The contribution of occupation health and safety to the welfare of public service workers of Tanzania: The case of Sengerema district
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Date
2015
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Publisher
Mzumbe University
Abstract
This study aimed at assessing the contribution of occupational health and safety policy to the welfare of public service workers in Tanzania: The Case of Sengerema District, the study was conducted in Sengerema district in Mwanza Region where by Sengerema district council and TANESCO branch were studies. The study employed a sample of 133 respondents where by various data collection strategies were used. These included questionnaires, interviews, observation and
documentary review. Respondents were public service employees and their employers, Trade Union Representatives, Officers from Commission for Mediation and Arbitration, Officers from OSHA Lake zone, labour officers and heads of TANESCO Sengerema Branch and Sengerema District council. Qualitative and quantitative methods (numerical and description) were used in analyzing data. Table and figure were used in presenting the data. The study revealed that the public service is more confronted by occupational diseases than occupational accidents. It was noted that the invisible nature of occupational health has made workers in the service unconscious and silent. This in turn has resulted into
minimal compliance of occupational health and safety policy in the public service particularly Sengerema district council, few resources allocation for its implementation and enforcement, lack of monitoring and control from the responsible entities and provision of measly money given as compensations to accident victims. Again practice in the study area shows that lack of safety culture has put employers at safe side since workers neither do point directly that they are affected by occupational diseases, nor do they demand OHS. Economic factor was found to be the major factor for employer‟s negligence of Occupational health and safety. Poor or ineffective occupational health and safety programs in the public service resulted from the governments realization of the costs of OHS services to the state. It is recommended that payment of occupational health and safety compensations be assigned to the National health insurance Fund
which has resources from statutory contributions done by both employers and employees. The researcher sees an option taken by employers of neglecting OHS as desperate and that it cannot bring development.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the School of Public Administration and Management in partial fulfilment of the requirement for degree of Masters of Science in Human Resource Management of Mzumbe University
Keywords
Occupation health, Public service worker, Welfare of workers-Tanzania
Citation
APA