ASSESSMENT OF ELECTRICAL HAZARDS EXPOSED TO ELECTRICITY USERS IN MATHARE SLUM
Abstract
Electrical hazards in informal settlements pose severe risks to residents, yet systematic assessments of their prevalence and underlying causes remain limited. This study assessed electrical hazards exposed to electricity users in Mathare informal settlement, Nairobi County, Kenya. A descriptive research design was adopted, with data collected from 341 household respondents selected through simple random sampling and 17 Kenya Power and Lighting Company staff through a census approach. Structured questionnaires, interviews, and technical measurements of earth and insulation resistance were used for data collection. Findings revealed that 63.9% of residents experienced electric shocks, 45.7% encountered electrical fires, and 58.1% witnessed electrocutions. Arcing and sparking affected 78.3% of residents. Illegal connections, poor wiring, and circuit overloading were identified as the dominant causal factors. The study concludes that urgent interventions targeting electrical safety awareness, infrastructure upgrading, and regulatory enforcement are necessary to reduce electrical accidents in informal settlements.
Keywords: Electrical hazards, informal settlements, electric shock, illegal connections, earthing systems, Mathare, Kenya
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