EVALUATION OF SAFETY MEASURES OF WORKERS AT FILLING STATIONS IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In many nations, the rate of urbanisation has outstripped the capacity of governments to construct key infrastructure, adopt and enforce policies necessary to keep life in cities safe, pleasant, and healthy, and to develop new housing units to accommodate this expansion. This urban boom has resulted in an increase in the number of people using automobiles, which has led to an increased demand for services that provide fuel and a subsequent proliferation of filling stations (Audu, 2022). A lot of these filling stations do not have the necessary safety precautions (fire standards, layout, location, and waste management), which prevents them from receiving operational permits from the relevant regulatory organisations. In violation of the criteria for the appropriate placement of accident-prone facilities like filling stations, new stations are being constructed in close proximity to one another and in neighbourhoods. This practise is a portent of a dangerous trend, and it places the employees and inhabitants of the vicinity at an increased risk of harm to the public's health (Onoye, 2021).

According to Udo (2019), unsafe acts and unsafe conditions were recorded while the PFS was being operated and maintained for a duration of one year (2008). One of the most successful oil marketing companies in Nigeria was in charge of the operations at this PFS. The corporation operates more than 2500 filling stations and convenience stores around the nation. In Nigeria, the retail establishments may be found both in urban and more rural settings. Indicative of the safety circumstances at PFS are the unsafe acts and unsafe conditions that were recorded throughout the phase of data collecting. PFS are typically managed by two distinct sets of individuals, known as clients and contractors respectively (Udo 2019). Both of these groups independently came to the same conclusions on the risk contributing elements that were recorded and presented in this study. It is imperative that attention be paid to the recurrent occurrences of risk contributing factors, not just at PFS but also in other domains. Risk can be reduced to an acceptable level if effective safeguards against the occurrence of these dangers are available. a comprehensive and in-depth investigation pertaining to these aspects that contributed to the dangers was carried out. The "risk assessment criterion" is the one and only method that can accurately detect the causes of these dangers (Anyanwu, 2022).

Anyanwu (2022) also opines that at filling stations, two of the most pressing concerns are public health and safety as well as the preservation of the natural environment. Petrol and other types of motor fuel both have the potential to be harmful; at room temperature, petrol emits vapours that, when combined with air in the right quantities, are capable of burning with explosive intensity if they are set ablaze. In addition, any product derived from petroleum has the potential to be a pollutant, and if it were to be released, it would be harmful to the environment. They are detrimental to the aquatic species that inhabits the water and, if handled improperly, can have adverse effects on the health of humans as well.

1. 1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Many different types of organisations are currently putting different criteria for risk assessments into practise. During the operations and maintenance of the PFS, persistent occurrences of hazard contributing elements point to inadequacies in these approaches (Udo, 2019). These elements that contribute to hazards have the potential to bring to unfavourable outcomes at PFS. Therefore, there is a need to develop a risk assessment framework that prioritises hazards and calculates risk value in order to assist health safety and environment professionals in decision making, thus evaluating the safety measures that workers in petrol filling stations in Nigeria take to protect themselves (Onoye, 2021). Due to the fact that these safety measures might have an effect on both occupational and environmental health, they need to be researched. There is a lack of awareness on safety practises in filling stations, and given the negative effects that this lack of knowledge has on public health, gaining a better understanding of the situation locally will assist explain how it may be addressed.

1. 1. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate safety measures of workers at filling stations in Nigeria. Specifc objectives of this study are;

1. To determine whether workers are aware of hazards in filling stations in Nigeria.

2. To determine whether workers are aware of safety measures in filling stations in Nigeria.

3. To examine the different safety measures put in place for workers safety in filling stations in Nigeria.

1. 1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

1. Are workers aware of hazards in filling stations in Nigeria?

2. Are workers aware of safety measures in filling stations in Nigeria?

3. What are the different safety measures put in place for workers safety in filling stations in Nigeria?

1. 1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be greatly significant to the stakeholders in the oil and filling sector as it will show the importance of workers safety and the need for precautionary or preventive measures to be put in place for workers at filling stations in Nigeria.

This study will also be beneficial to all the workers in filling stations in Nigeria, as the findings of this study will reveal the different hazards found in filling stations and the preventive measures to be taken.

Finally, this study will serve as a reference point for further studies and future reference.

1. 1. SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study focuses on the evaluation of safety measures at filling stations in Nigeria. Specifically, this study focuses on determining whether workers are aware of hazards in filling stations in Nigeria, determining whether workers are aware of safety measures in filling stations in Nigeria and examining the different safety measures put in place for workers safety in filling stations in Nigeria.

Selected staff of MRS filling station, Uyo will serve as the enrolled participants for the survey of this study.

1. 1. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

During the course of this study challenges encountered were that of:

Financial constraint , was faced by the researcher ,in getting relevant materials and in printing and collation of questionnaires

Time factor: time factor pose another constraint since having to shuttle between writing of the research and also engaging in other academic work making it uneasy for the researcher.

1. 1. DEFINITION OF TERMS

Filling Stations: A filling station, also known as petrol station (UK) or filling station (US), is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles.