DHR 501 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT GROUP ASSIGNMENT HEALTH AND SAFETY AT THE WORK PLACE A CASE OF KENYA

MARITIME AUTHORITY

Introduct on Occupational safety and health is a multi-disciplinary area that is concerned with the safety, health and welfare of people at the workplace. From the perspective of secondary effect, it could also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, supporters, nearby communities and other members of public affected by workplace environment. Armstrong (2 !" contends that achievement of the highest standard of safety and health at workplaces is critical to eliminate or at least minimi#e safety and health ha#ards and risks. $his re%uirement is a moral, economic and legal responsibility of employers. From a moral perspective, managers undertake accident prevention measures on purely humanitarian grounds to reduce incidents of pain and suffering among workers and their families. &econdly, they take prevention measures for legal reasons owing to the e'istence of laws covering occupational safety and health. Finally, there are economic reasons for being safety conscious since the e'pense of accidents to the organi#ation is usually e'orbitant. Occupational &afety and (ealth (O&(" has become a global concern for employers, workers and national governments. )espite global efforts to address O&( concerns, it is estimated that 2 million work related fatalities still occur every year (*+O, 2 that affect workers every year (/arksnen, 2 year due to occupational accidents and diseases. *n 7enya, prior to the enactment of the O&( Act, (2 chapter has since ;une 2 8", matters of O&( were covered under 8". $he O&( Act is an Act of ,". *n addition, there are more than -- million occupational accidents and .! million work related diseases 0". $he *+O estimates that more than 1..22 trillion, which is e%uivalent to 03 of the world4s 5ross )omestic 6roduct (5)6", is lost each

the factories and other places of 9ork, Act (.,82", :hapter 2.0 of the laws of 7enya. $his < been replaced by the O&( Act (2 6arliament that provides for the safety, health and welfare of workers and all persons lawfully present at workplaces. $he mandate to enforce compliance with the provisions of O&( Act at workplaces is vested upon the )irector of Occupational &afety and (ealth &ervices.

Occupational &afety and (ealth issues have not only become a global concern for employers, workers and national governments, but are also of ma=or concern to managers of organi#ations. /anagers are accountable for any shortcomings at the workplace and therefore recogni#e that it is in their economic interest to create safe working practices (>ell, .,<." and comply with occupational safety and health regulations. *t is estimated that the worker spends about one third of his?her time at the workplace (&akari, .,,.". )uring this time, he?she is e'posed to various ha#ards including accidents, noise, dust, vibrations, heat and harsh chemicals among others (7enei, .,,2". $he Occupational &afety and (ealth Act (2 8" has various provisions f or the safety, health and welfare of workers and all persons lawfully present at workplaces in 7enya. $he Act has provision for creation of the )irectorate of Occupational (ealth and &afety &ervices ()O(&&" with the principal ob=ective of promotion and enforcement of occupational safety and health regulations at workplaces. )espite the fact that the 5overnment of 7enya has put in place legislations to safeguard the safety and health of workers, the number of accidents at workplaces has continued to increase (/utemi, 2 2".

$he *+O :onstitution sets forth the principle that workers should be protected from sickness, disease and in=ury arising from their employment. Occupational safety and health is an area concerned with protecting the safety health and welfare of people engaged in a given organi#ation and its surrounding environment. $his involves taking caution and measures of avoiding or reducing the negative effects resulting from the operations of the organi#ation to its environment either directly or indirectly. &afety is the protection against physical, social, spiritual, financial, emotional, occupational psychological educational or other types or conse%uences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be considered non- desirable. *t can also be described as the control of recogni#ed ha#ards to achieve an acceptable level of risk. (ealth is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. @mployees4 health is concerned with health ha#ards that slowly and cumulatively (often irreversible" lead to deterioration of health or even end to disability.

An Occupational (ealth and &afety /anagement &ystem (O(&/&" is a frame work that allows an organi#ation to consistently identify and control its health and safety risks, reduce the potential for accidents, help achieve compliance with health and safety legislation and continually improve its performance.

C!u"#" o$ H#!%t& H!'!rd" $ypical causes are physical and biological ha#ards, to'ics, carcinogen dust and chemical, stressful work conditions which might lead to cancer, poisoning respiratory diseases, cyclonical disorders like depression. 6hysical causes might include fallsA poor protective clothing like eye protection, safety footwear overalls, sharp ob=ects, machines, confined spaces, noise, e'treme temperatures, vibrating machines etc. A biological ha#ard includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, and tuberculosis. :hemical ha#ards include acids, bases, heavy metals, solvents. 6sychological ha#ards are related to the way work is designed, organi#ed and managed as well as how economic and social conte'ts of work are associated with psychiatric, psychological and or physical in=ury or illness. $his might also be brought about by, e'cessive working time or overwork, violence, burnout and e'posure to unhealthy conditions. C!u"#" o$ (or) r#%!t#d !cc d#nt" * %%n#""+ T!") r#%!t#d+ $ask itself e.g mining +ifts or heavy machines Badiation

