Analysis of Work-Related Health and Safety Accidents in the Emirate of Sharjah

Abstract

The United Arab Emirates has been growing at a rapid pace over the last few decades. This growth has led to development and prosperity across multiple sectors within the country. Along with growth, the risk of work-related safety accidents may increase in terms of occurrence and severity. In order to mitigate such a risk, the UAE government initiated and enforced laws and regulations to help reduce the number and severity of accidents. Yet, and despite the enforcement of such laws and regulations, the health and safety situation within industry sectors remains ambiguous and understudied. This has led to an increase in the number of work-related accidents occurring over the past few years with little to no explanation behind the main causes of such accidents. The aim of this thesis is to identify work-related accident causal factors and provide proposals for accident rates reduction actions. The methodology consists of two main stages: content analysis of accident reports and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Content analysis is maintained by reviewing past accident reports provided by the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention. The analysis revealed that falls, injuries due to contact with sharp edges, and burns are the most frequent accident types. The CFA analysis revealed that training enhancement and total safety operating system are viable solutions to aid in controlling the frequency and effects of these accidents.