Occupational Risks and Their Potential Impact on Employees’ Health in Kenya Tea Development Agency’s Managed Factories

Abstract

The study was conducted within KTDA managed tea factories in Kenya to study occupational risks and their potential impact on employees’ health. The specific objectives included: examining the effect of injuries on employees’ health, assessing the effect of noise on employees’ health, establishing the effect of carcinogenic agents on employees’ health, evaluating the effect of airborne particles on employees’ health as well as determining the effect of ergonomic risks on employees’ health. The study adopted explanatory research design. The study targeted 1500 workers; simple random sampling was used in identifying the sample size. Secondary data was collected from numerous authoritative sources including online journals, published articles, and books. Data was also gathered using questionnaires that were edited, coded, categorized, and presented in a methodical manner to permit accurate analysis. The generation of outputs was achieved using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Tools of inferential and descriptive statistics were used to conduct data analysis. Reliability test was carried out using Cronbach’s alpha test. The study model’s predictive power was established using multiple regression analysis. Presentation of the findings was done in form of charts, summarized tables with percentage scores, statistical mean and standard deviation together with outputs of inferential statistics. As a result, the study found out that injuries (0.011 ≤ p-value ≤ 0.05), noise (0.010 ≤ p-value ≤ 0.05) and ergonometric risks (0.001 ≤ p-value ≤ 0.05) were the occupational risks that had statistically significant impact on employees’ health among KTDA managed tea factories in Kenya. Carcinogenic agents (0.072 ≤ p-value ≤ 0.05) and airborne particles (0.618 ≤ p-value ≤ 0.05) were found to be statistically insignificant. The study recommended that there be a provision for a proactive process to help management find and fix workplace hazards before workers are hurt, guidelines on the assessment and management of noise risks be provided, mechanisms are put in place that ensure reduction in high dose or accidental exposure, protect employees from high degree of exposure to organic and non-organic dust while ensuring provision of fitting face masks as well as ensure successful implementation of ergonomic solutions among others.