COMPLIANCE WITH OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY PRACTICES AMONG COOKING GAS REFILL STATION ATTENDANTS IN EFFURUN AND ENVIRONS, DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

To minimize the risk of accidents and injuries, it is essential to assess how safety protocols are being adhered to in the workplace. Many attendants working at stations that refill cooking gas in the gas retail sector are found in this study location, Delta State of Nigeria. Such workers are exposed to numerous risks that can lead them to get injured, gas leakage, and fire. This study assessed the compliance of cooking gas refill station attendants in Effurun and its environs in Delta State with occupational safety practices. The study used cross-sectional and descriptive designs such as observations and interviews for qualitative data collection. The data was presented quantitatively as numerical values, from which statistical inferences were drawn. The study found that knowledge of safety practices among cooking gas refill station attendants in Effurun and its environs was generally good, especially regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) usage (85.4%), fire extinguishers (100%), and familiarity with workplace safety practices (95.8%). The study's results showed statistically significant associations and relationships between the respondents' age with awareness and knowledge (p=0.041) and duration of work time (p=0.018). Additionally, the general practice of safety measures was found to be high. However, some cooking gas refill stations had poor design and siting, which could increase the vulnerability to occupational accidents within the stations. To improve compliance, assessing occupational safety practices should be a top priority. This will positively influenced organizational improvement approaches and hazard management at cooking gas refilling stations in Nigeria.