Investigating Workplace Safety Programs in a Chemical Industry in Africa

Abstract

Safety is a critical component in any organisation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety culture of a chemical industry in Africa. This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 124 employees from South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire via online programme (QuestionPro). The majority of the respondents were satisfied with the overall organisational culture, workplace condition and the support provided by management to ensure employee safety within the organisation. The respondents attested to a positive safety climate, although some felt that it would be of benefit to recognise and reward safety performance. Employee awareness of ImproChem’s safety standards and the level of compliance were also satisfactory. More focus can be directed to increasing individual hazard recognition and elimination to ensure “No harm to anyone ever”.