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American Journal of  Environmental
Economics (AJEE) 

Evaluating Environmental Health and Safety Practices among Fuel Station Operators in 
Ghana’s Petroleum (Downstream) Sector

Sarah Asiedua Asare1, Patrick Akwasi Anamuah Mensah2, Collins Nana Andoh3*

Volume 3 Issue 1, Year 2024
ISSN: 2833-7905 (Online)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajee.v3i1.2939
https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajee

Article Information ABSTRACT

Received: May 30, 2024

Accepted: June 29, 2024

Published: July 01, 2024

The study assesses service operators’ role and awareness level in environmental health and 
safety practices in the petroleum (downstream) sector / Fuel Service Station (FSS) in Adentan 
Municipality in Ghana. A total of  50 managers and workers were used as the sample size for 
the study, of  which 18 were female and 32 were male. The study was a descriptive survey, 
with a questionnaire as the instrument for data gathering. The final data were analyzed using 
descriptive statistics like percentages and frequencies through SPSS IBM 27. The two main 
objectives of  the study were to examine the role of  operators in participating in environmental 
health and safety in fuel service stations and to establish the level of  awareness of  the operators 
about environmental health and safety. The study revealed that operators of  FSS within the 
petroleum downstream sector have major roles to play in environmental health and safety 
by enforcing health and safety policies established by law and regulations for Health, Safety, 
and Environment (HSE). The findings again showed that the level of  awareness of  the 
operators on environmental health and safety is very high and paramount in the FSS, as they 
showed positive concern about worker Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) provision and 
standardized procedures for investigating and reporting accidents. 

Keywords

Environmental Health, Safety, 
Downstream Sector, Petroleum 
Industry, Operators, Fuel Service 
Stations

1 National Petroleum Authority, Accra, Ghana
2 St. Ambrose College of  Education, Dorma Akwamu, Ghana
3 University of  Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana
* Corresponding author’s e-mail: collins.andoh.stu@uenr.edu.gh

INTRODUCTION 
Petroleum products play a significant role in the socio-
economic, socio-political, and environmental sectors of  
every nation (Asare et al., 2021). They are crucial for the 
economic development of  all countries, regardless of  
whether they are oil producers or not. In countries where 
oil is not drilled or mined, other sectors of  the petroleum 
industry are present, with the downstream sector being 
almost ubiquitous. In Ghana, the discovery of  oil has led 
to a significant reliance on oil revenue from all sectors of  

the petroleum industry. While the downstream sector in 
the country is growing rapidly, the operators in the fuel 
filling station, in particular, have a poor level of  awareness 
regarding safety and the environment.
In 2015, Barclays defined oil and gas as natural resources 
that are obtained through the degradation of  organic 
matter found in geological deposits on the Earth’s 
surface. These resources are composed of  thousands of  
organic materials that can be processed into a variety of  
petrochemical products (Barclays, 2015).

Figure 1: Sectors in the oil and gas industry retrived from Chauman (2013)

In the diagram presented in Figure 1 above, the 
downstream sector of  the petroleum industry is focused 
on the production, distribution, and sale of  refined 
hydrocarbon products. According to a report (Barclays, 
2015), the refining process, which can be complicated 

at times, requires a safe and hazard-free environment 
to operate effectively. Retail and distribution activities 
include handling fuel oil, petroleum, liquefied natural gas 
(LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), chemicals, 
lubricants, and other related products. Given the large 



