Impact of Effective Safety Administration on Occupational Health and Safety Performance in Selected Oil Companies in Rivers State

Abstract

The aim of this research was to assess the impact of proficient safety management on the occupational health and safety outcomes in Nigerian oil and gas businesses operating in Rivers State. Drawing upon the leadership theory paradigm as a theoretical framework, this study utilised a descriptive cross-sectional research design to investigate two prominent oil corporations (IOGC and IOC) operating in Rivers State, Nigeria. The study specifically concentrated on the Eleme, Port Harcourt, and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas (LGA's) in Rivers State. A sample size of 380 employees was selected from a study population of 3,800 workers using the Taro Yamane Formula. The study adopted a questionnaire, modified from the IOGP (2013) Safety Leadership reference document, for the collection of data. The findings of the study revealed notable disparities in safety leadership attributes, such as credibility, feedback and recognition, vision, teamwork, communication, and accountability, across the two chosen organisations, IOGC and IOC. A significant proportion of participants from IOGC had a negative stance (83.1%) towards the existence of positive safety leadership attributes. Conversely, a minority (14.8%) held a positive viewpoint, while a small percentage (2.2%) strongly disagreed and an even smaller percentage (3.8%) strongly agreed with the notion. Therefore, the study concluded that the quality of safety leadership is essential for leaders who seek to cultivate a favourable safety culture. This particular cultural environment fosters an atmosphere in which individuals are encouraged to openly address safety-related issues without fear of reprisal or coercion. Thus, the study recommended that organisations should conduct informative workshops to enhance understanding of the advantages associated with safety leadership attributes, as well as their influence on safety performance and the overall organisational culture.

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