Factors Influencing Safety Management Practices among Public Health Workers in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

Safety at work is one key issue in public hospitals. Effective safety management practices help public health workers fight against infections, injuries and accidents in public hospitals. This study aims to assess the factors influencing safety management practices among public health workers in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. A survey research design which involves the use of structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The study obtained a sample size of 322 participants from a population of 1639 health institution employees from EKSUTH and OAGH in the study area, the selection of the participants was based on stratified random sampling technique. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. Findings indicated that the top factors influencing safety management practices among public health workers are personal adherence to safety protocols, organizational support, and adequacy of safety equipment. The study concludes that personal adherence to safety protocols, organizational support for reporting safety concerns, and the provision of adequate safety equipment play crucial roles in shaping effective safety management. Additionally, comprehensive safety training was found to increase workers' awareness, confidence, and preparedness for handling emergencies, ultimately leading to enhanced job performance. Hence, this study recommends that managers of healthcare organizations should focus on improving safety training programs by ensuring that training sessions are comprehensive, practical, and relevant to the specific risks encountered by health workers; by designing training modules that address real-world scenarios, encourage active participation, and include regular refreshers to keep workers up-to-date with the latest safety protocols.