Occupational Safety and Health Practices and Performance of Small and Medium-Size Enterprises in Kenya

This study investigated the influence of occupational safety and health (OSH) practices on the performance of SMEs in Kenya. The objectives were to: examine the effect of employee wellness on SME performance, and analyze the relationship between the working environment and SME performance .To test the hypothesis, a descriptive and inferential research design was adopted, with a sample of 294 organizations selected from a population of 1,118 SMEs through stratified random sampling. In each SME, the manager or human resource officer was identified as respondent. Data were analyzed using an ordinal logistic regression model. Findings revealed that both employee wellness and working environment, had a positive and statistically significant effect on SME performance, with the working environment exerting the greatest influence. The study concludes that SMEs should adopt comprehensive OSH practices by promoting employee wellness and providing conducive working environment to reduce accidents thereby enhancing performance. Further research is recommended to compare OSH adoption between SMEs and large enterprises.