Relationship between Occupational Safety and Health, and staff satisfaction in the Water Service Industry in Kisumu County - Kenya.

The study sought to determine the relationship between occupational safety and health, and staff satisfaction in the Kenyan Kisumu County Water Service industry. The study utilized a descriptive research design. The target population consisted of employees of Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company (KIWASCO) and Lake Victoria South Water Service Board (LVSWSB) working in water treatment works, waste water treatment plants and construction sites. From population of 410, Sample size was determined using standard formula by Fisher (1983). Since the population was <10,000, the formula by Mugenda & Mugenda, (2003) was applied and 81 number of Questionnaires used to obtain primary data finally analyzed using quantitative techniques. A simple random sampling was employed to draw the respondents from each site and self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to acquire data. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21. Frequencies and percentages were obtained and correlations done using Spearman’s correlation coefficients. On the respondents organizations, majority at 57(75%) worked at KIWASCO, 12(15.79%) worked at LVSWSB while the minority at 7(9.21%) worked at GULF. Preponderance of the respondents at 61(80.3%) were males while the least at 15(19.7%) females. Most of the respondents at 28(36.6%) were between 29-39 years of age while the same number of respondents forming the minority at 24(31.6%) were both between 18-28 years and 40-50 years of ages. Preponderance of the respondents at 61(80.3%) had attained college level of education as their highest, 9(11.8%) attained secondary while the minority at 6(7.9%) had attained primary level of education as their highest. On the number of years worked for the organization, majority at 27(35.5%) had worked for 4 years, 24(31.6%) had worked 1 year, 15(19.7%) had worked for 3 years while the least number of respondents at 10 (13.2%) had worked for 2 years for their organization. Preponderance of the respondents at 49(64.5%) stated that water supply was their nature of work, 14(18.4%) stated construction as their nature of work while the minority at 13(17.1%) stated waste water as their nature of work. The study analyzed the relationship between occupational safety and health management practices and work environment using Spearman’s rho coefficient, CL=95%. Logistic regression analysis was done to ascertain the relationship between the dependent and the independent variables pulled together but holding the rest constant each time. It was established that there is a significant strong positive relationship between occupational safety and health management practices and the work environment, r (76)= 0.690 ** p=0.000. There is therefore a direct proportionality between occupational safety and health and work environment; hence direct impact on staff perception/ satisfaction that finally affect staff performance in the water sector industry. This study recommends that managements should improve on the occupational safety and health in the workplace. This would improve safety culture and the staff perception on the work environment for optimal productivity in the service sectors