Operation definitions
Health protective behaviors against chemical hazards refer to all behaviors
that cause positive effects towards a person who practices it in daily life and receives
life-long positive experience (Pender, 2002: 66-67). In this study, protective behavior
referred to an expression or behavior of cleaning employees to protect themselves
from danger that may cause by using toxic chemicals such as sudden illness from
touching chemicals in a short term, and chronic illness in a long term. Protective
behavior is measured and assessed by questionnaire according to the following
actions:
- Wearing rubber gloves for protecting hands and arms from touching highly
concentrated chemicals.
- Wearing mask for protecting inhalation of contaminated air such as strong
scents from cleaning products, dust.
- Wearing rubber shoes for protecting toes, feet and shin from touching toxic
chemicals.
- Washing hands after work for cleaning fingers, palm with water or solution after
working with toxic chemicals and before doing other activities such as eating food,
drinking water.
Cleaning employees are those who are employed by the cleaning company to
clean inside and outside buildings such as polishing, cleaning and mopping and
waxing floor, as well as cleaning windows (Benjasub, J. 1997: 85). In this study
cleaning employees focused only female employees.
Personal factor means specific characteristics of each person including:
Age means number of years from the year of birth to the date of data
collection.
Educational level means highest education of cleaning employees as
mentioned in the questionnaire which divided in 5 levels: below primary school,
primary school, secondary school, high school, and higher.
Working experience refers to full years of experience on cleaning operation.
Previous experience on chemical use refers to full years of previous
experience on using chemical before working as cleaning employees.