Impact of safety measures on occupational accidents among cast iron foundry workers

Abstract

The cast iron foundry industry is highly vulnerable to occupational accidents due to various contributing factors. This study is an attempt to pinpoint the major risk factors for workplace accidents among foundry workers in the cast iron foundry industry, Kegalle district, Sri Lanka. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship between selected three independent variables (use of personal protective equipment (PPE), safety training, and management commitment) and their impact on occupational accidents. Data was collected from 117 foundry workers using the convenience sampling method and analyzed through the SPSS software package. The findings reveal that the use of PPE and safety training have a weak negative correlation with occupational accidents indicating a modest protective effect. On the other hand, management commitment shows a strong negative relationship with occupational accidents, highlighting its crucial role in enhancing workplace safety. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the significance of management commitment in reducing occupational accidents and suggests that while PPE and safety training contribute to safety, their impact is comparatively smaller. These insights call for increased focus on managerial practices to foster a safer working environment in the cast iron foundry industry.