Evaluating a safety culture at a power generating organisation: case of Zimbabwe Power Company
- Author
- Chikomwe, Alistair
- Title
- Evaluating a safety culture at a power generating organisation: case of Zimbabwe Power Company
- Abstract
-
Background: Safety culture is considered robust where beliefs and activities in an organisation are positive and shared, thus a reduction in chances of incidents. Workers continue to die from unsafe and unhealthy working environments which is a cause for concern: Do workers know, and have positive attitudes and good practices on safety?
Objective: The study determined perceived factors for establishing a safety culture and associated impacts at a power generating organisation in Zimbabwe. The knowledge, attitudes and practices of workers were determined.
Methods and materials: A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken by administering 52 closed-ended questionnaires and conducting two in-depth face-to-face interviews with key informants. A survey was done on workers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) on safety culture, and a SWOT analysis was used to categorise reported impacts of establishing it.
Key findings: Improving productivity (45%) and compliance with regulation (30%) were the most self-reported motivational factors to establishing a safety culture. Participants had good knowledge (score: 77.6%), positive attitudes (score: 75.5%) and adequate practices (score: 71.1%) towards safety culture. The main challenges reported were insufficient resources (40.4%) and poor communication (25%). SWOT analysis indicated main impacts to include compliance (strength), resource-intensive (weakness), improved customer satisfaction (opportunity) and economic challenges (threat).
Conclusion: Establishing a safety culture requires careful planning to engage all stakeholders and gain management commitment. Understanding of employees’ KAP informs organisational safety policy and practice, and helps to establish training needs.
Key terms: attitudes, energy organisation; knowledge and practices; occupational health and
Safety; safety culture
- Date
- 2023
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Occupational health and safety
- Safety culture
- Supervisor
- Dr Kanda, A
- Item sets
- Department of Environmental Sciences
- Media
-
Chikomwe - SHEM.pdf
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