MANUFACTURING COMPANIES' COMPLIANCE WITH THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND WELFARE ACT 1997: THE CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED, LAHER BAKERY AND HISCO LIMITED IN BLANTYRE

Abstract

This study analyzed manufacturing industries’ compliance with the occupational safety, health and welfare legislations in Blantyre city in Malawi. Contemporary studies have revealed that, in Malawi, there are no systematic studies in the manufacturing sectors’ safety and health management system and this poses a huge obstacle to policy makers when it comes to accessing reliable information necessary for dealing with culprits of the violation of occupational safety, health and welfare legislations in the country (The Malawi OSH Profile 2009).This study was a deliberate attempt to bridge the alleged gap of limited information in the manufacturing sectors’ health and safety management systems and, consequently, beef up the body of existing literature within the industrial relations discipline both in Malawi and beyond the national frontiers. The study targeted three manufacturing firms in Blantyre City namely; Universal Industries Limited, Laher Bakery and Hisco Limited. This study used a cross sectional design. Interviews and the use of archival sources such as company files and newspapers were the two main methods used for data collection. One of the limitations of this study was that it targeted only three manufacturing firms which makes it difficult to generalize the results with much certainty and precision. Empirical evidence of this study revealed that the three manufacturing industries in Malawi were not fully committed and dedicated to adhere to the OSH laws because their health and safety management systems were haphazardly planned and executed. If the government machinery through the Ministry of Labour does not put in place viable and sound strategies to arrest the problem at hand, we should anticipate increased cases of avoidable industrial incidents, injuries, diseases and fatalities in Malawi, let alone, an overwhelmingly growing number of employers who continue to cut corners when it comes to compliance with OSH legislations.