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volume and variety of  distribution networks, it is 
necessary to manage these petroleum products with care 
and caution to avoid any potential environmental hazards. 
Therefore, it is crucial to implement careful management 
practices to minimize environmental impacts.
In 2010, the Ministry of  Energy estimated that Ghana’s 
petroleum products account for about 20% of  the total 
energy consumption and that about 70% of  Ghana’s 
commercial energy needs this product (Amponsah 
& Opei, 2014). As the demand for the product keeps 
increasing, the risks it poses to human safety and the 
natural environment could also be high through its 
operations and its usage in the country.
The concept of  implementing a health and safety 
philosophy is not a new idea in the oil and gas industry. 
In 2012, the Organization of  the Petroleum Exporting 
Countries (OPEC) divided the downstream sector into 
several sub-sectors, which include refining, product 
storage, transportation, distribution, and retailing 
Organisation of  the Petroleum Exporting Countries 
(OPEC) (2012). These sub-sectors present significant 
health, safety, and environmental risks (Haque et al., 
2021). The idea of  establishing a downstream sector that 
prioritizes an effective and dependable health and safety 
culture has been a topic of  discussion for several decades 
and has progressed steadily over the last few years.
According to a study conducted by Ahmed (2016), 
oil companies in major countries still face significant 
challenges in dealing with workplace accidents that 
employees are exposed to. It is difficult to measure and 
control health and safety performance in these situations. 
However, health and safety has become an important 
topic of  discussion in recent times. This is due to the 
increase in the workload for supervisors, the need to 
empower employees, and the importance of  businesses 
avoiding actions that can lead to legal consequences 
(Lowe, 2008).
Furthermore, a study conducted by Baffour et al. (2014) 
indicated that there has been a significant increase in the 
number of  downstream distribution points across the 
country. However, the filling stations segment is the most 
dominant and rapidly growing in this sector. Unfortunately, 
the country seems to prioritize economic outcomes and 
returns over health and safety management, despite the 
increasing growth of  these stations (Chauhan, 2013).
Also, according to Act 651 of  the Ghana Labour Act, 
2003, there are significant health and safety issues in Ghana 
that affect both citizens and workers. However, the act  
does not provide adequate measures to ensure the safety 
and health of  workers. In particular, workers in the oil 
and gas industry are exposed to serious safety and health 
threats. Therefore, it is essential to conduct research to 
address these issues. Furthermore, a performance review 
of  HSE conducted by Ahmed (2016) revealed that health, 
safety, and environmental concerns are given importance 
in the industry’s leadership commitment, management, 
and technical concepts. However, the National Petroleum 
Authority (NPA) and Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) - mandated to regulate and maintain safety and 

health standards - are failing to ensure compliance in the 
country (Yirenkyi, 2016).
For regulations and best practices in the oil and gas 
industry, Barclays in their 2015 brief  reports pointed out 
clearly with this assertion, “permits, consents and licenses 
are likely to be required for oil and gas operations” 
and for that, it must meet the best industrial practices 
of  international environmental and social standards 
(Barclays, 2015). For Ghana, the NPA and EPA do this 
through the issuance of  licenses and permits respectively. 
Operators of  FSS are given guidelines and regulations 
which are meant to ensure that their operations are 
carried out in a safe and healthy environment.  However, 
there have been several incidences of  workplace disasters 
in the form of  fire outbreaks in the country, despite 
these guidelines and regulations. In June 2015, there 
was a disaster at the then Kwame Nkrumah Circle, 
which claimed over 190 lives and also destroyed many 
properties. A report by Gagugah (2016) indicated that the 
June 3rd disaster occurred as a result of  fuel leakage from 
the tanks of  the filling station which came in contact with 
a naked fire from a lit cigarette.
In 2016 a fuel tanker exploded near the Trade-fair Centre 
in the Greater Accra region of  Ghana claiming 9 lives 
and injuring 12 others. Yet in another incident in October 
2017, an explosion occurred at Atomic Junction, with the 
explosion of  an LPG tanker while discharging LPG into 
a stationary vessel. It is not immediately clear what the 
causes of  these accidents are since the fuel-filling stations 
are expected to operate with workplace safety guidelines. 
It is against this background that the researchers intended 
to delve into the operations of  fuel service operators 
regarding their roles and awareness of  safety precautions 
in Ghana. The study assesses the roles and awareness 
levels of  fuel service operators in the environment in 
which they operate.
The main purpose of  the study is intended to evaluate 
the role and the awareness level of  fuel service operators 
in the environmental health and safety practices in the 
downstream sector in Ghana. The general objective of  
the study is to assess the role and the awareness level of  
fuel service operators in the environmental health and 
safety practices in the downstream sector. The following 
are the two main objectives of  the study: Examine the 
role of  operators in environmental health and safety in 
fuel service stations and Establish the level of  awareness 
of  the operators on environmental health and safety. The 
following are the research questions: What is the role 
of  operators in environmental health and safety in fuel 
service stations? Is there any level of  awareness of  the 
operators on environmental health and safety?

LITERATURE REVIEW
Oil Exploration in Ghana
The oil sector is made up of  three sectors; the upstream 
sector, the midstream sector, and the downstream sector 
(Amponsah & Opei, 2014). However, from Boateng 
& Buahing (2014) the upstream and the downstream 
constitute Ghana’s Petroleum Sectors.



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The Upstream Petroleum Sectors in Ghana
The operations of  the upstream sector are being done 
throughout the world. The Gulf  of  Mexico, the North Sea, 
the South China Sea, and the Caspian Sea are regarded as 
the highest-level areas where the activity of  the upstream 
was mainly started historically (Niven & Mcleod, 2009).

