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Effect of Occupational Safety Education on Personal Protective Equipment Use among Healthcare Workers in Nigeria

Abstract

Occupational safety is an important component of healthcare delivery because healthcare workers are routinely exposed to biological, chemical, physical, and other workplace hazards. Appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is an important measure for reducing occupational exposure and preventing workplace-related infections and injuries among healthcare workers. Occupational safety education provides healthcare workers with information and practical skills relating to workplace hazards, risk assessment, appropriate selection of PPE, correct donning and doffing procedures, appropriate use of gloves, gowns, masks, respirators, eye protection, and other protective equipment, as well as proper disposal, cleaning, storage, and replacement of reusable or disposable PPE. Personal protective equipment use refers to the consistent and appropriate selection, wearing, removal, disposal, and maintenance of PPE according to the level and type of occupational risk encountered during healthcare activities. In Nigeria, inadequate PPE utilization among healthcare workers may be associated with insufficient occupational safety training, limited knowledge of workplace hazards, inadequate availability of PPE, discomfort, shortages, poor supervision, high workload, and inconsistent implementation of occupational safety policies. Effective occupational safety education may improve healthcare workers' knowledge, skills, confidence, and adherence to appropriate PPE use. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of occupational safety education on personal protective equipment use among healthcare workers in Nigeria. The study is anchored on Social Cognitive Theory, Experiential Learning Theory, and the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice framework. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes the interaction between knowledge, self-efficacy, environmental conditions, social influences, and behaviour in shaping occupational safety practices. Experiential Learning Theory emphasizes learning through practical experience, demonstrations, reflection, and application, making it relevant to PPE training and occupational safety education. The Knowledge-Attitude-Practice framework provides a basis for examining how occupational safety education may improve healthcare workers' knowledge and attitudes and influence appropriate PPE use. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how occupational safety education may influence PPE utilization among healthcare workers in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental research design. Primary data will be collected from healthcare workers in selected public and private hospitals, primary healthcare centres, clinics, laboratories, and other healthcare facilities in Nigeria using a structured self-administered questionnaire, occupational safety knowledge assessment, and PPE-use observation checklist. A multistage sampling technique will be employed to select states, local government areas, healthcare facilities, departments, and eligible healthcare workers. Where feasible, selected healthcare facilities or healthcare worker groups will be assigned to intervention and comparison groups. Healthcare workers in the intervention group will receive structured occupational safety education covering workplace hazards, occupational risk assessment, appropriate PPE selection, correct donning and doffing procedures, use of gloves, gowns, masks, respirators, eye protection and other relevant PPE, proper disposal, cleaning, storage, replacement, and prevention of occupational exposure. PPE use will be assessed using indicators such as appropriate PPE selection, consistent use during relevant clinical procedures, correct donning and doffing, appropriate disposal, maintenance and storage, and adherence to facility PPE protocols. Where feasible, self-reported PPE use will be complemented by direct observation using a standardized checklist and assessment of PPE availability within the healthcare facility. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize healthcare workers' sociodemographic and professional characteristics, previous occupational safety training, knowledge, PPE availability, and PPE-use practices. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, paired-sample tests, independent-sample tests, and multiple regression analysis, will be used to determine the effect of occupational safety education on PPE use. Where appropriate, PPE-use practices before and after the intervention will be compared. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability of the research instruments, model assumptions, goodness of fit, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that occupational safety education has a significant positive effect on personal protective equipment use among healthcare workers in Nigeria. Healthcare workers exposed to structured occupational safety education are expected to demonstrate improved knowledge of occupational hazards, appropriate PPE selection, correct donning and doffing procedures, and the importance of consistent PPE use. Education may improve compliance with PPE requirements during procedures involving exposure to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, chemicals, and other occupational hazards. Practical demonstrations and simulation-based training are expected to strengthen healthcare workers' ability to apply PPE procedures correctly in routine clinical situations. However, education alone may not guarantee appropriate PPE use because healthcare workers may continue to experience challenges such as inadequate PPE supplies, stock-outs, discomfort, poor-quality equipment, high workload, inadequate staffing, limited supervision, and weak enforcement of occupational safety policies. Consequently, occupational safety education is expected to be most effective when supported by reliable PPE availability, appropriate equipment, effective supervision, clear institutional policies, regular competency assessments, and a strong workplace safety culture. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on occupational safety, personal protective equipment utilization, healthcare worker safety, infection prevention and control, occupational health, workplace health education, and public health in Nigeria by providing empirical evidence on the effect of occupational safety education on PPE use among healthcare workers. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, state ministries of health, hospitals, primary healthcare agencies, healthcare facility administrators, occupational health units, infection prevention and control committees, nurses, doctors, laboratory personnel, community health workers, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving occupational safety among healthcare workers. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating occupational safety education into staff induction and continuing professional development, strengthening practical PPE training, ensuring adequate and reliable PPE supplies, improving supervision and compliance monitoring, conducting regular occupational safety competency assessments, strengthening workplace safety policies, and promoting a culture of occupational safety in Nigerian healthcare facilities.

Keywords: Occupational safety education, personal protective equipment use, healthcare workers, Nigeria, occupational health, PPE utilization, workplace safety, infection prevention, healthcare worker safety, occupational exposure, health education, workplace hazards, public health.