Assessment of the impact of occupational health and safety programmes on employee productivity of manufacturing firms in western province, Kenya

Makori EM,  Thuo JK, Kiongera FN,  Muchilwa D

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology

Corresponding author E-mail: makoriemm@yahoo.com

Accepted 25 June 2012

Abstract

Occupational health and safety continues to be one of the most critical but highly criticized issues within the discipline of Human Resource Management. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of health and safety programmes on employee productivity of manufacturing firms in Western Kenya. The study presents the results on an empirical study conducted. The study utilized a convenient sample by using all manufacturing firms in Western Kenya. Content validity and reliability of the research instruments were done through test retest method using one of the manufacturing firms which was not included in the final analysis. Reliability coefficient yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.88. The data from all the manufacturing firms was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistical tools like Pearson correlation, simple regression and one way ANOVA. The study findings revealed a positive but less significant relationship between occupational health and safety programmes and employee productivity of manufacturing firms. This indicated that OHSP were not efficient in the organizations studied, thus, affecting employee productivity of firms in terms of attitude, commitment, compliance, meeting goals, safety guard tampering, stress level, burnout, aggressiveness, absenteeism and sickness. Management of firms must put in place policies and structures for improving occupational health and safety. Organizations should put in place active health and safety committees which should be given mandate to implement their recommendations. Everyone in the organization should follow the laid down policies, rules and safety precautions to reduce accidents. The study results provide vital information to managers, researchers and academicians on the significance of occupational health and safety in business organizations.

Keywords: Occupational Health and Safety Programmes, Hazards and Employee Productivity.