Development of Key Performance Indicators Model for Manufacturing Safety in Paint Manufacturing Firms in Kenya

Abstract

Manufacturing safety is a key priority in the success of any business, as it can affect both the present and future competitive position of an organization. Several factors can lead to accidents in the manufacturing environment: poor maintenance, mis-operation of equipment, unsafe acts by workers and inferior design/ fabrication of equipment among others. Organizations must measure safety in order to find areas of weakness, and then implement actions aimed at raising safety levels. Fatal chemical accidents have occurred in several countries of the world. The India’s Bhopal gas leak tragedy at the Union Carbide Corporation plant in December 1984 is considered the world’s worst industrial disaster. In that accident, 10,259 persons lost their lives. In Kenya, notable chemical industry accidents have been reported from the paint manufacturing industry. In July 2006, a fire accident in a paint manufacturer’s premises at Libra House, Nairobi, resulted in over 10 casualties. Industrial accidents in the chemical industry indicate a need for both leading and lagging indicators of safety in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to formulate and validate a set of key performance indicators that can be used in the measurement and reporting of manufacturing safety in the paint industry. The aim of doing this is to monitor manufacturing safety and ensure a safe working environment for the workers on a continuous basis. The study involved 6 expert interviews that were used to collect data on the safety measurement of the paint manufacturing industry. 21 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were formulated from the interviews stage. These were validated using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to all 23 firms in Kenya using a combination of personal delivery and telephone based methods. 11 responses were received in the validation stage. The final results consisted of 21 KPIs, with fire safety being the most relevant KPI. The other KPIs included waste disposal, space utilization, plant air quality, spillage xiv management, safety gear, general health of workers, worker skill, warehousing/ material handling function, risk response, communication, noise exposure, maintenance function, accident and incident rates, general cleanliness of premises, worker commitment and integrity, level of lighting, cost of accidents, management input, documentation and water supply. The KPIs were tested on a micro enterprise dealing with paints manufacturing and the results obtained showed the level of safety was at 4.84, with the least score being on lead exposure at 1.85 and the highest being fire safety at 6.97. Implementation of these KPIs while recognizing the relevance of each KPI relative to the other KPIs will lead to accurate reports on the level of safety in paint and allied products manufacturing industry. The gathered information can be used to implement activities directed towards reducing the level of worker exposure to health and safety risks within the factory.