PERCEIVED EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION ON WELL-BEING OF WORKERS IN DANGOTE FLOUR MILL FACTORY, ILORIN, KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigates the perceived effects of noise pollution on the well-being of workers in Dangote Flour Mill Factory, Ilorin, Kwara State. A descriptive research design of the survey type was used for the study. The population for the study comprised all Dangote Flour Mill factory workers, Ilorin, Kwara State. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 420 respondents. A researcher designed a questionnaire, which was validated by the supervisor and three other experts from the Departments of Health Promotion and Environmental Health Education, University of Ilorin was used. A reliability coefficient of r = .70 was obtained through a test-retest method using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Questionnaires were administered and collected by the researcher with three trained research assistants. Descriptive statistics of frequency counts
and percentages were used to analyse the demographic data, while the inferential statistics of Pearson Product-Moment Correlation were used to test the null hypotheses set for the study at 0.05 alpha level. The findings of the study revealed that hearing loss with (calculated r value = 0.477> critical r value = 0.082 degree of freedom = 418), sleep pattern with (calculated r value = 0.521 > critical r value = 0.082 degree of freedom = 418) and mental health with (calculated r value = 0.618 > critical r value = 0.082 degree of freedom = 418). The study concluded that hearing loss, sleep patterns, and mental health are significant perceived effects of noise pollution on the well-being of workers in Dangote Flour Mill, Ilorin, Kwara State. Based on the conclusion, the following recommendations were made: The use of hearing pad to prevent hearing loss should be enforced among the factory workers, and those already suffering from hearing loss should go for proper medical care. Factory workers should not live near factory areas to have better and more restful sleeping patterns. Finally, factory workers should be given time to rest at intervals of hours to allow them to have mental alertness, and for workers already having mental health problems, job security and adequate mental health care should be provided for them.