PERSONNEL SAFETY IN STORES OPERATION IN AN ORGANIZATION

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

The researcher has chosen Camela Vegetable Oil Ltd, Owerri division as study. Camela Vegetable Oil Limited is a manufacturing/production company, operates in joint venture with a parent company in the United Kingdom, London, Located in Onitsha Road, Industrial Layout Owerri Imo State.

The company (Camela) began its operation in 1982 with a line staff of thirty personnels that consist of twenty factory workers and ten administrative staff. Camela Vegetable Oil Ltd commenced production in 1993 followed by the launching of Camela Vegetable Oil in the Nigerian market with the effect of their recruited marketing outfit. In order to have a better operational strategy, the company divided its operational administration into two groups in this country, one located at Abia State but still under construction.

The policy statement of Camela Vegetable Oil Ltd Owerri, like other operational based companies, is aimed at conducting all its operation in such a way and manner that will endure reasonable and practicable safety of all its employees as well as others who may be affected by its activities and operations. Till date the company, Camela Vegetable Oil Ltd had not only complied with requirements of the relevant legislation safety acts of 1974 but had promoted safety in an appropriate measures for safeguarding personnels in the stores and environment at large.

Accordingly, the company in 1983 introduced a number of safety incentive schemes namely: corporate safety, environmental safety scheme, factory activities based award, beside the creation of a safe working environment, the company had also provided safety equipment and safety training for its workers.

In the midst of this numerous effect by management, great losses both human and economic resources are attributed to industrial accidents and other occupational hazards. They are virtually difficult to quantify. It therefore means that managers at all levels, supervisors and researchers are required to put more effort in other to take safety fully into account throughout the company's operations. Therefore ensuring that safety activities and instructions are fully observed.

Personnel safety is very important in every area of the organization but particularly needed in the stores due to working condintion under which the stores personnel operates, and the numerous potential hazards expose in the stores operations.

According to Uzor(2006:325) practical stores, such hazards observed in stores includes: materials falling from heights(racks), injury through lifting of excessive heavy loads, injury through lifting of normal loads badly, falls owing to climbing of bins in order to reach upper compartments, slippery of oil spillage or grease spillage, injury to hand through lifting and handling without wearing protective glove, others are mechanical handling equipments, corrosive chemical, etc.

Adequate safety in the organization in general especially in stores can not be undermined as organization profitability depends greatly upon the safety of humans. On this basis, the researcher will evaluate the causes of accidents in the stores operation and the possibility of resolving such problems. Especially as it is believes that human safety represents knowledge instrument in the prevention of death associated with work.

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1.2 Statement of the Problem

The stores management has important contribution in the areas of personnel safety administration within a given establishment. This pre-suppose why organizations such as Camela Vegetable Oil Limited was chosen by the researcher to study and highlight stores management deficiencies envisaged as regards to stores personnel safety. Statistical data and experience have shown that industrial accidents are caused by numerous factors.

According to Uzor (2006:330) stores management should issue statement giving detailed guidance on practices and procedures to all members of the stores. This aid therefore, brings us to the issue of some of the major problems that befall the stores operations in Camela Vegetable Oil Limited.

1. Poor implementation of safety act of 1974 in manufacturing industries.
2. Inadequate safety programmes in industries, hampering the protection of personnel in manufacturing industry.
3. Lack of training personnel working in storehouse.
4. High rate of injury occurrence in the store house as a result of careless handling of highly inflammable or combustible materials.
5. No success in professional safety and co-operate goals.
6. Lack of protective equipment for personnel safety.

The cause of accident are ever present and once set in motion, there is little that can be done to alter the consequences, management should therefore see the need to reduce the existence of the above mentioned problems that gave rise to the research study.

Stores as a service department, stores personnel must surely operate for production to thrive (continue). Personnel safety in Camela vegetable oil ltd, Owerri, like most manufacturing processing organizations personnel safety policy is pivot to the existence of the company. It is the function of stores management to provide adequate safety precaution in the stores and policies, which covers personnel. The store, like the heart in human body, acts as source of supply to other functional units of the organization.

