Factors affecting OHS practices in private universities: An empirical study from Bangladesh

Abstract

Both production and service industries believe that occupational health and safety (OHS) practices are important for quality assurance of products/services. Unlike many other industries where production process and service receivers remain isolated, the production and consumption of university services are directly concomitant; quality of education is affected by OHS measures. An incident, due to lack of safety practices, in a university would have an adverse effect on nation's present and future.However, although have been examined in various industries, OHS research in academic institutes is comparatively limited. More specifically, the overall OHS status of the universities in developing countries is sufficient to shock any parent; similarly, research in this domain is rare. Reducing this literature gap, the current study takes an initiative that investigates the antecedents of OHS adoption in private universities in Bangladesh. Applying quantitative research method we used PLS-based structural equation modeling (SEM). The empirical results find that regulatory pressure, top management commitment, and social factors directly and positively influence university's intention to adopt OHS measures. Going further, top management commitment is reflected by formal policy, formal training, and encouragement. This research contributes significant knowledge to OHS literature while develop guidelines for the practitioners including government agencies, university management, and opinion leaders. We concluded with the limitation of the current study and promising a future research in this context.

Safety Climate and Safety Behavior in the Laboratory among University Students / Iklim Keselamatan dan Gelagat Selamat di dalam Makmal dalam Kalangan Pelajar Universiti

“…Dalam abad ke-21, isu berkaitan keselamatan dan kesihatan pekerjaan menjadi agenda penting dalam mengurus sesebuah organisasi termasuk organisasi pendidikan. Ini kerana, mengurus keselamatan dan kesihatan pekerjaan yang cekap dan berkesan dapat meningkatkan kualiti dan kesedaran terhadap aspek-aspek keselamatan pekerjaan serta gelagat selamat (Hossain, Hossain, Tarannum, & Chowdhury, 2015). Selain itu, masalah dan punca kelemahan keselamatan dan kesihatan pekerjaan juga dapat dikenal pasti (Hon, Chan, & Yam, 2014).…”

Understanding the success of private universities

“…Generally speaking, public universities possess high reputation and are tuition free; therefore, they are the obvious choice for most students. Here, students consider higher education a privilege and do not care about the service facility such as health and safety (Hossain et al , 2015). “Right” is related to payment; students are customers since “they fund their own educational experience at greater expense” (Angell et al , 2008, p. 237).…”

Workplace Injury and the Failing Academic Body: A Testimony of Pain

“…Research of employees’ perceptions of and responses to OHS policies, procedures, and practices has also been spurred by the influential work of Dov Zohar ( 1980 ) on safety climates. The safety climate literature has predominantly focussed on how employers may attempt to modify individual employees’ perceptions on the value of safety at work in order to improve OHS measures (Hossain et al, 2015 ; Neal et al, 2000 ). In this way, the safety climate literature assumes greater responsibility for OHS on the part of the employer than more traditional approaches.…”

“…To date, there have been few studies of workplace injury and illness in higher education, given the prevalence of more serious and fatal OHS risk within sectors such as manufacturing, mining, transport, and construction. Hossain et al ( 2015 ) observe that among the limited studies of OHS in academic institutions, researchers tend to concentrate on safety procedures for working in laboratories, yet this near-exclusive concern with safe laboratories is rarely supported with more holistic managerial and operational considerations of the wider institution itself.…”