Wor) n, cond t on"+ 6oorly designed and inade%uately serviced machines )angerous chemical gases in the work environment @'cessive working hours Coise +ack of proper lighting and boredom

N!tur# o$ #-.%o/##" Accident repeaters

+ack of psychomotor and perceptual skills *mpulsive employees and easily bored

Go0#rn-#nt+ +egislation *mplementation and follow up

/anagement goals @mployer4s interest in ma'imi#ation of profits at the e'pense of safety and health environment $hey give better compensation to employees for the risk of health ha#ard e'posure

K#n/! M!r t -# Aut&or t/ 7enya /aritime Authority (7/A" was set up in ;une 2 0 as the semi-autonomous agency in !

charge of regulatory oversight over the 7enyan maritime industry. $he statutes that guide the operations of 7enya /aritime Authority are the 7enya /aritime Authority Act, Co.2 of 2 and the /erchant &hipping Act 2 in 7/A Act 2 ! is Dto regulate, co-ordinate and oversee maritime affairsE. ,. $he mandate of 7enya /aritime Authority as provided for

7/A seeks to strengthen maritime administration in 7enya through enhancement of regulatory and institutional capacities for maritime safety and security, to foster effective implementation of international maritime conventions and other mandatory instruments on safety, security, promote maritime training, &earch and Bescue, pollution prevention and the preservation of the marine environment as well as promote trade facilitation and maritime investments. 7/A therefore strives to provide a safe environment for the development of shipping programs in order to enhance the safety and security of life and property at sea, the preservation of the marine

environment while at the same time playing a significant role in the development and growth of the national and regional economy. $he organi#ation has its (ead Office in /ombasa, /oi Avenue, at 9hite (ouse >uilding. *t also has got branches in 7isumu and +amu. $he team visited the organi#ation with a view of establishing on how the organi#ation manages the health and safety matters. $he team established that 7/A established a (ealth and &afety policy in February 2 . .$his forms the basis of handling all matters to do with healthy and safety in the institution. A summari#ed version of the policy, which gives the key highlights, is displayed at the reception for all the visitors and staff. $he main purpose for establishing the policy was to protect the employees, contractors, customers and any member of the public who might be affected by the operation of the institution. $his was also in compliance withF a" Occupational &afety and (ealth Act (2 c" 6est :ontrol Act d" >uilding?:onstruction regulation e" 6ublic health Act f" $raffic Act $he policy is reviewed regularly in order to align it with changes in the legal, regulatory and working environments. T&# -! n o12#ct 0# o$ t&# .o% c/ "+ .. Bisk reductionF to prevent in=ury and loss due to damage 2. *dentify health and safety ha#ards and manage those ha#ards so that the risks are effectively controlled -. Achieve safety standards which are in line with statutory re%uirements and reflects good working practices 0. :ontinuously review the standard in line with changes in Occupational &afety and (ealth Administration (O&(A", industry practice and technology Act on T!)#n 1/ M!n!,#-#nt 8"

b" @nvironment management and :o-ordination Act

.. @mployees from different section and departments are selected and trained on safety and healthy issues in work place 2. $here4s is a continuous monitoring by the (ealth and safety committee appointed by the )irector 5eneral -. Begular internal audits are conducted to confirm compliance by all staff and the organi#ation 0. All employees have copy of the policy and are sensiti#ed regularly by those trained 2. Occasionally engage (ealthy and &afety environment e'perts to provide competent advice and audits !. $here is an emergency plan =ust in case any risk occurs T&# r ")" d#nt $ #d (#r#+ .. Fire 2. @'plosion -. @pidemics 0. &ystem and e%uipment failure 2. &ecurity breach !. Catural disasters. $he emergency plan sets out the plan of action, staff involved, relevant emergency contacts and resources to use to mitigate the risk. St!$$ n0o%0#d $he Authority has got the following positions to handle safety issuesF a" &afety Officer-&enior officer in charge of safety, health and environment matters on day to day basis. b" &afety supervisors-Offer oversight power of promotion, implementation and enforcement of safety measures and safety culture within the work place. $he safety measures put in place are mainly toF .. /inimi#e in=ury, loss of life and damage to property 2. @nsure restoration of affected facilities and services -. 6rovide a framework for mobili#ing and deploying ade%uate manpower and e%uipment to respond to emergency.

