Analysis of factors related to use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in laboratory

Introduction: Laboratories are not inseparable from the risk of work hazards. Laboratory workers are exposed to a high risk of occupational accidents and with contracting occupational diseases originating from specimens or human body fluids, such as blood and urine. The availability of PPE is very important and needed to protect laboratory staff from possible unwanted events. This study describes what factors are associated with the use of PPE in the laboratory. Methods: This research is an analytic study with a cross sectional study approach. 31 students from the Epidemiology Department of the Faculty of Health, Universitas Airlangga in 2018 were taken as respondents in this study. Data collection was done by using questionnaire method and interview with several students. The independent variables are knowledge, perceptions, compliance, motivation, attitudes, PPE regulations in the workplace, supervision, availability, and dissemination of PPE. Results: The results showed that there was a relationship between the use of PPE with several independent variables, which are, student perceptions, student compliance, student motivation, student attitudes, availability of PPE, and socialization of PPE. Several independent variables that have no relationship with the use of PPE are student knowledge, regulations on the use of PPE, and monitoring the use of PPE. Conclusion: Some independent variables that showed an association with the use of PPE included perceptions, compliance, motivation, attitudes, availability, and socialization of the use of PPE.