An Evaluation of Factors Influencing Occupational Safety in a Small Island Developing State During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Jun 1, 2022 | Views:208695 |
Print Version
Office of Research, Impact and Postgraduate Studies
presents
An evaluation of factors influencing occupational safety in a small island developing state during the COVID-19 pandemic
byMs. Amna Imamshah
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is considered to be at the core of organisational sustainability. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic era, OHS and Sustainable Development (SD) became critical issues concerning organisations of all sizes. These two issues are highly interrelated and have been addressed via the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), OHS is directly impacting SDG 3, which aims to secure healthy lives and promote the wellbeing of all people of all ages. In particular, the sub-target 3.9 will attempt to "substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination" by 2030.OHS is generally defined as the science of anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of hazards arising in and from the workplace that could impair the health and wellbeing of workers, taking into account the possible impact on the surrounding communities and the general environment. Accordingly, "…human beings are at the centre of concern for sustainable development".
The goal of this study was to evaluate the factors that influence occupational safety in a small island developing state (SIDS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Firstly, this research seeks to identify the OHS conditions and practices experienced by the workforce in different industrial sectors. Secondly, this research will analyse the influence of safety-related antecedents on safety outcomes. The third objective of the study is to evaluate the relative contribution of each set of variables on safety performance after controlling for the other variables.
A cross-sectional survey design is used to identify the present OHS conditions and practices. Using SPSS, correlational analysis and hierarchical regression analysis will be conducted. The findings from the survey will show whether or not the antecedents of safety performance can be reconfirmed for a SIDS in the Caribbean, and will add quantitative data to the existing research. This can be applied to future theory, research, and practice in occupational safety, improving policies and regulations, leading to better risk management, contributing to economic development, and advancing Trinidad and Tobago's national sustainable development goals.
Wednesday 1st June, 2022 at 1:00 p.m.
Ms. AMNA IMAMSHAH earned a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Physics from the University of the West Indies (UWI), with minors in Environmental Science and Materials Science. The pursuit of knowledge has always intrigued her. For her final year B.Sc., she collaborated with UWI and Petrotrin on a project titled "Reservoir Simulation,". She investigated existing models for steam flooding and cyclic steaming to design a worksheet for forecasting and optimising oil production in a thermal recovery scheme. She was inspired to teach and accepted a post as an instructor at The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) in 2005, where she taught physics-related courses.
She earned a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Occupational Health, Safety, and Environment from The University of Greenwich in 2009, with a dissertation titled "Safety climate: A validity and reliability assessment and its correlation to occupational accidents in Trinidad and Tobago." She is also an Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) graduate member. Ms. Imamshah has developed and delivered training on hydrocarbon process safety, environmental safety, emergency response, and contingency planning for UTT-facilitated operator training programmes.
Ms. Imamshah is currently employed at UTT as an Instructor II, where she teaches multilevel, multicampus Health and Safety, and Environmental Safety courses across a wide range of disciplines. Throughout her career, she has volunteered with non-profit organisations dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth in our community. She is currently completing her Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in Environmental Studies.
More Results
