CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Workers in commercial banks face various occupational health hazards and must engage in some safety practices to avoid these hazards. Workers in commercial banks are involved in cash counting and handling where they are faced with various sources of hazards from dust, allergy, or infection from notes etc. Workers in commercial banks are at a high risk of infection related to airborne etc.
Occupational health and safety of workers in commercial banks are often threatened by risk relating to occupational exposure, limitations in supplied personal protective equipment and challenges from organizational support for safe practices. There are improved procedures to follow to prevent occupational exposures and for handling potentially harmful materials. These procedures are known as standard precautions or safety practices. Workers in commercial banks are to participate in regular Health and Safety Environment (HSE) courses.
Commercial bankhazard can result to human injuries, damage to organization’s reputation, and financial consequences; this possibly lead to terrible human tragedies and substantial economic concern from legal cost, increased insurance premium, and damaged plants and equipment. Hazards in commercial banks involve direct and indirect cost to a firm. The direct cost are those costs incurred as a direct result of anhazard; Indirect cost is any additional cost generated by the hazard occurrence, for example cost of investigations and cost of hiring a temporary replacement (Hinze and Applegate, 1991).
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Although, Nigeria is enjoying relatively strong growth in banking activities, efforts towards ensuring improved safety performance have yielded minimal results. It is however, disheartening that despite several efforts towards improving the health and safety status of Nigeria banking industries, continuous increases in the number of hazards both reported and unreported on commercial banks still go unabated.
Furthermore, Nigeria has a very lowhazard record attributableto lack of effective monitoring, reporting and control practices. Added to this problem is the incessant collapse of building in the country. Although there has been a dramatic improvement in recent decades, the banking industry safety recordhas increased risks. Neale (2013) believes that improving occupational safety and health (OSH) in the banking industry is a slow but achievable process. Thus, occupational health and safety in banking work should start at thedesigning table and continue throughout the banking phases until the safety and health of end users is ensured due to the complexity of the industry and the hazards it contains(Kayumba, 2013).
In recent years however, there has been increasedcases of commercial bankshazards. Majority of these hazards are unreported. Thus, the issue of whether these workers have adequate knowledge on health and safety issues and whether they comply with health and safety rules and guidelines at work.According to (Adebola, 2014) safety and health have become an integral component in the workplace as employers, Labour unions and others engage in training and procedures to ensure compliance with safety standards and also to keep a healthy workforce. Adebola (2014)assert that the rate of bankinghazards has increased the level of awareness of commercial bankhealth and safety, thereby involving its inclusion as part of project performance criteria.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to investigate hazards in the workplace and its effect on staff efficiency.
1. The study will identify work placehazards and health hazards among commercial bankworkers.
2. Identify staff efficiency on exposure workplace hazard.
3. Determine the health problems associated with commercial bank workers.
1.4 Objectives of the Study
1. To examine the awareness of existing hazard in the bank.
2. To examine the safety practices among workers in commercial banks to combat work place hazard.
3. To examine the effect of ergonomic hazard on safety practices among workers in commercial banks.
1.5 Research Questions
1. Is there a strong awareness among workers of existing hazard in the bank?
2. What are thesafety practices existing among workers in commercial banks to combat work place hazard?
3. What are the effects of ergonomic hazard on safety practices among workers in commercial banks?
1.6 Hypotheses
1. There is no significant influence of awareness among workers of existing hazard in the bank
2. There is no significant influence of safety practices existing among workers in commercial banks and combating work place hazard.
3. There is no significant influence of ergonomic hazard on safety practices among workers in commercial banks.
1.7 Significance of the Study
This study will contribute to knowledge on occupational health hazards and problem of commercial bank workers in Nigeria. Careful adherence to standard precautions or safety practices protects the commercial bank workers and the people living around them from being exposed to associated hazards.
1.8 Scope of the Study
The study will focus on commercial banksworkersin Maiduguri.
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