Ohs training and skills in the manufacturing industry: The Zimbabwean perspective.

Abstract

Occupational health and safety (OHS) is a serious issue worldwide across different industries, with an estimated 400 million employees sustaining occupational injuries annually, whereas approximately 3 million workers worldwide succumb to occupational accidents or work-related ailments annually. As such, competent OHS professionals with expertise are required to supervise OHS issues to avoid or minimize work-related accidents. However, in low- and middle-income countries, little effort is focused on OHS issues, resulting in increased absenteeism, supply chain disruptions, and financial losses. Despite the presence of numerous practicing OHS professionals in Zimbabwe, there is a paucity of information on the OHS knowledge and competencies among OHS professionals, and there is no distinct qualification system for OHS professionals. Therefore, evaluating the effectiveness of OHS training and employee skills in the manufacturing industry in Zimbabwe is crucial for the sector’s long-term resilience and sustainability. This study sought to determine the level of OHS knowledge, define the qualities required for OHS professionals in Zimbabwe, identify training gaps on OHS in Zimbabwe, and determine challenges to OHS training and competency in Zimbabwe. The study employed a cross-sectional design with mixed methods by combining both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Data were collected by administering 90 questionnaires and conducting structured interviews with 12 key informants. The major qualities and knowledge required for OHS professionals were knowledge of OHS regulations and laws (61.2 %), incident investigation (51.8 %), and hazard identification and risk assessment (50.6 %). As such, most participants were trained on hazard identification and risk assessment, both attaining values of 19.0 %, whereas OHS training was mostly theoretical, using lectures (21.8 %) and workshops (21.3 %). OHS training was mainly evaluated through incident and accident analyses (22.2 %). The major challenges faced in OHS training were limited resources (14.8 %), lack of standardization (17.7 %), and measuring OHS effectiveness (14.4 %). Educational level (X2 = 20.45; p = 0.001), OHS training institution (X2 = 36.82; p = 0.012), and work experience (X2 = 22.35; p = 0.039) significantly influenced OHS knowledge of OHS professionals. In addition, attaining postgraduate education (OR = 0.467; p = 0.006, 95% CI = 3.626, 13.794) significantly influenced the OHS knowledge and qualities of OHS professionals. Moreover, being trained in OHS at BUSE (OR = 0.311; p = 0.006, 95% CI = 6.512, 18.352) and having more than 10 years of work experience (OR = 0.255; p = 0.0003, 95% CI = 2.895, 9.874) were strongly associated with OHS knowledge and quality. Therefore, it is recommended that OHS training employ more practical methods and a universal OHS training curriculum be formulated.