Working conditions and public health risks in slaughterhouses in western Kenya

cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and developing country instituteen_US
cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and advanced research instituteen_US
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Livestock Research Instituteen_US
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Edinburghen_US
cg.contributor.affiliationKenya Medical Research Instituteen_US
cg.contributor.affiliationUniversity of Liverpoolen_US
cg.contributor.crpAgriculture for Nutrition and Healthen_US
cg.contributor.donorMedical Research Council, United Kingdomen_US
cg.contributor.donorBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, United Kingdomen_US
cg.contributor.donorWellcome Trusten_US
cg.contributor.donorDepartment for International Development, United Kingdomen_US
cg.contributor.donorEconomic and Social Research Council, United Kingdomen_US
cg.contributor.donorNatural Environment Research Council, United Kingdomen_US
cg.contributor.donorDefence Science and Technology Laboratory, United Kingdomen_US
cg.coverage.countryKenyaen_US
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2KEen_US
cg.coverage.regionAfricaen_US
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africaen_US
cg.creator.identifierElizabeth Cook: 0000-0001-6081-8363en_US
cg.creator.identifierWilliam de Glanville: 0000-0003-2474-0356en_US
cg.creator.identifierLian Thomas: 0000-0001-8447-1210en_US
cg.creator.identifierMark Bronsvoort: 0000-0002-3271-8485en_US
cg.creator.identifierEric M. Fèvre: 0000-0001-8931-4986en_US
cg.howPublishedFormally Publisheden_US
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3923-yen_US
cg.isijournalISI Journalen_US
cg.issn1471-2458en_US
cg.issue1en_US
cg.journalBMC Public Healthen_US
cg.reviewStatusPeer Reviewen_US
cg.subject.ilriFOOD SAFETYen_US
cg.subject.ilriHEALTHen_US
cg.volume17en_US
dc.contributor.authorCook, Elizabeth A.J.en_US
dc.contributor.authorGlanville, William A. deen_US
dc.contributor.authorThomas, Lian F.en_US
dc.contributor.authorKariuki, S.en_US
dc.contributor.authorBronsvoort, B.M. de C.en_US
dc.contributor.authorFèvre, Eric M.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-16T20:07:23Zen_US
dc.date.available2017-01-16T20:07:23Zen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/78798en_US
dc.titleWorking conditions and public health risks in slaughterhouses in western Kenyaen_US
dcterms.abstractBackground Inadequate facilities and hygiene at slaughterhouses can result in contamination of meat and occupational hazards to workers. The objectives of this study were to assess current conditions in slaughterhouses in western Kenya and the knowledge, and practices of the slaughterhouse workers toward hygiene and sanitation. Methods Between February and October 2012 all consenting slaughterhouses in the study area were recruited. A standardised questionnaire relating to facilities and practices in the slaughterhouse was administered to the foreperson at each site. A second questionnaire was used to capture individual slaughterhouse workers’ knowledge, practices and recent health events. Results A total of 738 slaughterhouse workers from 142 slaughterhouses completed questionnaires. Many slaughterhouses had poor infrastructure, 65% (95% CI 63–67%) had a roof, cement floor and walls, 60% (95% CI 57–62%) had a toilet and 20% (95% CI 18–22%) had hand-washing facilities. The meat inspector visited 90% (95% CI 92–95%) of slaughterhouses but antemortem inspection was practiced at only 7% (95% CI 6–8%). Nine percent (95% CI 7–10%) of slaughterhouses slaughtered sick animals. Only half of workers wore personal protective clothing - 53% (95% CI 51–55%) wore protective coats and 49% (95% CI 46–51%) wore rubber boots. Knowledge of zoonotic disease was low with only 31% (95% CI 29–33%) of workers aware that disease could be transmitted from animals. Conclusions The current working conditions in slaughterhouses in western Kenya are not in line with the recommendations of the Meat Control Act of Kenya. Current facilities and practices may increase occupational exposure to disease or injury and contaminated meat may enter the consumer market. The findings of this study could enable the development of appropriate interventions to minimise public health risks. Initially, improvements need to be made to facilities and practices to improve worker safety and reduce the risk of food contamination. Simultaneously, training programmes should target workers and inspectors to improve awareness of the risks. In addition, education of health care workers should highlight the increased risks of injury and disease in slaughterhouse workers. Finally, enhanced surveillance, targeting slaughterhouse workers could be used to detect disease outbreaks. This “One Health” approach to disease surveillance is likely to benefit workers, producers and consumers.en_US
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Accessen_US
dcterms.audienceScientistsen_US
dcterms.available2017-01-05en_US
dcterms.bibliographicCitationCook, E.AJ., Glanville, W.A. de, Thomas, L.F., Kariuki, S., Bronsvoort, B.M. de C. and Fèvre, E.M. 2017. Working conditions and public health risks in slaughterhouses in western Kenya. BMC Public Health 17:14.en_US
dcterms.issued2017-12en_US
dcterms.languageenen_US
dcterms.publisherSpringeren_US
dcterms.subjectfood safetyen_US
dcterms.subjecthealthen_US
dcterms.typeJournal Articleen_US

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