摘要
Background:This study represents the first Spanish investigation to rigorously evaluate compliance with the use of safety goggles and face masks as essential personal protective equipment(PPE)in companies with workplaces involving exposure to biological agents.Objectives:This study aimed to examine the degree of use of face masks and safety goggles as personal protective equipment(PPE),the factors that influence their use,and the profile of workers exposed to occupational biological agents in Spanish companies in the health sector,farming sector,meat industry,waste treatment plants,food industry,and veterinary centers.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 590 Spanish workers from 51 companies.We developed a 34-item questionnaire to assess workers’perception of risk related to exposure to biological agents in their workplaces.Among the questions,three were designed to measure the degree of use of key protective equipment in sectors with biological agent exposure:protective gloves,safety goggles or face masks.We only analyzed safety goggles and face masks.We performed various statistical analyses,including Cronbach’s alpha,frequency of endorsement,content validity ratio using Lawshe’s method,varimax rotation,the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test,and Bartlett’s sphericity test,to assess the internal consistency and reliability of the questionnaire.Additionally,we employed a chi-square automatic interaction detection(CHAID)segmentation analysis,using workers’responses regarding their attitudes toward safety goggles and face mask usage as PPE for protection against biological risks,with demographic variables as independent factors.Results:In the current study,CHAID analysis revealed that workers exposed to group 2 biological agents used more safety goggles and face shields compared with workers exposed to other groups of biological agents.Moreover,workers in laboratories and the food industry used face masks more than workers of other sectors.Conclusion:The CHAID analysis in the current st