The Downstream Petroleum sector in Ghana
The downstream sector in Ghana, responsible for 
refining, transportation, retail, and distribution of  
petroleum products, is functioning effectively. However, 
authorities and regulators have not shown much interest 
in assessing the potential health, safety, and environmental 
risks associated with this sector (Boateng & Buahing, 
2014). Although the number of  fuel stations is increasing, 
compliance with environmental and safety regulations 
has been lacking. The sector is also facing a challenge 
with the influx of  untrained individuals with no industry 
expertise, who are handling petroleum products without 
proper checks. This has led to an increase in health, 
environmental, and safety risks in the country. For safety 
at the workplace and ensuring accident free downstream, 
the following will be carefully assessed:

➢ Health and safety at workplace
➢ Workplace accidents and emergencies in the 

petroleum downstream
➢ Review of  environmental health and safety 

guidelines of  the petroleum industry

Health and Safety at the Workplace 
Effective management plays a crucial role in ensuring 
health and safety in the workplace. According to Stranks 
(2006) and Oluwagbemi (2011), better management 
practices can lead to lower costs, higher productivity, 
and improved employee morale. According to Kwadwo 
and Morkla (2024), workplace dangers to employees’ 
health and safety may cause them to be less productive. 
Regardless of  the size of  the worksite, systematic 
methods can be implemented to protect workers from 
hazards. To achieve this, the worksite manager needs to 
conduct regular surveys to identify and update safety and 
health hazards (Zafar, 2014). This includes examining 
new facilities, processes, materials, and equipment, as 
well as analyzing jobs and work processes for potential 
hazards (WBG, 2016). By continuously monitoring 
performance using indicators, management systems can 
effectively mitigate health and safety risks and reduce the 
number of  incidents in the workplace.

1. Worksite analysis
2. Hazard prevention and control
3. Safety and health training

Worksite Analysis
According to the Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration (OSHA) (2016), worksite analysis 
comprises a mutual step-to-step assessment of  the 
workplace to find existing or potential hazards that may 
lead to incidents of  workplace violence.

Hazard Prevention and Control
It has been stated by Scott & Kimmel (n.d.) that control 
in the workplace refers to the procedures that are put in 
place to reduce injury, minimize adverse health effects, 
and prevent damage to equipment, the environment, 
and the worker. This statement reinforces the idea that 
the best way to control hazards in the workplace is by 
implementing appropriate procedures, safety and health 
rules, inspection, training, and conducting follow-up 
studies to ensure that the hazard controls are sufficient.  
The guidelines for the petroleum downstream, which 
includes refineries and distribution centers, recommend 
that a worksite policy on safe and healthy work and working 
conditions should be established. This policy should be 
communicated to all personnel with responsibility at the 
site and personnel at other locations with responsibility 
for the site. This ensures that safety and health protection 
is given priority over other organizational values (Høivik 
et al., 2009). 
Furthermore, all individuals in the downstream sector 
should have some responsibility for safety and health. 
To avoid any confusion in getting the required activities 
done, a clear assignment of  responsibilities is needed. 
In particular, the manager should ensure that the safety 
and health “expert” at the worksite is not assigned 
line responsibility that belongs to line managers and 
supervisors. Line managers and supervisors should be 
responsible for supervising and evaluating workers’ 
performance in areas of  safety and health, providing 
on-the-job training in safe work practices and personal 
protective equipment, and encouraging workers’ 
participation in safety and health activities (Walker, 2007).

Safety and Health Training
Workplace safety and health training is an important 
component of  preventing workplace violence through 
education and training. Well-trained staff  members are 
aware of  potential hazards and follow established policies 
and procedures to protect themselves and their colleagues 
(OSHA, 2016) 
According to Cohen & Colligan (1998), controlling 
workplace hazards is a fundamental aspect of  occupational 
safety and health (OS & H) training. Workers should be 
trained not only to perform their jobs effectively but also 
to protect themselves and their coworkers from potential 
hazards (Ali, 2008).
Additionally, developing a clear statement of  management 
policy helps ensure that everyone in the workplace 
understands the importance of  safety and health 
protection and how it aligns with other organizational 
values (ILO, 2005) .

Workplace Accidents and Emergencies in the 
Petroleum Downstream
In the downstream sector of  the petroleum industry, there 
have been numerous cases of  accidents that have claimed 
lives and properties. This section talks about workplace 
accidents and emergencies in the downstream sector.



