Health and Safety Oil and Gas Industry in Nigeria - Jorind Vol11 No2 Dec Chapter9
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE OIL … Vol11...environmental impacts of oil exploration and...
Transcript of OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE OIL … Vol11...environmental impacts of oil exploration and...
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
61
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IN
NIGERIA
Monday Ohi Asikhia
and
G.C. Emenike
Department of Geography & Regional Planning, University of Benin, Benin City
Abstract
This paper examines occupational health and safety in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria. The
objectives of the study are to investigate the various types of hazards that oil workers are exposed
to, the effects of these hazards on the health of the workers, the effectiveness of the existing means
of mitigating these hazards, and the adequacy of the legislation that impacts on the provision of
occupational health and safety in the oil gas industry in the country. In the course of the study,
two hundred and seventeen (217) workers in the oil and gas industry were randomly selected for
the purpose of questionnaire administration. Analysis of data was carried out using the SPSS.
The results showed that workers are exposed to various hazards in their workplaces. The paper
therefore, recommends the provision of fire extinguishers in workplaces, health assessment of all
workers, the provision of appropriate health facilities and the enforcement and strengthening of
existing legislation to mitigate these hazards.
Keywords: Occupational health, safety, oil and gas industry
Introduction
Occupational health and safety is a cross-
disciplinary area concerned with protecting the
safety, health and welfare of people engaged in
work or employment. The goal of all
occupational health and safety programmes is
to foster a safe work environment. As a
secondary effect, it may also protect co-
workers, nearby communities, and other
members of the public who are impacted by
the workplace environment
(http://wikipedia.com). Since 1950, the
International Labour Organization (ILO) and
the World Health Organization (WHO) have
shared a common definition of occupational
health. It was adopted by the Joint ILO/WHO
Committee on Occupational Health at its first
session in 1950 and revised at its twelfth
session in 1995. The definition reads:
"Occupational health should aim at: the
promotion and maintenance of the highest
degree of physical, mental and social well-
being of workers in all occupations; the
prevention amongst workers of departures
from good health caused by their working
conditions; the protection of workers in their
employment from risks resulting from factors
adverse to health; the placing and maintenance
of the worker in an occupational environment
adapted to his physiological and psychological
capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation
of work to man and of each man to his job"
(http://wikipedia.com).
The term safety has been defined and
envisioned by many experts and authorities
since the industrial revolution. Some
authorities regard safety as the deliberate
endeavour undertaken by a group or individual
to promote specific precautionary measures
against damage, injury or accident. To a vast
majority of persons, the term safety has to do
with precaution from injuries or accidents that
could lead to deformities or disabilities on the
human body. Generally safety is a condition of
being protected from dangers and harms (Rim-
Rukeh, 2009). It is also a situation of being
free from hazard and all conditions that have
the potential of causing damage, harm or
injury. As a matter of fact, the term safety does
not imply the total elimination of all risks or
danger, but the elimination of unnecessary
risks.
Health is a general condition of a person in all
aspects. The World Health Organisation
(WHO), in 1948, defined health “as a state of
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
62
complete mental, physical and social wellbeing
and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/health).
Over the years the oil industry has made a
variety of contributions to the Nigerian
economy. These include the creation of
employment opportunities, local expenditure
on goods and services, contribution to
government revenue, contribution to gross
domestic product (GDP), contribution to
foreign exchange reserves, and the supply of
energy to industry and commerce.
(http://www.ogbus.ru/eng/). Logically, the oil
and gas industry is one of the riskiest
industries when it comes to health and safety
of employees. Interruptions in oil production
caused by fires and accidents easily lead to
significant economic losses, and potential
hazards to humans and the environment
(Ahlang, 2005 as cited in www.ivythesis.com).
Working in oil refineries basically exposes
employees to benzene and naturally occurring
radioactive material (NORM ), substances that
are dangerous to health (Markussen, 2003 as
cited in www.ivythesis.com).
Why much has been written on the
environmental impacts of oil exploration and
exploitation in Nigeria, the impact of the oil
and gas industry on the health of its workers
has not been paid the necessary attention.
Study Area
Location
Our study area is Warri, a major oil producing
city in Nigeria located on latitude 5′ 310N and
longitude 5′ 450E. It lies along the Warri River
in the Western Niger-Delta, 30 miles (48km)
upstream from the port of forcados on the
Bight of Benin. Among the oil and gas
industries studied are Agip, Hercules Offshore,
Chevron/Texaco, NNPC, Nest Oil Nig Ltd etc.
Data presentation and analysis Two hundred and seventeen (217) workers
were randomly selected for the purpose of
questionnaire administration. Analysis of data
was carried out using the SPSS.
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
63
Figure 1: Names of Oil Companies.
