Track: Operations Management and Operations Research

Abstract

This study looked at the occupational health and safety of manufacturing SMMEs that are based in Soweto, which is a very big township in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province in South Africa. The aim was to investigate if furniture manufacturing SMMEs consider the occupational health and the safety of their employees. This study adopted a mixed method where a case study was written, unstructured interviews were conducted, and questionnaires were given to the representatives of the enterprise that were studied. This research studied 117 furniture manufacturing SMMEs. It was discovered in this study that the employees did not seem to care what happens to their employees with regards to their health and safety. This adds more knowledge in the sector of furniture manufacturing SMMEs and occupational health and safety. Further research will focus on finding the reason why these enterprises ignore the occupational health and safety Act 85 of 1993. The next research will further seek to find out if ignoring the occupational health and safety is deliberate or they have solid reasons for not considering the Act.