Development, characteristics and pre-testing of the data collection tools

The development of the two data collection instruments was guided by an earlier literature review. Topics on the data collection tools were identified from the objectives of the study and information obtained from the literature reviewed for this study. The researcher also used the inputs from the supervisor and the co-supervisor to review and refine the instruments so that they would be in line with the context of the study setting.

4.3.4.2.2 Characteristics and description of the various sections of data collection tools

 Inspection checklist

The researcher administered a checklist which was addressed to the employers with regard to compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (No. 85 of 1993) in the food and beverage industry, South Africa. The checklist was divided into 8 sections. Section A concerned descriptive characteristics of the study sites. Section B consisted of 25 items relating to health and safety rules and employers’ responsibilities. Section C comprised 8 items on work premises and means of egress, while section D consisted of 13 items investigating common hazards confronted by employees. Section E contained 8 items seeking to assess general safety in the study sites, and section F 8 items assessed work-related injuries as reported by employers at the study sites. Section G of the checklist contained 4 items that assessed the training of employees in health and safety issues as well as employees participation in health and safety matters. Finally, section H of the checklist consisted of 4 items relating to the state of emergency preparedness and response at the study sites.

Document examination was also conducted at sites where the employers had been able to produce documents on request. This included review of incident reports, training records, documentation on the health and safety programs of the company, records of risk assessments, review of the health and safety policy as well as a review of reports from previous inspections. The researcher intended to establish whether incidents were recorded and what hazards were identified at the workplace and whether control measures were documented and put in place. Finally, the inspection checklist was also used to enter data collected from the document review process.

 The interview-led questionnaire

The questionnaire comprised of five sections for the purpose of gathering data on compliance with the amended OHS Act (No. 85 of 1993). Section A sought to identify the participants’ demographic characteristics, while section B determined the employees’ awareness of health and safety rules and their responsibilities. Section C sought to determine whether the employers consult with and involve their employees in

decision-making, particularly on matters that affect their health and safety. Section D concerned employees training in health and safety. The questionnaire concluded with section E which assessed whether employees had experienced work-related illness on their jobs before.

 Observation

In addition to the two data collection tools, photographs depicting hazardous conditions in the study sites were considered during the observation exercise in an effort to validate employee responses, the workplace health and safety conditions and exposures, as well as to enrich the findings of this study through an evaluation of visual images. The inspection checklist was also used to enter data collected from environmental observation of the study sites.

4.3.4.2.3 Pre-testing of the data collection tools

A pilot study aimed at gathering information based on compliance with the OHS Act (No. 85 of 1993, as amended), was conducted in the food and beverage industry in South Africa. The researcher conducted a pilot study to use the findings from that initial study to enrich the main tools that would be used in the ultimate study. According to Polit and Beck (2008:51), a pilot study is a small scale version of a major study.

Pre-testing of the data collection tools was done to facilitate the refinement of the final data collection tools. Two instruments, including the inspection checklist and interview- led questionnaire, were used to solicit information and to establish if there were interesting patterns in the data (Mouton 2006:103). Both tools were used in the pre- testing in order to validate the responses from the pilot study sites and the employees to enrich the responses. Furthermore, the inspection checklist and the questionnaire were pre-tested for length, clarity and general suitability (Polit & Beck 2008:337).

The researcher undertook a pilot study in order to identify the flaws and to improve the feasibility of the administration of the process as well as to assess the reliability, validity and objectivity of the instruments (Powell 2003378; Katzenellenbogen & Karim 2007:116). The pilot study sites were randomly selected from the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The study settings which participated in the pre-testing of the checklist

comprised of 1 meat processing enterprise from Pretoria, 1 beverage manufacturing enterprise from Krugersdorp, and 1 restaurant from Johannesburg. The participants who participated in the pre-testing of the interview-led questionnaire were from 1 beverage manufacturing enterprise from Johannesburg, 1 restaurant from Johannesburg and 1 catering enterprise from Johannesburg. Lastly, a study site observation was conducted at 1 food retail enterprise in Johannesburg. As a result, a total of seven (7) food and beverage industry study sites participated in the pilot study to pre-test the three different data collection tools. The seven (7) study sites which participated in the pre-testing of the data collection tools, however, did not form part of the final study sample. The process of the pilot study’s data collection involved an observation, a record review of incident records and the interviewing of two employees from 1 meat processing enterprise. The different food and beverage settings were included in the pilot study because they all had similar characteristics with regard to the targeted population of the study.

The feedback that the researcher received from the pilot study sites and the pilot study employees were that the data collection instruments were lengthy and a repetition of questions. In addition, some questions were not answered because they caused confusion. Therefore, a revision of questions was necessary and most were reworded for clarity. The researcher was guided by the research supervisor and the joint supervisor to redesign the two data collection tools.