The objectives of this research were to study the following aspects of the Office of Agricultural Research and Development Region 1-8’soperations in issuing permits to possess hazardous materials: (1) the demographic data of the related personnel; (2) the work process of issuing permits to possess hazardous materials; (3) the personnel’s satisfaction with their work environment and facilities; and (4) problems for improving the permit issuance work process.
The results showed that 1) the majority of personnel were female, average age 34.39, educated to bachelor’s degree level, had worked as a government employee for an average of 6.09 years and had an average of 2.90 years experience in permit issuance work. Each office had an average of 2 personnel who were responsible for issuing permits to possess hazardous materials. 2) All the personnel entered in the registration numbers and printed out permit request forms or permit renewal request forms. Most of them (87.2%) inspected the permit requester’s premises (in the case of new permits) but 12.8% did not because of the limited number of agricultural inspectors. All the personnel issued permit numbers, printed out permits and made records to submit to their director for approval. The finance division workers were in charge of receiving the permit fees and issuing receipts. When sending a permit to the person who requested it, 97.7% of the personnel entered the receipt data in the database right away, but 2.3% waited another day for the file to be returned with the director’s signature. All of the personnel made photocopies of the permits, filed the permits and receipts and collected and filed the required documents from people who requested permits. For sending out the permits, all the personnel printed the receiver’s address on the envelope and put the permit in the envelope themselves, and 97.7% also filled out the post office form but 2.3% handed it to an assistant to mail. 3) Most of the personnel were satisfied to a medium level with their work environment, opportunities for advancement, remuneration and benefits. However, most reported a high level of problems with 3 areas of permit issuance work: a. leadership of the division head; b. allocation of budget for purchasing required materials and equipment; and c. insufficiency of the software and office technology available. The personnel reported a medium level problem with the lack of knowledge about the relevant permit-issuance rules and regulations among the personnel themselves.