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Workplace Accidents
Accident is defined by Zakaria et al. (2012) as an unpleasant 
and undesired event that leads to death, personal injuries, 
damage or loss of  property, materials, or the environment, 
and loss of  business opportunity. Moreover, Ambisisi 
(2016) pointed out that downstream transportation and 
distribution of  petroleum products are mainly done using 
truck tanker and pipeline transport systems which also 
constitutes too many accidents on human safety and the 
environment.

Causes and Preventions of  the Workplace Accidents
Workplace accidents can be caused by several factors 
including human error, high stress, low level of  
education, lack of  training, absence of  safety leadership, 
poor design of  the workplace, lack of  top management, 
and ineffective machinery and complicated technology. 
However, human error remains the primary cause of  
all workplace accidents (Alkahaldi et. al., 2017). Socially 
responsible companies must take workplace accidents 
seriously, regardless of  their occurrence. Occupational 
accidents are acute and visible in the workplace, which 
can be perceived as more dramatic than occupational 
disease (Høivik et al., 2009). 
The workers are major stakeholders in the International 
Labour Standards of  the International Labour 
Organization (ILO), and extensive worker participation 
is essential for an effective management system (ILO 
2015) . Natural risks and hazards are inevitable in the 
handling and bulk storage of  petrol stations, which can 
lead to accidental spills, tank leakage, and ground/water 
contamination (Haque et al., 2021). Therefore, there must 
be emergency preparedness for spill prevention plans that 
regulate equipment, maintenance, integrity testing, and 
implementation of  tank management plans, as stated in 
the Barclays 2015 brief  report (Barclays, 2015).

Emergency at Workplace
An emergency in the workplace (downstream sector) 
might be considered as a spillage of  flammable fuel, 
explosion, fire or ignitions, injury to a client or worker 
on site, etc. that requires urgent attention to prevent 
escalation, loss or injury to individuals or the environment 
and damage to plant and equipment (H & SA, n.d.) .
According to Occupational Health and Safety 
Management (2001), there must be adequate readiness 
and preparedness of  companies to handle a variety of  
emergencies about health and safety at the workplace 
(OH & SM, 2001). This then suggests that emergency 
services must be part of  management’s plans to take 
care of  health, safety, and environmental issues in the 
downstream sector.

Emergency Procedures
In preventing workplace incidents and emergencies, OH 
& S Management documented in their work that; there 
must be emergency procedures to help equip employees 
in emergency-related cases (OH & SM, 2001). Therefore, 

the following programs must be known to the worker;
1. Policy on the importance of  emergency
2. Emergency outlet procedures and routes
3. Emergency training programs to equip/enhance 

workers
4. Constants review of  emergency plans

Review and Audit of  Environmental Health and 
Safety Guidelines of  the Petroleum Industry
Review and Audit are two important tools used in the 
petroleum industry for management purposes (UNEP, 
1997). Guidelines for the petroleum industry are crucial 
for industrializing countries. The World Bank Group 
documented in 2016 that “the Environmental, Health, 
and Safety (EHS) guidelines are technical reference 
documents with general and industry-specific examples 
of  good international industry practices (GIIP)” (WBG, 
2016). Health, Safety, and Environment are three separate 
concepts that are often combined in the same functional 
groups within oil companies (HSE, 2018). Therefore, 
there is a need for HSE guidelines for operators 
worldwide. In addition, a strong company commitment to 
environmental protection can help minimize the negative 
environmental impact of  oil and gas development 
activities. 
These guidelines are expected to meet the demands 
of  countries in the oil and gas business. As such, it is 
best to display company policy and strategic objectives 
prominently at all operating sites and, if  necessary, 
adapt them to include site-specific requirements (UNEP, 
1997). Therefore, the country needs to have guidelines 
in the downstream sector, which depends on regulation 
involving the establishment of  laws by a public agency 
(Jilcha & Kitaw, 2016). It has been pointed out that the 
best way to reduce and minimize negative consequences 
with regard to safety, health, and the environment is to 
enact a guideline policy through regulation by establishing 
laws.
Ghana has experienced several oil and gas disasters in the 
past ten years, despite having guidelines and regulations 
in place in the sector. The June 3rd twin disaster shown 
in figure 1 below cannot be ignored, as its consequences 
were too significant. A report by Joy News revealed that 
the committee recommended that the government certify 
and license filling station attendants (Gadugah, 2016).
The HSE guidelines provide a stakeholder program to 
recognize and understand all the hazards and potential 
hazards of  the workplace. It also ensures the prevention 
or control of  those hazards and provides training to 
employees at all levels to understand the potential hazards 
they may face and how to protect themselves and others 
(ILO, 2005) . 
According to United Nations Environment Programme 
(UNEP) Technical Publication (1997), an environmental 
audit in the petroleum sector is defined as a management 
tool that evaluates environmental organization, 
management, and equipment performance systematically, 
periodically, and objectively. The purpose of  this audit 



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is to help safeguard the environment by facilitating 
management control of  environmental practices and 
assessing compliance with company policies, including 
meeting regulatory requirements (UNEP, 1997). An audit 
in the petroleum industry can check environmental health 
and safety guidelines by ensuring monitoring, compliance, 
procedures, and sector-required standards are in place 
and effective (UNEP, 1997).