0. $o promote disaster awareness and preparedness to ensure timely and effective response to emergency through simulated drills e'ercise. 2. $o enhance the national and international status of 7/A as a world class /aritime Administration. M#!"ur#" .ut n .%!c# .. :leanliness is observed in the building and its environment 2. +itter bins are provided in designated places -. $here is no indiscriminate disposal of waste within the premises 0. Co construction of unauthori#ed structures in the premise 2. Co pollution of land or atmosphere within premise or surrounding !. Co interference or destruction of flora growth 8. Co hawking in the premise <. &anitary facilities are not misused ,. 6ersonal hygiene is adhered to . . $he premise is a no-smoking area ... All assets are maintained in good condition and are regularly inspected F nd n," a" $here is no overcrowding in the office b" $here is ade%uate lighting in the office both natural and electrical c" $here is ade%uate ventilation and air-conditioning within the premises d" (ot plate or cookers are restricted in the premise (kitchen" e" Co smoking was observed for staff and visitors within the office premises f" At close of business all electrical appliance are switched off and cross checked by staff on duty h" All emergency e'it are clearly marked and no obstruction i" *t was also observed that fire e'tinguishers, for different types of fires, are located at vantage points and are regularly inspected as re%uired =" $here is big water tank to ensure uninterrupted flow of water for wash rooms and fighting fire k" $he building is fitted with fire alarm and fire detectors to alert incase of fire l" $here is first aid kit at the reception with re%uired component as per regulation

m" $he team was given the list of staff trained in First Aid. *n each floor of the building, there is at least on staff trained in First Aid n" @mergency telephone numbers are available in case of any kind of eventuality o"$he building is under 20 hour surveillance from hired security guards p" $here was a fire assembly area clearly marked %" For the officers who conduct vessel inspection, special clothing (overalls, helmets and life =ackets" are provided r" $he stare cases have been fitted with metal bar for the visually impaired visitors and staff s" )oors and windows are fitted with grills t" $he :ompany carries out regular fumigation e'ercise to kill crawling insects and rodents v" $here are ade%uate washrooms, sufficiently e%uipped, on each floor of the building w" $here is a medical scheme funded by the institution for all staff '" All washrooms are fully supplied with condoms at all times

9e were also informed that there is an <-member incident command team headed by (ead /aritime &afety. $heir tasks are as followsF.. Assessing and deciding on the best method of carrying out health and safety tasks. 2. 6utting in place appropriate security measures -. )issemination of information to all affected people 0. $ransport arrangements for the people affected. 2. Availing appropriate e%uipment and gears for people involved in the rescue operation. !. (andling the media in case of an incidence 8. Gndertaking investigation to establish the cause, e'tent and circumstance surrounding the incident <. 6reparation and submission of report to the )irector 5eneral Ar#!" o$ I-.ro0#-#nt

.. &ome employees work continuously for .2 hours. $his could lead to some physical diseases and fatigue, thus impacting negatively on the productivity of employees. $he management should address the issue of shift management. 2. +oose electrical cables on the floors could endanger the safety of employees. /easures should be taken to address this problem. -. $here is need for e'ternal health and safety audits within the organi#ation. 0. &lippery floors should be to be clearly marked for safety purposes. 2. A designated smoking #one is re%uired.

R#$#r#nc#" Armstrong, /.(2 Armstrong, /.(2 !". A handbook of (uman Besource /anagementA $enth @dition, ,". A handbook of (uman resource /anagementA @leventh @dition,

7ogan 6age, +ondon, pp.<---<<-. 7ogan 6age, G.7. pp6.,2,-,<0. >ell, ;. (.,<.". An @mployee /anagement (andbookA A practical 5uide on /anaging 6eople and @mployment +awA &tanley $hornes (6ublisher" +tdA :helteaham pp. .. H ..2.

>lake, :. (.,,2". Occupational (ealth and &afety *nformation &ystems (7enya" Besearch 6ro=ect.

:astella, ;.+. (2 )essler, 5. (2

2". *ntroductory 5uide to Cational Occupational &afety and (ealth &ystems , <". (uman Besource /anagementA (..th edition". 6earson @ducation *nc, Cew

*+O, 5eneva. pp. <-22. ;ersey. 66. !-2 H !<2. *+O (.,<.". 5eneral &urvey :oncerning the Occupational &afety and (ealth :onvention (CO. .22". *+O (2 ,". 5eneral &urvey :oncerning the Occupational &afety and (ealth :onvention, .,<. (Co..22"A Beport *** (6art .>", *+:, ,<th &ession, 5eneva, pp .--.. 7enei, +.>. (.,,2". An *nvestigation of the 6robable Factors contributing to *ndustrial Accidents among /anufacturing Firms in 7enyaA An @mpirical study (Gnpublished />A Besearch 6ro=ect". Gniversity of Cairobi. /arkkanen, 6.7. (2 /utemi, ).7. (2 0". Occupational &afety and (ealth in *ndonesia, working paper ,, *+O 2". A survey of the Occupational (ealth and &afety 6rogrammes

/anila, 6hilippines pp. !-. . Adopted by :hemical /anufacturing firms in Cairobi (Gnpublished />A Besearch 6ro=ect". Gniversity of Cairobi. &akari, 9.). (.,,.". $raining on Occupational (ealth and &afety in )eveloping :ountriesA African Cewsletter on O&(, Iol. . of Co.- pp < -<2.