Community Development and mainstreaming of Occupational Health and Safety in Kenya.

Abstract

As there has been less activity regarding risk education to date at university level, and because it presents some special challenges, related to the autonomy of universities and the types of teaching methods traditionally used, the sharing of experiences and resources at the university level is particularly important. This paper focuses on the risk education, challenges and identifies what seem to be the more successful approaches that can be taken. Seeing occupational safety and health as a fundamental human right will ensure that the vulnerable workers mostly women, the poor and the children and forming the largest population of the working class get the basic knowledge of hazards, personal protection and that they do not work for long hours in unsafe conditions without health care or insurance covers. For occupational safety and health to attain the status of a basic human right for all workers, there is a need to ensure that the working environment protects and promotes occupational safety and health. However, professionals entering the workforce also need risk education in order to develop the necessary OSH skills, knowledge and attitudes. This need is more evident for architects and civil engineers who will have legal duties regarding the design, planning and execution of construction projects. But if OSH is truly to become an integral part of business management in all sizes of organizations, then all future managers and professionals need relevant risk education, not just those who will work in high risk sectors. The research is thus significant to health professionals who need to enter their careers having a clear understanding of occupational health.