ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL RISKS AT THE LOKOSSA REGIONAL HOSPITAL (BENIN)

Hospitals present a wide range of occupational hazards, representing a high-risk working environment that combines the risks inherent in any work activity with the risks associated with its specific nature.
The exposure of hospital staff to occupational hazards, and the creation of a central occupational health department, come up against significant differences in the implementation of an occupational health department responsible for monitoring staff, and assessing and preventing the occupational hazards to which staff are exposed. Based on the patient care process, all the occupational hazards associated with this process were identified, and recommendations for preventive measures were formulated to help improve occupational health and safety in hospitals.
The methodological approach adopted an interpretivist epistemological framework based on an exploratory descriptive approach. The literature review divides the risks associated with hospital activities into two categories. Some are related to patient care, while others are specific to healthcare (chemical risks, blood-related incidents, contamination by infectious diseases, etc.). To identify occupational risks within the hospital, all doctors and surgeons are taken into account. The sample size is therefore 23.
The risks are very different and have different levels of importance depending on the healthcare sector. These have a negative impact on the health and safety of healthcare workers. 82.9% of those surveyed said they were constantly exposed to various risks of infection.