Bett, S. K.Murungi J.Koech, K. H.2011-08-242011-08-242011-08-24http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1199Department of Business Administration, 71p. The HD 9195 .K4K6 2011This study intended to investigate the factors that affect safety and health practices of manufacturing firm's within the tea sector in Kenya by taking a survey study of KTDA Ltd managed factories, West of Rift. Traditionally, the company has enjoyed virtual monopoly in the tea sector which has grown over the years hence made Kenya a formidable world tea producer. However, competition from substitute products, new entrantsin tea business, supplier and demand bargaining power and competition rivalry have transformed the tea business environment. The objectives of the study were to investigate the factors of employee training, customer demands, Gov't legislation and adoption of requirements on ISO certification in work place safety and health practices. The significance of the study will be to KTDA top management and staff, the Gov't Especially the Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development, potential investors intea beverage sub-sector and future researchers' interested in this field. The study adopted a descriptive research design using structured and unstructured questionnaires as an instrument for data collection. Three districts were used for the purposes of the study to identify a target population size of 1872. A further sample size of 192 respondents (48 managers, 48 supervisors and 96 workers) were selected using a stratified random method for the study as it gives every element an equal chance of inclusion in the stratum. The findings of the study were analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics that included Frequency tables, graphs and pie charts based on the research questions designed at the beginning of the study and completed by the respondents. Conclusions and inferences were drawn from the results about the tea industry on safety and health practices. The researcher at the end of the study proved safety and health practices/standards are affected by the factors under study. Conversely, when an organization pursues favourable safety and health practices, it has a positive (+ve) effect on the employee and company performance even in a rival and competitive business environment.enTea trade --Kenya --West of RiftManufacturing industries --Kenya --West of RiftIndustrial safety --Kenya --West of RiftThesis