Asian Basic and Applied Research Journal

The study investigated the Factors Responsible for Safety Incidents in Oil and Gas Downstream Companies in Port Harcourt Metropolis. The research population consisted of 1500 employees from oil and gas downstream industries located in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The study design used a descriptive survey design. A non-stratified sampling technique was used to choose the sample, of 340 workers. The research instrument was a self-structured questionnaire. The instrument's dependability was determined using the test-retest technique, with a reliability coefficient of 0.87. According to the survey, 78% of the respondents were male and 22% were female, with 56% of the respondents being between the ages of 25 and 30; 28% were between the ages of 31 and 35; 14% were between the ages of 36 and 40; and 2% were older than 41. The study indicated that lack of proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by personnel and poor housekeeping such as poor lighting, human error were among the factors responsible for incidents in these companies. The study also showed that implementing HSE policies and planning HSE trainings for staff at all levels were among the preventive measures for incidents in oil and gas downstream companies in Port Harcourt metropolis. The investigation concludes that there were safety events involving personnel in Nigeria's oil and gas downstream industry at various levels in Port Harcourt metropolis. Thus, the research recommends that businesses, in particular merchants of petroleum goods, make a commitment to fostering a strong HSE culture among employees via the implementation of comprehensive HSE policies and staff development initiatives. These initiatives would deal with risky behaviours as well as risky circumstances.