Workers' knowledge of causes of workplace accidents in Bayelsa State

The study investigated workers knowledge of causes of workplace  accidents in Setraco and Fountain Construction Companies in Sagbama, Bayelsa  State, with a view of determining the level of knowledge of the workers in  terms of the causes of workplace accidents in their companies, with regards  to their educational qualification, gender, position (Rank) in the company,  and length of service. Four research questions were addressed, data for the study were generated through responses to an adapted multiple choice questions of the Joint Industrial Board health and Safety and Royal society for public Health level 1 award in Health and Safety in the workplace   Manuals, the reliability of the instrument was maintained as that of the Board. Data were generated from workers of different categories in the companies – supervisors, tool users, drivers, support staff, as well as security, Data collected were analysed using, counts and percentages.  The  findings revealed that in Setraco high educational level counts in their  knowledge of causes  of workplace accidents, but in FCC all the levels of  educational qualification scored below average, in respected to gender, there  is no difference in performance in the generated data from both Setraco and  Fountain Construction Companies, of male and female workers in both companies that responded to the questions, over 50% of them scored below average  (75%  and 95%) and  (85.5% and 100%) of Setraco and FCC respectively, the position  (Rank) of workers in both companies has influence their knowledge of  workplace accident in their companies.  There is influence of service year on the knowledge of workplace accident in both Setraco and Fountain Construction Companies the more years of service scored higher less service year(s). It was equally discovered that, some of the low ranked workers are graduates  while some at supervisory level are not graduates but raised to that position  through service years and experience, and in both companies majority of the  low ranked workers are on casual employment and this does not affect the high  ranks (Positions). It was concluded that workers knowledge of causes of  workplace accident is generally below average both in Setraco and Fountain  Construction Companies and that without a thorough knowledge of what causes  workplace accident, it will be difficult to reduce or avert the frequent  occurrence of accident at work.  Therefore the study recommended that workers  at all levels be sensitized and trained on causes of workplace accidents,  Pre-employment and pre-placement training and examinations on causes of  workplace accidents be considered important and carried out during  recruitment and placement of workers, on the job training be conducted at  regular intervals, and discussions on causes of workplace accidents be  regularly done with workers of all categories by professionals of safety and  accidents.