The Impact of Occupational Health and Safety Practices on Employees' Performance of Operational Level Employees in Apparel Industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Garment manufacturers and suppliers have earned a worldwide reputation for producing high-quality garments and are trusted by global fashion brands. Apparel sectors in Sri Lanka follow strict occupational health and safety (OHS) standards. It is noted that unhealthy working practices, directly and indirectly, influence the employees' performance. A safe and healthy working environment for employees is a vital challenge the apparel industry faces, which is essential for job performance. The health and safety conditions related to the apparel sector are continuously becoming critical and complex. However, it is still questionable how occupational health and safety influence employee performance in the apparel sector. Convenience sampling was used to select respondents for the study. The researcher collected data from 363 operational-level employees in the apparel sector through a structured questionnaire. Convenience sample technique was used to select the respondents. SPSS 21 statistical package was used to analyze data. Simple linear regression and multiple linear regression analysis methods were used in data analysis to achieve the research objectives. In conclusion, the job performance of the operational-level employees in the apparel sector is intrinsically driven by occupational health and safety practices as employees consider their life safety. The researcher provided several practical and policy implications based on the study's results. Also, the study cleared the path for future research areas on OHS and job performance.