ADEQUACY, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCES OF WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH POLICIES IN NIGERIA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: A MIXED-METHODS EVALUATION

Nigeria has put together a fairly comprehensive set of occupational safety and health (OSH) instruments, but little is known about how such policies actually work inside public institutions once they move from the page to daily practice. This study evaluated the adequacy and implementation of WSH policies at Nigeria's National Assembly, examined how employees perceive and experience these policies, and identified the barriers that limit effective implementation. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was used. A structured questionnaire was administered to 332 permanent staff, selected through Taro Yamane sampling and stratified random sampling, and 14 key informants were interviewed. The survey data were analyzed descriptively and with one-way ANOVA; the interview data were analyzed thematically. Policy implementation was moderate but generally poor (M = 2.88, SD = 1.18). Most respondents (71.99%) confirmed that safety equipment was available, but far fewer reported regular training (20.18%), regular inspections (29.22%), or access to counseling or welfare support (31.63%). Senior staff rated implementation and institutional support more favorably than junior and contract staff on every measure tested (p < .05). Interviews described a policy environment that exists mainly in circulars and occasional gestures rather than a documented, institutionalized system, where equipment is visible but underused because staff are rarely trained to operate it. Funding, training, and management commitment were the most frequently identified obstacles to progress. The study argues that the National Assembly has invested more in the visible signs of safety than in the systems, training, inspection, and communication that would make that investment count. Moreover, it recommends a dedicated occupational safety and health unit alongside more consistent training and inspection.