Occupational Safety and Health Practices In Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisations, Western Kenya Region

Abstract— The Kenya agricultural and livestock research organisation (KALRO) western region is divided into KALRO-Kakamega (non-ruminant) and KALRO-Kitale (food crops) mandated to innovate, improve technological activities that touch on the environment and the livelihood of people. Such practices should comply with occupational safety and health Act (OSHA, 2007) standards. The aim of the study was to assess safety awareness at KALRO-Western Kenya region during the months of April to June 2016. Structured questionnaires, checklist, photographs and observation tools were used for data collection and analyzed using statistical package (SPSS). Study shows that75% of the respondents in KALRO-Kakamega and 79% of the respondents in KALRO-Kitale (χ2=.187, df=1, p=.665) agreed that both institutes had safety and health policy. Respondents in KALRO-Kakamega (55%) and respondents in KALRO-Kitale (63%) (χ2=.813, df=1, p=.367) had access to such policies necessitating requirement for sensitization to access policy document. Respondents in KALRO-Kakamega(55%) and respondents in KALRO-Kitale (52%) (χ2=9.482, df=4, p=.050) indicated that only qualified service engineers maintained machines and equipment. The respondents in both KARLO institutions read labels before using the chemicals KARLO Kakamega 88.7% and KARLO-Kitale 84.2% (χ2=.511, df=1, p=.475).Compliance to Safe work procedure as per institution (KALRO-Kakamega 70%, KALRO-Kitale 63%) (χ2=.570, df=1, p=.450). From the research findings, there were no significant differences in predictor factors for safety awareness at both KALRO-Kakamega and KALRO-Kitale. Training of workers to identify, classify and quantify hazards should be enhanced at the two institutes in order to raise their safety awareness levels as per (OSHA, 2007) standards