According to
Amadi (2009) the hazards associated with poor housing have direct impact on
health, they have the potential of causing injury and damages to individuals
expose to them. These hazards are not restricted to contamination. These
include:
Amadi (2009) the hazards associated with poor housing have direct impact on
health, they have the potential of causing injury and damages to individuals
expose to them. These hazards are not restricted to contamination. These
include:
i.
Physical hazards
Physical hazards
ii. Social hazards
iii. Biological
hazards
hazards
1.
Physical
hazards
Physical
hazards
This hazards includes injuries from falls, heat,
cold/inadequate energy efficiency, electric shock, radon, poisoning (carbon
monoxide, lead) structural failure and similar physical hazards and this hazard
are caused as a result of poor design, functioning and maintenance of equitable
temperature in the house by cooling during the dry season and heating in the
wet season is also conducive to good health, some other hazards includes
atmospheric pollution from smoky wood fibre, explosion, contaminated water,
noise pollution, inadequate provision for food safety, entry by intruders,
entrapment or collision etc.
cold/inadequate energy efficiency, electric shock, radon, poisoning (carbon
monoxide, lead) structural failure and similar physical hazards and this hazard
are caused as a result of poor design, functioning and maintenance of equitable
temperature in the house by cooling during the dry season and heating in the
wet season is also conducive to good health, some other hazards includes
atmospheric pollution from smoky wood fibre, explosion, contaminated water,
noise pollution, inadequate provision for food safety, entry by intruders,
entrapment or collision etc.
Examples and explanation of some of the physical
hazard are:
hazard are:
(a) Heat: Dwelling that
have large solar gain, south facing large windows, rooms directly under poorly
insulated roof space are likely to develop higher indoor temperatures and may
carry greater risks to health. It occurs as a result of climate change, it can
also occur as a result of inadequate windows and doors in a house that can give
or allow natural air.
have large solar gain, south facing large windows, rooms directly under poorly
insulated roof space are likely to develop higher indoor temperatures and may
carry greater risks to health. It occurs as a result of climate change, it can
also occur as a result of inadequate windows and doors in a house that can give
or allow natural air.
(b) Cold/inadequate energy efficiency: Vulnerability
to cold is greater in homes with inadequate insulation/inadequate home heating
but excessive. Living in a cold home can present risk to health, cause
mortality and morbidity. They proportion is higher in older dwelling build,
before energy efficiency consideration older dwelling build, before energy
efficiency consideration become part of building regulation, is to limit it and
prevent it from future dwelling to be built.
to cold is greater in homes with inadequate insulation/inadequate home heating
but excessive. Living in a cold home can present risk to health, cause
mortality and morbidity. They proportion is higher in older dwelling build,
before energy efficiency consideration older dwelling build, before energy
efficiency consideration become part of building regulation, is to limit it and
prevent it from future dwelling to be built.
(c) Damp and mould: This type of
housing related hazard tend to be worst in overcrowded dwelling often occupied
by families of low social-economics status. However, damp and mould have
repeatedly been linked to a number of health outcomes including respiratory
systems, nausea and vomiting and general ill health. Humidity in the dwelling
can cause condensation which encourages the growth of fungal spores. Damp is
also associated with an increase in house dust mites it occurs as a result of
poor damp proof course.
housing related hazard tend to be worst in overcrowded dwelling often occupied
by families of low social-economics status. However, damp and mould have
repeatedly been linked to a number of health outcomes including respiratory
systems, nausea and vomiting and general ill health. Humidity in the dwelling
can cause condensation which encourages the growth of fungal spores. Damp is
also associated with an increase in house dust mites it occurs as a result of
poor damp proof course.
(d) Carbon monoxide (poisoning):- Poisoning by
carbon monoxide occurs as a result of poorly ventilated and maintained
combustion source (gas boilers fire etc in the house, thus fire in buildings
not provided with proper flues pollutes the air with smoke, which cause
irritation of the eyes and lungs, thus making the entry of disease germs essay.
carbon monoxide occurs as a result of poorly ventilated and maintained
combustion source (gas boilers fire etc in the house, thus fire in buildings
not provided with proper flues pollutes the air with smoke, which cause
irritation of the eyes and lungs, thus making the entry of disease germs essay.
(e) Lead poisoning: They are mostly
found in old lead paint and water pipes, which when inhaled causes poisoning
and contamination of water.
found in old lead paint and water pipes, which when inhaled causes poisoning
and contamination of water.
(f)
Radon: Is a
radioactive gas which enters building from underlying soil and rock, when radon
and its decay products are inhaled, they eradicate tissues in the body with the
largest dose being delivered to the lungs. The only established health effect
of radon is lungs cancer, exposure varies considerable with geographical
location of a building.
Radon: Is a
radioactive gas which enters building from underlying soil and rock, when radon
and its decay products are inhaled, they eradicate tissues in the body with the
largest dose being delivered to the lungs. The only established health effect
of radon is lungs cancer, exposure varies considerable with geographical
location of a building.
2)
Social hazard
Social hazard
A house should
be designed accurately so that the family can function effectively in terms of
its cultural background, educational background etc. This implies the required
level of privacy for adults and a suitable setting for bringing up children.
The building should improve the occupant psychological and physiological needs.
Young people living in disorganized inner city areas, which have a prevalence
of physical deterioration, overcrowded households, high residential mobility
and social housing are at higher risk of becoming involved in offences (Danny,
2010).
be designed accurately so that the family can function effectively in terms of
its cultural background, educational background etc. This implies the required
level of privacy for adults and a suitable setting for bringing up children.
The building should improve the occupant psychological and physiological needs.
Young people living in disorganized inner city areas, which have a prevalence
of physical deterioration, overcrowded households, high residential mobility
and social housing are at higher risk of becoming involved in offences (Danny,
2010).
3)
Biological
hazards
Biological
hazards
The risk of
transmission of communicable disease is high in a house that has poor
ventilation and overcrowding.
transmission of communicable disease is high in a house that has poor
ventilation and overcrowding.
Overcrowding
and poor ventilation are problem commonly associated with insanitary dwelling.
It is exacerbated by an under supply of large dwelling and impair ventilation
(inadequate windows and doors in the house). They are of great problems in all
phases of public health. This is because, a house overcrowded with people is
bound to generate a lot of solid and liquid waste whose magnitude is beyond the
facilities men’s physio-mental performance and well-being, as over crowded
house leads to sustainability and proliferation. They give rise to biological
hazards. A house is said to be overcrowded when the vacant floor available for
each adult is less then fifty square fect; children above ten years are counted
as adult in this case (WHO, 2012). A house is said to poorly ventilated when
the supply of the air (natural and artificial) is inadequate.
and poor ventilation are problem commonly associated with insanitary dwelling.
It is exacerbated by an under supply of large dwelling and impair ventilation
(inadequate windows and doors in the house). They are of great problems in all
phases of public health. This is because, a house overcrowded with people is
bound to generate a lot of solid and liquid waste whose magnitude is beyond the
facilities men’s physio-mental performance and well-being, as over crowded
house leads to sustainability and proliferation. They give rise to biological
hazards. A house is said to be overcrowded when the vacant floor available for
each adult is less then fifty square fect; children above ten years are counted
as adult in this case (WHO, 2012). A house is said to poorly ventilated when
the supply of the air (natural and artificial) is inadequate.