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Figure 1 shows that 24.42% of the respondents
were staff of NNPC, 18.89% were working
with NEST OIL, 8.76% with Nigeria Gas,
22.58% with Agip, 7.83% with Hercules,
10.14% with Chevron, 1.84% with Texaco,
0.46% with Halliburton, while 0.46% were
with WPC, and 4.61% with DPR.
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
64
Figure 2: Sex of Respondents
Figure 2 shows that of the 217 respondents surveyed for this study, 87.1% were males, while
12.9% were females.
Table 1. How Long Have You Been Working In This Industry?
Duration Frequency Percent
Less than 5yrs 97 44.7
5-10yrs 94 43.3
11-20yrs 19 8.8
21-30yrs 7 3.2
Total 217 100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Table 1 shows how long the respondents have worked in the industry. 44.7% had spent less than
5 years, 43.3% between 5-10 years, 8.8%, 11-20 years and 3.2 between 21-30 years.
Table 2: Exposure to Hazards in Work Place
Frequency Percent
Yes 189 87.1
No 28 12.9
Total 217 100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Responses on exposure to any form of hazards in work place shows that 87.1% agreed that they
were exposed to hazards in their work places, while 12.9% gave no answer.
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
65
Table 3: If Yes, What Are The Physical hazards?
Hazards Frequency Percent
Noise 181 49.3
Vibration 54 14.7
Ionizing
radiation 10 2.7
Lighting 24 6.5
Cold stress 5 1.4
Heat stress 81 22.1
Others 5 1.4
No response 7 1.9
Total 367 100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Table 3 shows that 49.3 % of the respondents
claimed that the physical hazard was through
noise, 14.7% agreed that it is through
vibration, 2.7% claimed it is through ionizing
radiation, 6.5% said it was through lighting,
1.4% claimed it was through cold stress,
22.1% were of the view that it was through
heat stress, while 1.4% of the respondents gave
other physical hazards, and 1.9% gave no
response.
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
66
Figure 3: If Yes What Are The Mechanical Hazards?
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Figure 3 shows that 2.725% of the respondents
claimed that impact force was a major
mechanical hazard, 28.07% claimed that being
struck by object is a major mechanical hazard,
18.80% said that confined space could cause
mechanical hazard, 20.16% thought equipments
could cause mechanical hazard, 7.36% were of
the view that entanglement was a major
mechanical hazard, while 8.17% gave
compressed air/high pressure as a major
mechanical hazard, and 14.71% gave no
response.
Table 4: If Yes, What Are The Biological Hazards?
Frequency Percent
Bacteria 15 6.9
Virus 2 .9
Fungi 4 1.8
Blood-borne pathogen 66 30.4
Tuberculosis 3 1.4
No response 127 58.5
Total 217 100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Table 4 shows that 6.9% of the respondents
claimed that bacteria is the main biological
hazard they are exposed to, 0.9% were of the
view that virus is the major biological hazard,
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
67
1.8% thought that fungi was the main biological
hazard, while 30.4% were of the view that
tuberculosis is the major cause of biological
hazard, 58.5% gave no answer.
Figure 4: If Yes What Are the Work Related Injuries
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Figure 4 shows that 19.62% of the respondents
were of the view that burns was a major work
related injury, 15.80% claimed sprain, 33.79%
said that hand injury was a major work related
injury, 2.18% accepted all work related injuries,
0.54% gave other forms of work related injuries
and 28.07% of the respondent gave no answer.
Table 5: If Yes, What Are The Chemical Hazards?
Frequency Percent
Acid 5 2.3
Base 1 .5
Heavy metals 116 53.5
Solvent (Petroleum) 19 8.8
Particles (dust) 59 27.2
Others 2 .9
No response 15 6.9
Total 217 100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
68
On the exposure to chemical hazard, 2.3% of
the respondents were of the view that acid was
a major chemical hazard, 0.5 claimed base was
also a major chemical hazard, 53.5% thought
that heavy metal was also a major chemical
hazard, 8.8% were of the view that solvent
(petroleum) was a chemical hazard, 27.2%
claimed that particles (dust) was a chemical
hazard, while 0.9% gave other forms of
chemical hazards, and 6.9% of the respondents
gave no answer.
Figure 5: Fire and Explosion Hazard
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Figure 5 shows that 56.66% of respondents claimed that fire and explosion is a major
hazard, and 43.32% thought otherwise.
Table 6: If Yes, What Are The Psychological Hazards?
Frequency Percent
Work related stress (Over
work) 138 63.6
Violence 67 30.9
Bullying (emotional and
verbal abuse) 1 .5
Sexual harassment 3 1.4
No response 8 3.7
Total 217 100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
On the psychological hazard, 63.6% claimed it
was caused by work related stress, 30.9% were
of the view that it was caused by violence,
0.5% thought bullying was a major cause of
psychological stress, 1.4% were of the view that
sexual harassment was a psychological hazard,
while 3.7% gave no response.