METHODOLOGY 
This chapter is mainly about the methods used for the 
study. It is made of  various sections as outlined and 
discussed below: 

Study Area
Adenta Municipal Area in the Greater Accra Region of  
Ghana was where the study was conducted. According 
to Ghana Statistical Service 2014, it is situated along the 
Accra – Aburi Highway after Medina with a total area 
size of  35.85 sq mi and an inhabitant of  78, 215. There 
are 53 retail outlets in Adentan municipality but the total 
number of  registered Oil Marketing Companies is 19 
under these outlets, with some having more than one 
branch within the municipal.

Research Design
The study design is a case study purposely designed to 
find answers and solutions to the research questions 
and the objective of  the study through the views of  
respondents. In the gathering of  the information for the 
study, the researcher used a questionnaire approach or 
method. This approach was employed due to preferences, 
opinions, attitudes, and dispositions as non – observable 
events.

Sources of  Data
The main source of  the secondary data was reports, 
documents, and works done by institutions, researchers, 

and academicians in the study area. The primary source 
was the administration of  a questionnaire 

Population and Sample

Figure 2: Goil Filling Station burnt by fire on June 3, 2015
Source: (adapted from Joy News Online)

Table 1: Population and Sample Size of  FSS
Fss Locations Population 

of  Workers 
Numbers 
Sampled 

Allied Oil – Adenta 13 4
Benab – Housing Down 7 2
Compass Oleum – Frafraha 9 3
Gaso Petroleum – 
Amanfrom

10 3

Naagamni – Amrahia 9 3
Superior Oil – Ashieyie 12 4
Vivo Energy (Shell) – 
Adenta Aburi Road

12 4

Glory Oil – Ritz Junction 9 3
Goodness Energy – 
Amanfrom

10 3

Frimps Oil – Adenta 10 3
Infin – Ashieyie 10 3
Puma – Amrahia 9 3
Goil – Ashieyie 12 4
Engen – Frafraha 10 3
Infin – Adenta 9 3
Galaxy Oil – Frafraha 7 2
Goil – Adenta 10 3
Engen – Adenta Aburi Road 8 2
Puma – Adenta Aburi Road 7 2
Vivo Energy Shell  – Adenta 9 3
Total 20 192 60

Source: Field Work, 2023



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The total population of  workers and managers of  all the 
registered oil marketing companies in Ghana is considered 
for the study, but those in the Adentan Municipal Area 
were the target population. As in Table 1, for an effective 
and precise outcome, a sample size of  60 was used for 
the study.

Data Collection Procedure
There are two significant modes of  data collection; 
the quantitative data collection and the qualitative data 
collection and under these two are many methods 
of  data gathering. There are five ways of  gathering 
or collecting data; paper and pencil questionnaires, 
interviews, direct observations, document analysis, and 
your own experience, see Block (1981) and Lana (2000). 
The researcher used the quantitative data collection and 
the questionnaire method because of  their easiness to 
summarize, compare, and generalize.
The researcher in using the 20 FFS gave many copies of  
the questionnaire to each of  the various FFS as shown 
in Table 3.1 to be attended by respondents of  which 1 
was a manager. In all 55 of  the 60 copies were received 
but 50 were well filled and attended by respondents. The 
copies that were not filled well or correctly were as result 
of  illiteracy.

Instrument 
In the process of  gathering the primary data for the study, 
the instrument the researcher used was the questionnaire. 
The purpose was to measure the research questions and 
the main objectives of  the study. To ensure the validity 
of  the instruments the questionnaire was presented 
to experts in the field of  study for consideration. The 
Section had questions with each having 2 options or scale 
points respectively and some had a follow-up question to 
either explain or give a reason for their preferred option.

Data Analysis Procedures
The final data obtained from the respondents were 
analyzed using percentages and frequencies for the findings 
and discussion of  the study. This was done using Statistical 

Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27.  

