THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY CONDITIONS ON JOB SATISFACTION: SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ARALIYA RICE MILL EMPLOYEES IN POLONNARUWA DISTRICT

Abstract

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) plays a critical role in ensuring organizational success, especially in labour-intensive industries like as rice milling, which is a key component of Sri Lanka’s agricultural processing sector. This industry employs thousands of workers, especially in rural areas like the Polonnaruwa District, where they are exposed to unsafe working conditions. There remains a significant gap in localized research examining the link between occupational health (Mental and Physical health) and occupational safety (Safety training and the use of Personal Protective Equipment-PPE) conditions and their effect on job satisfaction. This research aims to fill that gap by examining the impact of OHS conditions on job satisfaction among employees at Araliya Rice Mill in Polonnaruwa. A quantitative research method will be employed, using a structured questionnaire with Likert-scale items, and a sample of 300 operational workers will be selected through stratified sampling to ensure proper representation of various divisions within the rice mill. It is expected that the study will reveal a strong positive relationship between occupational health conditions and job satisfaction. Employees with better mental and physical health are likely to report higher levels of motivation and engagement. Similarly, it is anticipated that the availability of safety training and the consistent use of personal protective equipment (PPE) will significantly influence employee satisfaction. The findings will provide valuable recommendations for industry stakeholders and policymakers to develop more effective OHS conditions that enhance both job satisfaction and productivity.