Assessing OHS risk perception of workers in the food industry: a case of bakers inn manufacturing Harare
- Author
- Mwanyepedza, Zanele
- Title
- Assessing OHS risk perception of workers in the food industry: a case of bakers inn manufacturing Harare
- Abstract
- This study examines Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) risk perceptions among workers at Bakers Inn Bread Manufacturing in Harare, Zimbabwe. Despite the presence of OHS training programs, incidents persist, highlighting a gap in how employees perceive workplace hazards. The study justifies the need for targeted awareness interventions by assessing the relationship between OHS risk perception and accident rates. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. The study population included 270 workers, with a stratified random sample of 30 participants for the survey and 10 purposively selected for interviews. Data were collected using Likert-scale questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and regression analysis, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. Key findings indicate that overall OHS awareness is moderate, with significant variation by experience, education level, and department. Higher awareness correlated with more experience and tertiary education. Departments like Transport and IT showed high awareness, while Production and Maintenance lagged behind. Chi-square results showed statistically significant associations between awareness and demographics. Accident data revealed that departments with lower awareness such as Production and Sales recorded higher incident rates. Regression analysis confirmed a strong inverse relationship between risk perception and accident rates (R² = 0.9346), emphasizing the role of risk awareness in improving workplace safety.
- Date
- June 2025
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)
- Bakers Inn
- Supervisor
- Mr Nhokovedzo
- Media
-
Mwanyepedza - SHEM.pdf