Journal of High Institute of Public Health (Nov 2008)
Attitudes of OHS Inspectors towards Practicing Factory Inspection in Egypt
Abstract
Workplace inspection is part of a comprehensive health and safety program in which the workplace is closely examined on a regular basis of identifying and reviewing potential and actual hazards associated with equipment, tools, and industrial processes. The aim of the present study is to investigate the process of factory inspection as a tool of pertaining safety and welfare of employees in Egypt as well as to study the attitudes of inspectors who are responsible for the process of factory inspection in Egypt. The present study is conducted on 210 inspectors. 145 of them belong to different industrial, commercial, and service enterprises in Egypt and classified as group [A]. The other 65 inspectors are members of the Ministry of Labor in Egypt and classified as group [B]. Two forms of questionnaires are formed to provide personal, professional, and attitudinal data. percentages of males in group [A] inspectors (95.2%) are greatly higher than that in group [B] (46.0%). The bachelor degree in group [B] inspectors (89%) is more predominant than in group [A] inspectors (50.3%). The main source of occupational health and safety (OHS) knowledge for group [A] inspectors is the training programs (75%), while, it is the practical training or by asking seniors for group[B]. The predominant aims of inspectors are safe work environment, safe workers and mitigation of occupational hazards. Some of job descriptions are identical. There are significant variation between the two groups of inspectors in how they evaluate work environment, (P=0.00001*). Only 78% and 91% of groups [A] and [B] inspectors, respectively know the Egyptian Labor Law No.12/2003. In case of danger, 73% of group [A] and 72% of group [B] inspectors take action(s) coincide with their responsibilities as informing management. There is non-significant variation between their opinion regarding the importance of the field of OHS and environment. Factory inspection is an important tool in assisting OHS programs. Efforts should be directed to enrich knowledge of inspectors continuously. Legislative knowledge is also needed. Inspectors should be continuously encouraged and supported from all involved authorities; this will help them do perfectly. Employers should be encouraged to fulfill the requirements of OHS programs.
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