The Influence of Management Support in the Implementation of Occupational Safety and Health Programmes in the Manufacturing Sector in Kenya

Abstract

The dynamic business environments in which modern enterprises operate in have compelled them to embrace major changes in the area of occupational safety and health (OSH) in the manufacturing sector in Kenya. The growth in industries and the resultant complex nature of business operations over the last decade have resulted in the increase in work related hazards which have had a long term economic implication to the firms in terms of costs of production and ability to contribute to the country’s Gross national product. To counter the destructive economic effects of OSH the employers have a general duty to provide a hazard free workplace. The formulation and implementation of OSH programmes have therefore become a priority to many organizations. It is not lost to this study that the formulation and implementation of such programmes come with added responsibilities that many organizations are not ready to bear. Therefore the question; is management ready to embrace OSH changes dictated by the business environment? To answer this question, this study was undertaken to establish the influence of management support on implementation of occupational health and safety programmes in the manufacturing sector in Kenya. The study adopted descriptive research design. The design was found to be appropriate because it aided in ascertaining and describing the characteristics of the subjects and phenomena under study. The respondents of the study were occupational health and safety designates. Since each industry constituted a homogenous unit, the respondents were randomly selected. The main instrument for data collection was a structured self administered questionnaire. Out of 257 questionnaires distributed, 252 were retuned. Data analysis was done with the aid of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) window version 21. Descriptive, correlation and regression statistics were generated and interpreted. The study established that management support influenced implementation of OSH programmes and there was a significant positive relationship between management support and implementation of OSH programmes.