Occupational health and safety awareness in micro and small enterprises in select sectors of West Burdwan, West Bengal: an empirical assessment

Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) generate employment opportunities and thus promote livelihood standard for grass root level having no/nominal techno-economic strength. But due to participants' lack of skill to handle complex machinery jobs and no/nominal awareness of health-hygiene issues in workplace, occupational hazards often occurred there which is product and sector-specific. Literature supports that the perceptions of participants in maintaining OH&S awareness in MSEs depend on individuals' demographic features. In this paper, attempt has been made to highlight on the variation in perception on OH%S factors due to demographic features of the participants. To serve this issue, a micro empirical assessment is pursued on select sectors of West Burdwan and first-aid facility, drinking water, jobsite inspections, etc. seemed to have maximum relevancy in maintaining OH%S awareness there. MSEs, therefore, should adopt provision to promote OH%S awareness considering the requirements of the sector and different socio-demographics of the participants.