Determinants of Occupational Health and Safety Outcomes Among Sanitation Workers Across Worldwide: A Systematic Review on Cross-Sectional Studies

Abstract

As a result of working conditions, a variety of determinants or risk factors lead to the development of occupational health and safety impairments or outcomes such as injuries and musculoskeletal disorders among sanitary personnel, which must be identified in order to anticipate concerns. PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Lilacs databases were used from 2010 to April 2022. Searched strategies used logical words “AND/OR”: Occupational *OR Work AND Injuries OR Musculoskeletal Disorder AND Associated Factors [Socio-demographic *OR Behavioral factors *OR Institution Factors *OR Work pattern] AND Sanitary workers [Waste collectors and emptier *OR Street Sweepers *OR Sewage workers *OR Health facilities Cleaners] AND Cross-Sectional Studies. The databases and other collected data and reports yielded a total of 86 studies and finally 16 studies were included. From total of sanitary workers (5833), 4990 (85.5%) were solid waste collectors, and 618 (10.6%) and 225 (3.9%) were and healthcare cleaners and street sweepers, respectively. Regarding associated factors, Age (OR: 22.57, 7.29-69.88); education (OR: 2.22, 1.22-4.00); and experience (OR: 1.92, 1.11-3.31) were predictors for occurrence of injuries. Smoking cigarettes (OR:2.6, 1.55-4.34); sleeping disturbance (OR: 2.57, 1.48-4.47); eating/smoking/drinking at work (OR: 3.85, 1.34-11.06); and lack of personal protective equipment (OR: 2.62; 1.48-4.63) are the other predictors. On other side, Education (OR: 6.73, 1.92-23.51), age (OR: 7.56, 2.18-26.18), and job experience (OR: 10.79, 3.49-33.38) are socio-demographic variables that impact the development of MSDs. Cigarette smoking (OR: 0.14, 0.03-0.64) and job satisfaction (OR: 11.43, 2.04-64.08) are behavioral factors. While, working longer than 8 h (OR: 3.5, 1.543-8.204) and time pressure (OR: 3.25, 1.08-9.77), working for more than 2 h (OR: 8, 2.25; 28.85) and having a bad back (OR: 15.7, 6.47-38.18) were risk factors for MSDs where all P-value < .05. According to current reviewed evidence, socio-demographic indicators, occupational safety with work pattern features, and behavioral factors all significantly contributed to musculoskeletal disorders; occupational injuries among sanitation workers, which require emphasis from government policy and other initiatives.