Figure 6: Do They Affect Your Health?
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
69
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
On the issue of hazard in work place and whether it affected people’s health, 88.94% of the
respondents answered yes, while 11.06% gave no as answer.
Table 7: Most Severe Hazards in Your Work Place
Hazards Frequency Percent
Physical Hazards 121 55.8
Biological hazards 8 3.7
Chemical hazards 16 7.4
Psychological hazards 6 2.8
Mechanical hazards 66 30.4
Total 217 100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Table 7 shows that 55.8% of the respondents
were of the view that they were exposed to
physical hazards in their work place, 3.7%
claimed that they were exposed to biological
hazards, 7.4% claimed that chemical hazard
was the most severe hazard in the work place,
while 2.8% of the respondents claimed that
psychological hazard was the most severe
hazard in the work place, while 30.4% agreed
that mechanical hazard is the most severe work
place hazard.
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
70
Figure 7: Has There Been Any Form of Injury In Work Place?
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Figure 7 shows that 75.58% of the respondents answered yes to any form of work place injury,
11.52% gave no as an answer, while 12.90% gave no response.
Figure 8: Are There Means To Mitigate The Hazards Affecting Workers Health?
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
71
Figure 8 shows that 94.47% of the respondents agreed that there were means to mitigate the
hazards affecting workers health, while 5.53% thought there were no means to mitigate the
hazard affecting workers health.
Figure 9: Has there been any Legislation that Impacts on the Provision of Occupational
Health and Safety in your Workplace
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
On the issue of legislation that impacts on the provision of occupational health and safety in
work place, 72.35% of the respondents claimed yes, while 27.65% gave no answer.
If Yes, What Are The Symptoms?
Figure 10: How Effective Is the Legislation?
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
On the effectiveness of the legislations, 5.53% of the respondents were of the view that it was
very effective, 83.41% claimed it was effective, while 11.06% agreed that it was not effective.
JORIND 11(2) December, 2013. ISSN 1596-8303. www.transcampus.org/journals; www.ajol.info/journals/jorind
72
Table 8: If Yes, What Legislation Has Been Provided?
Frequency Percent
The factories ACT 1990 142 65.4
The mine ACT 24 11.1
The factories ACT 1948 8 3.7
No response 43 19.8
Total 217 100.0
Source: Field Survey, 2011.
Table 8 shows that 65.4% of the respondents
claimed that the factories ACT 1990 was one of
the legislations in their work place, 11.1% of
the respondents were of the view that the mine
ACT was also a useful legislation, 3.7% said
the factory ACT 1948 was still in place, while
19.8% gave no response.
Recommendations
From the above findings, the following
recommendations are made:
1. A fire or explosion is always a
possibility in the upstream oil and gas
industry. There should be adequate
provision for putting off fire in the
industry.
2. Education and training on safety should
be provided to the workers by the
employer.
3. Workers should make use of safety
equipments when going to the field.
Workers are supposed to wear safety
clothes, hand gloves, helmet, and safety
shoes amongst others to reduce
exposure to hazards.
4. There should be proper health
assessment of workers in order to
ascertain their health status.
Conclusion This paper examined occupational health and
safety in the oil and gas industry in Warri. From
the survey, it was found that oil and gas
workers are exposed to many hazards despite
the existing legislations enacted by government
to impact on the provision of occupational
health and safety in the industry. Given the
place of the oil and gas industry in the Nigerian
economy, there is the urgent need to mitigate
the adverse effects of oil and gas on the health
of workers.
References Akpofure Rim-Rukeh (2009) “Introduction to
Environmental Science” University of
Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria:
Kraft Books Limited.
Arandelovic, M, Stankovic, S and Nikolic, M,
(2006). Workplace Health Promotion-
Quality Criteria. Facta Universities
Series Working and Living
Environmental Protection, 3(1): 27-33
Crude Oil and the Nigeria economic
performance.
http://WWW.ogbus.ru/eng/.
Daniel B. B; Edward A. K; Dorothy B. R.
(1997): Environmental Science: Earth
as a Living Planet. 2nd edition.
Occupational Health Risks (OHRS) At five
Sites in Uyo Metropolis, South Eastern
Nigeria. World Journal of applied
science and Technology Vol. 2. No. 1
(2010). 98-109.
Udontong, I.R. and Udontong, J.I.R. (2003).
Health Risk Assessment In Oil and Gas
Industries activities in Nigeria. In: C.E.N.
Odinna, O.B. Ekop and V.I. Attaka, (Eds):
Environmental Pollution and Management.
SNAAP Press Ltd; Enugu, Nigeria.