Ethical Issues
As documented by Acquah (2017) in his work; the ethical 
consideration in research and how the researcher goes 
about the research is an important issue of  concern and 
according to Crandall & Diener (1978), the ethical issues 
that are considered as the standards and principles can be 
placed under four areas; harm to participants, invasion of  
privacy, informed consent and deception.
On the issue of  harm to participants, since this is 
basically about confidentiality, the research questionnaire 
was designed in a way where the respondent’s identity 
was not revealed. As Bryman (2012) pointed out harm to 
participants in research is mainly about how to maintain 
confidentiality records and this practice was adhered to. 
The research was much concerned about the privacy issue 
of  the respondent; hence the respondent had the right 
and liberty to take part in the study or withdraw.
However, before the questionnaire was given out to the 
individual respondent, permission was sought and the 
objective of  the study was explained to each respondent 
by taking into account the ethical issue of  informed 
consent. On the deception principle, the researcher made 
extensive explanations to the respondents by assuring 
them its confidentiality, the objective of  the study, and 
also been done to add to the knowledge base (academic 
purpose) but not for monetary benefits.

RESULTS 
This section presents the findings and the analyses of  the 
data collected according to the research questions.

What is the Role of  Operators in Participating in 
Environmental Health and Safety in Fuel Service 
Stations?
The study aims to find out the role of  operators in 
participating in environmental health and safety in the 
FSS. Under this research question, respondents were 
given ten (10) statements for them to state Yes or No. 
The result is shown in Table 2.

Table 2: The role of  operators in participating in environmental health and safety in fuel service stations
Yes No
Yes. % No. %

1 Does the company enforce a health and safety policy? 50 100% 0 0.0%
2 Would the company apply disciplinary measures to correct wrong 

behaviours?
46 92% 4 8.0%

3 Is there a first aid kit at the outlet? 47 94% 3 6.0%
4 Is there a health and safety performance target and reward scheme to 

motivate employees who meet targets?
28 56% 21 42%

5 Can you confirm if  there is a regular inspection by the company to ensure 
compliance with regulations?

43 86% 7 14%

6 Does the use of  health and safety posters encourage compliance with 
regulations?

49 98% 1 2%



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The total number of  respondents representing One 
hundred percent (100%) said yes to the question ‘Does 
the company enforce health and safety policy? Some 
respondents explained by backing their responses with 
the provision of  Safety wear and periodic internal 
inspection. This finding from the study shows that the 
OMCs are very sensitive to the welfare of  the worker 
and the environment and that enforcing health and safety 
policies at the workplace will minimize environmental 
hazards and workplace incidents. This is why Jilcha & 
Kitaw (2016) pointed out that the only way to reduce 
and minimize safety, health, and environmental negative 
consequences is to enact a guideline policy through 
regulation that is effective and up to details backed by law.
Out of  the total Fifty (50) respondents surveyed 46 of  
them representing Ninety- two percent 92% believed the 
company would apply disciplinary measures to correct 
wrong behaviors, and the remaining 4(8%) responded 
no to the question. The overwhelming outcome by the 
respondents indicates companies in the downstream 
sector have the willingness to take action by correcting 
the behaviors of  odd workers when they are out of  order. 
It goes to show that disciplinary measures to correct 
wrong behaviors in the FSS must not be underestimated 
but must be overemphasized to caution the worker. 
Respondents explained that companies do that to deter 
wrongdoers from repeating wrong behaviors.
In response to health and safety performance targets 
and rewarding schemes to motivate employees who 
meet targets, fifty-six (56%) of  the respondents said yes 
with forty-two (42%) responding no and one person 
representing two (2%) percent did not attend to the 
question.
The study outcome shows that management is of  
the view that when employees are motivated about 
performance targets when a reward scheme is in place 
there is work efficiency and health and safety become 

the utmost priority. Respondents’ responses to confirm 
if  there is a regular inspection by the company to ensure 
compliance with regulations were positive, eighty-six 
percent (86%) of  them stated yes meaning regular 
inspection is conducted and the remaining fourteen 
(14%) responded no. About the use of  health and safety 
posters encouraging compliance with regulations, almost 
the entire respondents that is Ninety-eight percent (98%) 
agreed to yes, which is an encouraging and positive 
assertion while the two percent (2%) that is an individual 
responded no.
Concerning respondents’ awareness of  the environmental 
health and safety issues related to the recent fire incidents 
in the country, eighty-two (82%) percent said yes to this 
and eighteen percent (18%) responded no. The 82% 
yes shows that respondents are aware of  the June 3rd 
twin, a disaster that occurred at the circle and that any 
negligence on the path of  them may cause unwanted 
incidents. According to respondents, to prevent such 
future occurrences of  fire incidents in the country, there 
is a frequent check of  leakages. About the company 
check for leakages in the underground storage tanks, 
Nine-six (96%) percent of  the respondents gave fair 
responses by affirming yes and four percent (4%) of  the 
remaining responded no. Findings as shown from the 
high percentage indicate that companies are very much 
concerned with leakages of  storage as a victim may cause 
environmental hazards or incidents to the health and 
safety of  workers.

