INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Evaluation is a systematic determination of a subject's merit worth and significance

using criteria governed by a set of standards. (Wikipedia 2011)’

Tufo (2013) agreed but defined evaluation as assessing and judging the value of a piece

of work an organization or a service”.

Safety as defined by Longman’s Dictionary of Contemporary English (1978) is a

condition of being free from danger harm or risk. Bokinni (2006) on the other hand

describe Safety as a control of recognized hazards to attain an acceptable level of risk.

Safety also can be seen as being protected free from danger providing good protection

unharmed not injured with a laid down procedure. Safety is also described as organized

way of keeping person machine and equipment out of hazards and destruction (Daniel

2008)

Practice is the process of repeating something many times in order to improve

performance. Encarta Dictionary (2009).While MayerR.E. (2008)Practice is the act of

rehearsing a behavior over and over or engaging in an activity again and again for the

purpose of improving or mastering it. Gobet (2011) on the other hand describe practice as

a method procedure process or rule used in a particular field or profession;

Printing is a manufacturing industry that uses several hazardous chemicals highly

volatile solvents and other metals for print production. Example is lead in which one part

of the metals that form the alloy for type casting is used for relief printing. Chiromah

(2012).

Many workers are unaware of the potential hazards in their work environment which

makes them more vulnerable to injury. Daniel (2008) posited that An effective safety

evaluation depends on the credibility of management's involvement in the industry;

inclusion of employees in safety decisions; rigorous work place analysis to identify

hazards and potential hazards including those which could result from a change in work

place conditions or practices severe prevention and control measures and thorough

training in safety assessment. He further explained that Safety evaluation should be of

paramount importance to all aspects within the printing establishment whether or not

they are regulated by government standards.

Enforcement of safety laws is a basic form of strategy in which safety evaluation is being

promoted. Lawal (2008) observed that many laws have been made in an effort to reduce

accidents. Regulations ordinaries and other guidelines abound in many different safety

regulated fields with thousands of laws standards and regulations. Various measures have

also been taken to enforce compliance.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require one to carry

out a risk assessment and implement any necessary control measures including

safeguarding and safe systems of work. Regulations 5 and 6 of the Provision and Use of

Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98) require that safeguards are maintained

inspected and tested.

According to Olatoye (2011) “The plan to improve the resulting impact of improperly

managed safety evaluation has informed the need to put improvement measures in place

at global and local levels to protect the working environment. He emphasized that in

other to curtail further hazard in the working environment and also to protect the Health

and Safety of staff all the uncontrolled dangerous activities going-on within the working

environment especially that of Printing Industrial facilities must be moderated.

Kaduna the capital of Kaduna State is the political/Economic capital of the 19 Northern

states of Nigeria. Therefore Kaduna has been home to several medium/ large printing

establishments. So it is considered as the nerve center for printing activities in the

Northern States (Okunola 2006). Within the Kaduna metropolis Kaduna north local

Government area houses most of the printing companies hence its choice as the case

study for this project.

It is believed that the number of accidents occurring in the Nigerian printing industry

each year is now numerous that is why working safely is to protect oneself and

co-workers from injury. Anyone interested in his own safety and that of his co-workers

will not encourage or participate in any horseplay that may lead to injury that make it

difficult for a worker to perform his duties to the fullest (Ayoola 2008). Evaluating safety

is accident prevention and with a good safety practice accidents can be avoided to a large extent. Accident which may appear initially minimal may result in physical and mental anguish; it may cause a man his livelihood and result in permanent disability and inability to perform his work.

The printing industry uses consumables such as chemicals for image generation on plate

(plate development) volatile solvents for blanket cleaning Arabic gum for plate

preservation and adhesives for print finishing book binding and book re-enforcement.

A huge volume of paper cards and boards are consumed yearly aluminium printing

plates (pre-sensitized plates/factory made plates). With the advent of computer in the

printing so many cartridges of tonal and inkjet cartridges Inks of different formulations

are massively used in all the printing processes Laser paper/monochromatic films are

used for computer color separation and computer printout for plate making. In screen

printing meshes are also used (Chiromah 2013) .Considering these evaluating the

practice of safety should be a major concern for everybody in the printing industry

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Generally workers in the printing industry are aware of safety procedures to some extent

but the background above have shown that inspite their limited knowledge avoidable

accidents occur regularly. The issue is that safety rules and procedures are not effectively

and efficiently communicated to the industry. The dangers and consequences of not

following safety guidelines are frequently and most times deliberately ignored thus

accidents are inevitable (Stacety 2004).Based on the above context this study is

designed to evaluate the safety practices in printing firms in Kaduna metropolis with a

view of reducing the rate of accidents in the industry.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The general purpose of this study is to evaluate safety practices in Nigerian printing

industry. The study is specifically set out to

i. To find out how safety practices be introduced in the printing industry.

ii. To identify why workers are ignorant of common safety precautions in the

printing industry.

iii. To examine how effective safety procedures and precautious be communicated to

the workers in the printing industry.

iv. To highlight the dangers of neglecting safety precautions in the printing industry.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study brings to light an evaluation of safety practices in the printing industry and the

following are the benefits from these research work.

1. The workers and management will benefit from this work as it will enlighten them

on the dangers of neglecting safety precautions

2. The student on industrial attachment will also benefit by knowing how important

safety practice is.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i. How can safety practices be introduced into the printing industry?

ii. Why are workers ignorant of common safety precautions in the printing industry?

iii. How can effective safety procedures and precautions be communicated to the

workers in the printing industry?

iv. What are the dangers of neglecting safety precautions in the printing industry?

1.6 DELIMITATION OF STUDY

The study is actually intended to examine the level of Safe practices that is being

provided in the average Nigerian printing firm but with special attention to the printing

firms in Kaduna North Local Government.