Even though it provides a service functions, it services or task will reflect in the overall efficiency of the organization. It therefore implies that, an effective management of stores will eliminate unsafe acts and create a conducive working environment for employees. in the light of this, the objective of the research study is to critically look into the following cases:

1. Safety consciousness in the organization in general and the stores in particular.
2. Major causes of accident in the company.
3. Methods adopted to prevent accidents.
4. Material handling machines: methods and dangers posed by such machines.
5. Efforts of management through policy guidance to prevent accidents.
6. To investigate and analyses other feasible measures to prevent and promote safety practices in the organization.

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1.4 Research Questions

In order for this research to give accurate direction to readers, and other researchers and planners, it became expedient to formulate some research questions on which the conclusion would be based.

• Is safety of personnel a priority to organization?
• Are there advantages of applying safety rules in stores operation?
• How possible would safety application reduce wastages, obsolescence, disposal and huge amount of money lost through accident in the organization?
• What are the responsibilities of employees in safety regulations?
• To what extent does safety in the organization rely on management policy?

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1.5 Statement of Hypothesis

• H0: Safety of personnel in stores operations does not contribute to the profitability of the organization.
• Hi: Safety of personnel in stores operation enhances profitability in an organization.
• H0: Safety of personnel is not relevant in stores operation.
• Hi: Safety of personnel is relevant in stores operation.

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1.6 Significance of the Study

The study is significant to my fellow students as the information generated would continue to be used as reference material (secondary data) for immediate and future researcher in this topic. Potential mangers in stores operation that comes across this research work are informed on the benefits of implementing or adopting adequate safety, equipments in the stores operation in an organization.

Personnels are informed on the outcome of negligence in the area of safety in stores operation. Without the study, the old notion of not abiding with the regulation of 1974 would continue but with the study, the need and importance of personnel safety have been highlighted. To this, the topic is relevant in order to ensure the safety of workers in the manufacturing industry.

At this view, the research project will investigate and unveil the causes of industrial accidents, analysis and suggest way of reducing the ugly episode of accidents in stores. Most importantly, to create in every individual employee, the consciousness of safety.

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1.7 Scope of the Study

The scope of the study was restricted with the boundary of Camela Vegetable Oil Ltd Owerri, Imo State. The study encompasses all the safety policies as it relates to stores operations. The store of the organization was evaluated.

The areas of emphasis include the need for personnel safety wears and their uses. Also, some usage acts in the form of stores operation.

Moreover, the researcher stressed on the responsibility of management and employees in safety matters and preventive measures of operational hazards, with emphasis on Camela Vegetable Oil Limited, Owerri.

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1.8 Limitations of the Study

In the course of carrying out the research, the researcher encountered some challenges that cause restrictions in getting adequate information as expected.

These challenges stand to be:

1. Financial challenges: which deprived the researcher the opportunity from transporting to and fro, in order to get information.
2. Time constraint: the research was stipulated to be completed within a limited time, and as such, there wasn't enough time to touch all the necessary areas.
3. The researcher was faced with the non-cooperative attitude of the respondents to disclose vital information needed to carry out the research work.

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1.9 Definition of Terms

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1. Operational:

Connected with the way in which a business, machine or system works.

2. Spillage:

Hazardous chemicals coming out of a drum/container, spreading out all over the stores.

3. Combustible:

Gas/chemical that is prone to burn easily.

4. Hazards:

Things that can be dangerous or causes damage in humans.

5. Ergonomics:

The study of people's efficiency in their working place or environment.

6. Cramp:

A sudden painful involuntary tightening of a muscle.

7. Guillotine:

Machine that has a heavy blade used for shearing or cutting material prior to issue.

8. Protruding:

Materials stocked in storage racks sticking out from where they are placed (punching out).

9. Decibels:

Units for measuring how loud a sound is.

10. Procurement:

To buy something big or expensive.

11. Right Quantity:

Refers to the value or amount of materials that can be most economically purchased at a particular time.

12. Hypothesis:

This is a prepositional statement assuming some link or relationship between two variables.

13. Inspection:

This is checking of materials received to make sure it conforms with specification and in good condition.

14. Supplier:

A company or an individual that provides a particular product.

15. Economy:

The careful use of money, time and goods so that nothing is wasted.

16. Efficiency:

The ability to plan and carry out a particular activity or activities effectively, without wasting time, money and energy.

17. Policy:

This represents procedural guidelines which can be followed consistently in decision making through out on organization.