Singeing with Spent Motor Tyres: Environmental and Occupational Health-Risk Awareness Among Abattoir Workers in Makurdi, Nigeria

Due to cherished cultural beliefs and traditional practices, the skins of animals like cows have remained a delicacy in Nigeria and other West African countries. The animals are processed for consumption. A commonly adopted processing method is singeing using spent motor tyres. This practice constitutes occupational hazard risks to workers and environmental pollution. While environmental impacts have been studied, little attention is given to the occupational health risks among workers, creating an obvious research gap that this study was designed to fill. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional approach and included five slaughterhouses in Makurdi, covering 40 volunteer respondents. It investigated the level of workers’ awareness and perception of the risks and environmental outcomes of their exposure to fumes from singeing animals using spent motor tyres. The male-dominated workforce (92.5%) was characterized by low educational attainment, as only 70.0% have attained a senior school certificate. Over 80.0% admitted knowledge of environmental pollution from singeing but have continued in the practice; 60.0% have acknowledged associated occupational risks, and 42.5% have self-reported breathing-related symptoms. About 52.5% have not been using personal protective equipment. While education, job type, and years of work experience did not create a significant (p>0.05) positive attitude supporting personal protective equipment use, knowledge of implications on personal health did. The results show the need to educate workers on health implications to adopt safer abattoir practices and promote environmental sustainability by providing adequate leadership and enforcement to halt spent motor tyres mediated singeing in Makurdi, Nigeria.