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Proceedings of the 9 Symposium on Applied Science, Business & Industrial Research – 2017
ISSN 2279-1558, ISBN 978-955-7442-09-9

A Study on Employee Satisfaction on Occupational Safety and Health in
Apparel Industry

Kaushalya KA, Appuhamy PADAN
Department of Mathematical Sciences, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka
amanda.kaushalya@gmail.com
ABSTRACT

The apparel industry is one of the leading segments of the Sri Lankan economy and
the largest source of foreign exchange earnings for Sri Lanka. The good health and safety
conditions at the work place could improve the factory performance leading to a greater
productivity and less absenteeism due to job related illness and diseases. Occupational
Safety and Health (OSH) is good for business as well as a legal and social obligation.
Enterprises appreciate that OSH prevents people from being harmed or made ill through
work, but it is also an essential part of a successful business. The main objectives of the
study are to identify major safety issues in ABC Company and to investigate employee
satisfaction level on OSH. The study revealed that the major accidents in this apparel
industry were knocking, falling and cutting. Almost all employees are satisfied with the
prevailing safety and health practices except rewarding system for safe workers. Finally,
some possible alternative safety practices were suggested to reduce the OSH issues in this
Company to some extent.

KEYWORDS: Apparel industry, OSH, Satisfaction
occur in the apparel and construction
1 INTRODUCTION
industries in Sri Lanka. In general, accidents
Sri Lanka’s apparel export industry is at work occur either due to lack of
the most significant and dynamic contributor knowledge or training, a lack of supervision,
for Sri Lanka’s economy. The industry has or a lack of means to carry out the task
enjoyed epic growth levels over the past safely, or alternatively, due to an error of
four decades and Sri Lanka’s primary judgment, carelessness, apathy or downright
foreign exchange earner accounting to 40% reckless.
of the total exports and 52% of industrial According to the accident data of ABC
products export. The apparel indusry Company the number of accidents in 2016
provides direct employment opportunities to is higher than the number of accidents in
over 300 000 and 600 000 indirectly (Sri
Lanka Export Development Board, 2017). 2015 except the months January, July and
September. Total number of accidents in
Eventhough country enjoys massive 2015 was 725 and the total number of
economic growth , there are numerous accidents in 2016 was 874.
health and safety issues associated with the
apparel industry. These include: chemical As there is an significant increase in
exposure from the processing and dyeing of the total number of accidents in 2016, the
materials; exposure to cotton and other company was unable to achieve some of
organic dusts, which can affect the throat their expected business targets. Because the
and lungs; musculoskeletal stress; noise effect of a single accident can have far
exposure, which can lead to hearing loss; reaching and debilitating impact on the
temperature and ventilation, which can lead business. If an employee is injured on the
to fatigue and dehydration if temperature is job, it costs the company in lost work hours,
too high; and working hours and breaks, increased insurance rates, workers’
including access to food, drinks and sanitary compensation premiums and possible
facilities. According to the International litigation . At the same time productivity is
Labor Organization (ILO) most of accidents

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