The influence of health and safety practices on public secondary school teachers’ job satisfaction in Kinondoni district, Tanzania

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of health and safety practices on public secondary school teachers’ job satisfaction in Kinondoni district. Particularly, the study sought to: identify the most frequently occurring occupational hazards in public secondary schools in Kinondoni district; explore ways used by schools to promote health and safety functions to enhance teachers’ job satisfaction and find out the health and safety measures that can be taken to enhance teachers’ job satisfaction in public secondary schools. The study used qualitative research approach in which case study design was employed. Purposive and stratified sampling techniques were used and data were collected through interviews, documentary review and focus group discussions and then analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings from the study revealed that, firefighting equipment were available in some schools and unavailable in others. However, it was further revealed that even the firefighting equipment that were available had expired and were not replaced. It was further reported that, challenges like motorcycles accidents as well as threats from parents and students make teachers uncomfortable with their teaching, the study findings further indicated that, when there is proper building settings teachers are likely to be comfortable with their working environment. The study recommends that, since teachers residing far from their teaching stations were found to be among the critical challenges they face, the government of Tanzania should allocate enough budget for construction of teachers’ houses, as well as providing them with training on issues to do with health and safety.