OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH POLICIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY STANDARDS AS PREDICTORS OF EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN THE NIGERIAN MANUFACTURING SECTOR

Abstract

Background and Aim: The importance of work in the lives of employees cannot be over-flogged; thus, the safety of the environment where their jobs are carried is crucial and serves as a principal ingredient for maximising employees’ performance. The study was anchored on the theory of reasoned action, the human factors theory and Incident theory of accident causation. Methodology: A total of 173 employees of five manufacturing organisations in Ota Area of Ogun State were selected for the study through the purposive sampling method. The data obtained from respondents were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Findings revealed that there exists a strong positive effect of occupational health policies on employee performance with (r= .909, p-value<0.05) and also, there is a strong correlation between environmental safety standards and employees performance with (r=0.915, p-value<0.05). Conclusion: The study concluded that the manufacturing industry is expected to constitute and inaugurate a safety committee to take charge of issues bordering on health and safety; therefore, ensuring the right storage procedures of inflammable liquids and other dangerous materials and arming employees with enough information and insight on the risks inherent in their jobs through education and periodic trainings would help in minimizing accidents in the workplace.