Health and Safety Information Behaviour of Coal Miners in Pakistan
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Muhammad Asif Naveed
Abstract
This research investigated health and safety information behaviour of miners working at Makarwal Coal Mines, district Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan. A survey method using a questionnaire was deployed for data collection from 136 coal workers. Descriptive statistics were applied for data analysis using SPSS. The results indicated that the miners’ information needs were cantered mainly on protection equipment, mining diseases, healthcare services, geological hazards, accidents associated with mining and modern mining techniques. These miners relied overwhelmingly on interpersonal relationships with fellow miners and friends for safety information followed by television and radio. A good number of the survey participants also utilized internet and social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp, etc. as information source. There was little evidence of the use of audio/visual materials, seminar/workshops, associations, government agencies, and printed materials for information acquisition. Computer illiteracy, poor financial conditions, lack of time, language barriers, lack of awareness and knowledge about safety information and non-availability of relevant materials were perceived as the major constraints in acquiring safety information. The results will not only be useful for planning a need-based information infrastructure for miners but also for policymakers, NGOs and human rights organizations working for rural development and uplifting occupational health. This research contributed in the existing research on miners’ information behaviour as only a few studies appeared.
Survey Questionnaire
Hi, my name is __________________. I am conducting a survey to understand health and safety information behaviour of mine workers in Pakistan. Your participation in the survey will help us in determining your information needs, sources and barriers in information seeking which will ultimately help in designing a need-based information delivery system for miners. Your responses will be kept confidential, anonymous and only be used for the research purposes. Your volunteer participation in the survey will be highly appreciated.
Section A: Health and Safety Information Needs
What type of health and safety information do you need? Please tick (√) as it applies to you.
 |
Section B: Safety Information Sources
Please tick (√) to specify which of the following sources of information you usually approach in meeting health and safety related information needs.
 |
Section C: Characteristics of Safety Information Sources
What makes you prefer a source of information? Please tick (√) as it applies to you.
 |
Section D: Constraints in Acquiring Health and Safety Information
Please indicate the degree of your agreement or disagreement with each statement by ticking the relevant box.
 |
Section E: Demographic Information
| 1 | Age: ____________________ |
| 2 | You are on this mining job: a. Full-time [ ] b. Part-time [ ] |
| 3 | For how long have you been doing mining? Below five years [ ] 5–9 years [ ] 10–14 years {etc.} |
| 4 | Level of education attained: a. Primary school [ ] b. Secondary [ ] c. Tertiary [ ] d. None [ ] |
| 5 | Marital status: a. Single [ ] b. Married [ ] c. Divorced [ ] d. Separated [ ] e. Widowed [ ] |
| 6 | Number of children [ ] |
Thank you for your invaluable time and participation!
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© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Articles
- Re-thinking Information Ethics: Truth, Conspiracy Theories, and Librarians in the COVID-19 Era
- User Expectations and Acceptance of Library Services at the African Union Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights
- Health and Safety Information Behaviour of Coal Miners in Pakistan
- Recounting the Empowerment of Women in Rural Areas of KwaZulu-Natal from Information and Knowledge in the Fourth Industrial Revolution Era
- Engaging Children’s Reading with Reflective Augmented Reality
- Evaluating Public Library Events using a Combination of Methods
- Individual Social Capital of Librarians: Results of Research Conducted in 20 Countries
- Announcement
- Best Student Research Paper Award 2021
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Frontmatter
- Articles
- Re-thinking Information Ethics: Truth, Conspiracy Theories, and Librarians in the COVID-19 Era
- User Expectations and Acceptance of Library Services at the African Union Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights
- Health and Safety Information Behaviour of Coal Miners in Pakistan
- Recounting the Empowerment of Women in Rural Areas of KwaZulu-Natal from Information and Knowledge in the Fourth Industrial Revolution Era
- Engaging Children’s Reading with Reflective Augmented Reality
- Evaluating Public Library Events using a Combination of Methods
- Individual Social Capital of Librarians: Results of Research Conducted in 20 Countries
- Announcement
- Best Student Research Paper Award 2021