Level of  Awareness of  the Operators on 
Environmental Health and Safety
The study sought to find out the level of  awareness of  
the operators on environmental health and safety in the 
FSS. Under this research question, respondents were 
given ten (10) statements for them to state Yes or No. 
This is shown in Table 3.

7 Has the company designated competent safety persons responsible for 
safety within the premises?

37 74 13 26%

8 Are you aware of  environmental health and safety issues related to the 
recent fire incidents in the country?

41 82% 9 18%

9 Does the company check for leakages in the underground storage tanks? 48 96% 2 4%
10 Is there an Oil interceptor at your facility? 39 78% 11 22%

Source: Fieldwork, 2023

Table 3: Level of  awareness of  the operators on environmental health and safety
Yes No
Yes. % No. %

1 Does the company have a standardized procedure for investigating accidents? 40 80% 10 20%
2 Does the company have a standardized procedure for reporting accidents? 44 88% 6 12%
3 Does the company have Personal Protective Equipment, PPE for Staff? 42 84% 8 16%
4 Do workers participate in hazard identification at the outlet? 46 92% 4 8%
5 Does the company have a reward system from top management for workers 

who demonstrate exemplary safe behavior at the outlet?
32 64% 18 36%



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According to the data obtained, eighty percent (80%) of  
the respondents said yes, that for investigating accidents 
the companies have a standardized procedure while the 
remaining twenty percent (20%) responded no, which 
indicates the absence of  a standardized procedure for 
looking into accidents. The findings indicate that the 
procedure available is of  high standard hence even if  fear 
exists the probability is very small as workers are of  the 
view that the standard way as accepted everywhere is used 
in accident cases.
Now for the company having PPE for staff, it was only 
sixteen percent (16%) of  the total respondents who 
responded no but the remaining eighty-four percent 
(84%) said yes, their companies have PPE for staff. This 
affirms the notion of  Walker (2007) and Kelloway & Day 
(2005) that hazard prevention control can be a program 
designed through safe work practices with enforcement 
and the provision of  PPE.
An overwhelming percentage (92%) of  the respondents 
affirmed that workers participating in hazard identification 
at the outlet while the remaining eight percent (8%) 
responded no. The outcome of  this rating suggests that 
workers are allowed to take part in hazard identification. 
Therefore, as pointed out by Mishra & Sahoo (2012), 

there is a better understanding, improvement, and 
organizational performance at the workplace and 
minimization of  incidents if  employees are engaged and 
involved in the organizations.
Eighty-two percent (82%) of  respondents from the 
survey said yes their company has periodic training 
on health and safety for workers and the remaining 
eighteen (18%) said no.  The finding supports the views 
of  OSHA (2016) that one key element of  workplace 
violence prevention is safety and health training, and this 
implies when members are well trained there is a high 
level of  awareness of  potential haza Regarding workers 
demonstrating knowledge of  environmental health and 
safety, a higher number of  respondents (88%) believe 
that they have the requisite knowledge in dealing with and 
handling environmental health and safety in the FSS, and 
(12%) twelve percent responded no.
The outcome of  the findings is clearly in line with ILO 
(2005) , that when workers in the FSS are knowledgeable 
in the HSE per the guidelines, they demonstrate an 
understanding of  hazards and potential hazards in the 
workplace and the ability to prevent and control those 
hazards and how to protects themselves and others and 
workplace protection.

6 Does the company have periodic training on health and safety for workers? 41 82% 9 18%
7 Does management conduct periodic health and safety inspections? 44 88% 6 12%
8 Do the workers demonstrate knowledge of  environmental health and safety? 44 88% 6 12%
9 Does the company have an efficient health and safety communication channel? 43 86% 7 14%

Source: Fieldwork, 2023

Figure 3: The last time periodic training was done at the FSS

This particular question ‘The last time this was done’, 
was a follow-up to a previous question, fifty-two percent 
(52%) of  the respondents said they had done it more 
than two months but less than six months, thirty-six 
percent (36%) said less than a month, eight percent (8%) 

responded for more than a month and finally four percent 
(4%) said more than six months but less than a year as 
shown in figure 3 above. This reveals how often periodic 
trainings are done in these institutions. Although a higher 
percentage said they had done training more than two 



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months but less than six months, there is still some form 
of  training being undertaken by these facilities which will 
help in protecting operators and facilities from the risk of  
accidents and also to aid in emergency response in case 
of  an accident at the facility.

