Chemical Education Transfer for Safe Practice Improvement Regarding Volatile Organic Solvents among Gasoline Station Workers, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

The cross-sectional study was designed to survey on six gasoline station workers in Bangkok. Forty-one workers were participated to find out prevalence of knowledge (K), attitude (A) and practice (P) before and after 7-day appropriate intervention regarding volatile organic solvents. The results showed that before the intervention the workers had good attitude toward the harmful of using solvents, but they lacked of good knowledge on effect of volatile organic solvents as well as safe practice [using personal protective equipment (PPE) and hand washing]. After a 7-day appropriate intervention of educational training on knowledge of chemical toxicity and prevention was conducted the prevalence of workers had significantly increased in good knowledge (p < 0.001) and safe practice (p < 0.001), but significantly decreased in good attitude (p < 0.05). The safe practice after appropriated intervention was positively associated with good knowledge (p < 0.01) and good attitude (p < 0.05). The study showed that the workers required good knowledge on occupational hazards by engaging in good attitudinal approach toward better hazard prevention at workplace for their safe practice during work-shift. Therefore, making awareness and the regulation of using PPE should be considered to improve proper behavior toward safe practice of gasoline station workers.

Keywords: Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Volatile organic solvents, Appropriate intervention, Gasoline station