Assessment of the Extent of Electrical Safety Practices Among Staff and Students of Electrical Engineering Department of Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

Researchers globally conducted several studies on electrical safety awareness and practices for improving occupational safety and health of workers. However, most of these studies were limited to industry workers, with few focusing on academic workshops/laboratories, and almost none in the case of Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. This study therefore, aims to assess the extent of electrical safety practices among staff and students of electrical engineering department, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. The authors used descriptive research design in which 50-item structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 42 staff and 99 students of electrical engineering department, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. The results show that staff and students do not strictly observe electrical safety practices in the workshops/laboratories. The results also revealed the common causes of electrical accidents in the workshops/laboratories; nature of frequent electrical accidents; and measures to reduce electrical accidents and promote students’ compliance to electrical safety rules and regulations. The researchers limit this study to only department of electrical engineering in the faculty of engineering. Also, only quantitative data was collected from the respondents, without giving consideration to the in-depth information qualitative data (such as interview) would have provide. As such, conclusions derived using quantitative approach from the respondents relies on the genuineness of the information provided by them. The findings provide the faculty of engineering with a basis to introduce ‘Electrical Safety Awareness and Practices’ course into the curriculum.