Patterns and Management of Occupational and Health Hazards in the Informal Economic System of Sango-Ota, Nigeria

This study investigated the effects of occupational health hazards on work efficiency and productivity within the informal sector of the economy.  To achieve this, it focused attention on the occupational risks experienced by workers in the informal sector of Ota, a suburb within Ogun State, Nigeria. The study adopted the quantitative method to source primary data from the workers. A Questionnaire survey was conducted with 200 respondents sampled from the community. The data collected were analyzed and interpreted in frequency and simple percentage. The results showed that the informal workers saw occupational hazards as capable of affecting work efficiency and productivity through low production and eventual loss of production; exposure of employees to the hazardous substances can lead to injury; injured employees may not be able to contribute effectively to production thereby resulting in a reduced profit. Other effects are damaged materials and machinery which lead to time loss. The study concludes on the need for proper sensitization of informal workers and better monitoring by the government, as well as more empirical studies on the effects of occupational hazards within the informal economies of developing countries.