The Application of Health Impact Assessment Model for Local Government Organization: A Case Study of Regulated Garage Businesses in Sikhoraphume Municipality, Sikhoraphume District, Surin Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study the processes of health impact assessment from garage businesses in Sikhoraphume municipality, Sikhoraphume district, Surin province and to find out the environmental health aspects including to evaluate the relationship among personal characteristics and their related factors effected from nuisance. Additionally, these data could be utilized for ordinance issue to regulate the entrepreneurs’ car repair businesses in Sikhoraphume municipality, Sikhoraphume district, Surin province. The methodology used was followed by 5 steps of health impact assessment which were  1) Screening step: Stakeholder meeting was held to detail the primary data, to listen comments and to provide suggestions including to propose the general data, harmful to health, impact of health determinants and affected individuals from garage business. 2) Scoping step: this step was carry out by stakeholder meeting. The scopes of this study were as the following. Population was 25 garage repair operators and 100 samples living near the garages in Sikhoraphume municipality within 150 meter radius. The data collections were both from surveying and interviewing during January - September 2018. The descriptive statistic and chi-square test (²) were performed to analyze with 0.05 statistically significant level. 3) Appraisal step: this step related to the data collection and data analysis according to the scope of this study. Its result shows that 38.8% of people living near the garages which were affected nuisance from those business garages. Most people affected from noise and toxic smoke from pipe of cars which were emitted when accelerated the engine with 89.5%. 8.6% of sample’s opinions were both positive and negative effects. The positive effects were convenient journey, increase hiring, and increase income. However, noise from testing or accelerating the engine, order/volatile/smoke and bad sightseeing were represented as the negative effect. Moreover, most 25 garages were unsanitary such as no prevention and treatment of odor emitted from their processes. There were not specific spray painting room available but also there were not oil/grease trap installed for treating wastewater before discharging into public sewer. In addition, the toilets were not hygienic standard. The separately stored chemical substances room was not available in garage business. There were not suitability of equipment tools keeping. The fire alarm system and fire extinguisher required by law were not found.  In case of changing oil, it was found that most garages had stored used engine oil or lubricant oil in 200-liter tanks before selling. The results of environmental measurement showed that most small particulate matters (PM 2.5) were ranged 11-20 gs/m³ and 21-30 gs/m³. Most of the light intensity was ranged 101-500 lux. Sound was detected to be ranged 65.1-70 decibels. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured to be ranged 0.1-2 ppm. The relationship among personal characteristics and their associated factors were found that age statistically significant related to the distance of garage businesses from affected areas (P <0.05). 4) Reporting and recommendation: this step is the utilization of information from the health impact assessment processes to create a report and to provide the recommendations. Stakeholder meeting was held to present the result of the study and listen to the comments, concerns, suggestion and measures for reducing the adverse effects from garages including the hygienic criteria of those. The results were introduced to Sikhoraphume municipality to be used for further improving the ordinances of municipality. 5) Monitoring and evaluation: Sikhoraphume municipality applied the measures, guideline, green garage standard and checklists in order to improve the ordinance for regulating the garages according to Ministerial Regulation Control of Places of Business Hazardous to Health B.E.2560 (A.D.2017). And when the Municipal regulation that controls the garage businesses was implemented and enforced then Sikhoraphume municipality have to monitor and inspect the garage businesses in compliance with the hygienic rules, business operation and preventive measures against health hazards since before granting a license, during the business and before the license renewal.