Assessment of the occupational safety and health practices in vehicle body manufacturing industry in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

The manufacturing sector employs more than 1.5 billion people globally and Kenya more than 300,000 are engaged in this industry. Vehicle body manufacturing is a section of this sector and involves the fabrication of buses and truck bodies that are used to transport passenger and goods. The growing need for transporting passengers, schoolchildren, and goods has increased vehicle production demands, often compromising worker safety and health in the process. The vehicle body manufacturing process involves metal fabrication of the frames, cutting and moulding of metal sheet, welding of the metal panels onto the chassis frames, spray painting, developing upholstery, fitting of electrical system and final finish. This study focused on assessment of OSH practices in the vehicle body manufacturing companies in Nairobi and identified interventions. It examined the hazards, the effects of these on employees, their knowledge and attitude, the workers’ awareness to OSH regulations, factors that influence compliance and challenges faced in implementing OSH regulations. The study was done by sampling of vehicle body manufacturing firms based in Nairobi. Data was gathered from 260 workers across four companies using questionnaires, which captured both qualitative and quantitative information. The responses were then analyzed in terms of frequencies, percentages, and chi-square tests. Additionally, a hazard analysis checklist was employed. All statistical processing was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The hazards identified were physical, chemical, electrical, biological and psychosocial. Results indicated physical hazards (53.9%) which are arc welding glare, noise from cutting and grinding machines, falling objects and oil spillage, chemical hazards (17.1%) that consists of paint spraying, thinners and body filler. Workers were affected by injuries on their hands (69%), knowledge on OSH practices (76.9%). On factors influencing compliance to OSH regulations education level, hazard presence, involvement in accident, training on OSH and prevention measures had a positive significant correlation. Challenges that hindered implementation of OSH regulations were lack of and limited use of PPE (37.3%), inadequate supervision (32.5%). Policy recommendations drawn from the study were that vehicle body manufactLu"ing finns mitigate on the hazards by implementing administrative and engineering controls, isolation and substitution, use of adequate and appropriate PPE as well as enhance supervision on OSH practices. ln addition the companies availability and ease of access to OSH procedures, policy development, use of signage and provide continuous training