The Enforcement of Occupational Safety and Health requirements in Public and Private Sectors in Abu Dhabi Emirates United Arab Emirates

Abstract

RESEARCH PROBLEM: In Abu Dhabi, limited implementation of OSH Regulations contributes to the general unawareness among employees and workers about occupational hazards and safety measures, resulting in slow responsiveness towards enforcement measures and a lack of self-regulatory approaches within companies.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine the implementation methods practised in Abu Dhabi with those in developed countries with established OSH regulatory bodies.

METHODOLOGY: Qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to gather primary research data. Workers from various industries in Abu Dhabi were sampled on purpose and asked to respond to questionnaires and interviews on OSH protocol awareness and implementation, and circumstances of workplace incidence.

RESULTS: The findings of this study showed that the enforcement of OSH requirements in UAE positively correlated to reduction in the rate of work-related injury and improved business performance. The quantitative research data showed that the energy sector had the highest score (15) while the tourism sector had the lowest score (5.3) in occupational health systems and improvements in business efficiency and productivity. The qualitative research outcomes showed that regular internal inspections in organisations or self-regulation would ensure compliance with OSH requirements.

IMPLICATIONS: The outcomes of this study shed light on the importance of implementing OSH Guidelines for companies to empower their safety managers to fully enforce OSH requirements in their organisations. In conclusion, effective OSH enforcement requires cooperation between general workers and OSH managers and facilitation from business owners.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Aberystwyth University
Supervisor	Sarah Lindop (Supervisor) & Kyriaki Remoundou (Supervisor)