30].
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the Studies also showed the adverse effects of workers authors. health in those areas mainly due to non availability References: of PPE or non adherence to standardized protection 1. N. C. Anderson and J. V. Kovach, "Reducing measures. Different studies showed the effect on welding defects in turnaround projects: A lean workers health systems which include lungs, blood, six sigma case study," Quality Engineering, eyes etc [26,28]. In continuation to adverse effects, vol. 26, pp. 168-181, 2014. this study also highlights that there were no 2. S. M. Hassan, U. Nasir, K. Anwar, and U. medical support available to workers. There was no Talib, "An assessment of the level of awareness concept of first aid at site, in addition, no annual or and reported complaints regarding routine medical assessment support was available occupational health hazards and the to the occupational workers in welding and spray utilization of personal protective equipments painting of informal sector of Pakistan [2]. The among the welders of Lahore, Pakistan," study also showed that there was no mechanism of International journal of occupational and incident or accident reporting in welding and sprays environmental health, vol. 23