CONCLUSION
The chapter presents the summary of  findings from the 
study and presents some concluding remarks intertwined 
with recommendations.

Summary of  Findings
From the outcome of  Table 4.6 which is about research 
question 1 ‘The role of  operators in participating in 
environmental health and safety in a fuel service station 
(FSS)’, respondents showed positive responses through 
the data obtained by asserting the fact that operators in 
the various companies showed a high level of  involvement 
as they were up to the task in playing their respective roles 
by ensuring that the good practices in the downstream 
sector are adhered to in the workplace environment for 
good health and safety in FSS.
The following percentages are 100%, 98%, 96%, etc. 
which are; Does the company enforce health and 
safety policy, Does the use of  health and safety posters 
encourage compliance with regulations, and Does the 
company check for leakages in the underground storage 
tanks respectively are clear indications that the role of  
the operators in various FSS on health, safety, and 
environment were positive and the best.
Also, analysis under this area of  study; ‘Is there any level 
of  awareness of  the operators on environmental health 
and safety’, and the data obtained shows that the level 
of  awareness of  the operators on environmental health 
and safety is paramount to the OMCs. Responses from 
the company’s standardized procedure for investigating 
(80%) and reporting (88%) of  accidents affirm that the 
level of  awareness is very high in the FSS by the operators 
on environmental health and safety. Again, companies 
allowing workers to participate in hazard identification 
(92%) and the provision of  PPE (84%) are all signs and 
indications of  awareness creation. Moreover, Hughes and 
Ferret in 2013 also assert that for appropriate control of  
hazards, a combination of  work practices and PPE is the 
best choice or should be used where feasible, see Hughes 
& Ferrett (2013).
Moreover, the survey shows that periodic training, 
periodic inspections, and effective communication 
channels (86%) of  the OMCs create a very positive and 
high level of  awareness of  operators on environmental 
health and safety.

CONCLUSIONS
The study focuses on the role of  operators in environmental 
health and safety in fuel service stations (FSS). Operators 
within the downstream sector have major roles in enforcing 
health and safety policies, which must contain guidelines 

established by law and regulations for HSE. They are 
responsible for protecting employee health and safety 
and ensuring compliance with rules and regulations in the 
working environment (Oluwagbemi, 2011).
The study’s second objective was to, “establish the level 
of  awareness of  operators on environmental health and 
safety”. Operators in the downstream sector are highly 
aware of  standard procedures for investigating and 
reporting workplace accidents. This indicates there is a 
need for continued investment in reducing and potentially 
eliminating workplace accidents. They are also aware of  
the provision of  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 
and the importance of  worker participation in hazard 
identification (ILO, 2015; OH & SM, 2001).
The study concludes that operators in various OMCs 
shows 

1. High levels of  involvement in good practices in the 
downstream sector as in 

a. Enforcing health and safety policies
b. Applying disciplinary measures
c. Conduct regular inspections to ensure compliance 

with regulations. 
2. Operators know the environmental health and safety 

standard procedures for investigating and reporting 
accidents in the workplace

3. That operators know the environmental health and 
safety consequences in the downstream sector

4. Operators know the importance of  PPE and worker 
participation in hazard identification.

RECOMMENDATIONS
From the findings of  the study, it is recommended that 
operators’ involvement by participating in environmental 
health and safety should be encouraged and be done 
continuously as they keep attending to their duties in 
ensuring good practices in the FSS within the downstream 
sectors. It is also recommended that operators’ role 
in participating in environmental health and safety by 
enforcing health and safety policy should continuously 
be done as they involve the three main stakeholders; 
government, employers, and employees for HSE.
Furthermore, the operators’ role in disciplinary measures 
in correcting wrong behaviors in FSS and the regular 
inspection should be done constantly, for the workers 
in the FSS within the downstream sector to become 
conscious, efficient, and disciplined.
Additionally, it is recommended that the level of  
awareness of  the operator in the downstream sector in the 
standardized procedures for investigating and reporting 
accidents must not stop but be done continuously to 
help reduce/minimize workplace incidents. Workers’ 
participation in hazard identification and provision of  
needed equipment must be done constantly to help 
workers protect themselves and their co-workers.

Data Availability
Upon genuine request data for the study may be available. 



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