18 Evaluation of On-Site Accident Prevention Training Programmes in The Petroleum Industry in Rivers and Bayelsa States
Vincent Wobodo Akpu; Ebi Bio Awotua-Efebo; and Clara N. Olele
ABSTRACT
The study evaluated the On-site accident prevention training programmes in the Petroleum Industry in Rivers and Bayelsa States. The population of the study was 1,400 personnel playing different roles in an integrated Oil field where construction and production activities are carried out simultaneously. The analytic survey was used for the study. A sample size of 446 (32%) was drawn randomly based on availability due to job rotation and schedule. Seven (7) instruments were used for field data collection, the research questions were answered using mean, and standard deviation, while seven hypotheses were tested using one-way ANOVA in six and independent sample t-test statistics in one, all at 0.05 level of significance. The finding showed that participants were highly satisfied with the training as their expectations were met; they acquired new competencies; participants demonstrated evidence of transfer of new competencies in the workplace; the training produced desired outcomes as incidents/violations were reduced drastically, and all the management sub-groups acknowledged high return on investment (ROI) in the programme evaluated. It was concluded that the on-site accident prevention-training programme is effective and beneficial to stakeholders, and should be sustained while ensuring continuous improvement in view of multiple dynamics in the industry.
Keywords: Accident prevention, On-site Training, Petroleum Industry
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Training is an integral aspect of the entire production and service delivery system in every organization and an essential means of communicating information from more knowledgeable authority to person believed to be less knowledgeable in content, skills and desired behaviour. Sharma (2016) refers to training as the process of planned programs and procedures undertaken for the improvement of employee’s performance in terms of skills, knowledge, and behaviour. The ultimate objective is to develop the necessary capabilities required by an individual to carry out present or future jobs in the organization.
In the petroleum industry, activities are generally of high risk and hazardous because of the terrain and complex nature of high-tech equipment involved such as seismic, drilling, construction, production, refining and transportation among others. In each of these activities, there is a high level of hazards, accidents and even death. Hazards resulting from faulty equipment, electricity, confined space entry transport equipment failure, lifting, unguarded and machinery-related, working at height, struck-by/caught-in/caught-between, fire, radiation, loud noise, temperature, and slips/trips and fall as well as chemicals, flammable, gases and explosive chemicals, are recorded daily in the industry. Drilling Formulas (2017) reported the top 10 world’s most disastrous accidents in Oil and Gas sector that consumed the lives of hundreds of people and assets valued over several trillions of dollars with the Piper Alpha Platform of 1988 topping the list with 167 deaths recorded and the Usumacinta Jack-Up (Mexico) of 2006 and C.P. Baker Drilling Barge (USA) of 1964 being the least in the list with 21 deaths and several casualties. RPS Energy (2010) and Chand (2015) also highlighted other accidents that occurred since 1984, to include: Bhopal, Methyl Isocyanate gas leak-Union Carbide plant in 1984 with 4000 deaths; Bombay High, ship collision with platform and riser fire in 2005 with 22 deaths; Chongqing, Sour gas blowout where 243 people died in 2003, Skikda, the explosion on LNG plant resulting to 27 deaths in 2004; Nigeria, pipeline explosion where 100 people died in 2009; Jaipur, the explosion in gasoline storage claimed 12 lives 2009; and the Congo, gasoline road tanker overturned incident in 2010 resulting to the death of 230 people. The International Labour Organization (ILO) reported that over 2.3 million people die annually due to work-related occupational accidents, illnesses, and diseases, and an estimated 313 million work-related accidents resulting in extended absence from duty. The ILO revealed that the global economy suffers a staggering annual loss of about $3 trillion because of work-related accidents and diseases alone (World Economic Forum, 2015). The combined cost of work related deaths, injuries, and diseases in the year was 3.94 percent of worldwide GDP, which is equivalent to $2.99 trillion (National Safety Council, 2017). These figures are indeed frightening and call for short and long-term intervention to halt the trend.
In Nigeria, The Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in 2017 raised alarm over increasing cases of accidents, such as; the Apapa jetty fire where four died; the gas skid explosion in Ogun state with six fatalities, the petrol tanker fire that claimed ten fatalities and injured six in the Felele area of Lokoja in Kogi State (Alike, 2017). The 12th July 2012 Okogbe fuel tanker explosion along East-West road that claimed over 100 lives. Anyanwu (2014) also revealed that other major accidents within the last three decades include the Escravos spill in 1978; the Forcados Terminal Tank failure in 1978; Texaco Funiwa-5 blowout 1980, and the Abudu pipeline spill of 1982. Okoli (2018) reported that a pipeline explosion claimed the lives of over 50 people in Abia State on October 12, 2018.
The economic consequences of these accidents on the nation that depends largely on Oil and Gas are immense. The upstream sector also recorded some ugly work-related accidents since the beginning of the 21st century. For instance, the Shell group in Nigeria had 21 out of the 52 fatalities recorded in the year 2000; 22 out of 51 persons that died in 2002; 22 out of a total of 37 work-related deaths in 2006; and also 11 out of 26 fatalities that occurred in 2008, 3 out of the 5 work-related deaths in 2013; 5 died in 2014; 7 deaths in 2015, and 3 fatalities in 2016.
Hence, we cannot under-estimate the relevance of on-site accident prevention training programmes in the petroleum industry. This study, therefore, evaluates the on-site accident prevention training programmes in the petroleum industry in Rivers and Bayelsa States. The following hypotheses were tested at significant levels to guide the conduct of this study:
- There is no significant difference in participants’ level of satisfaction in the accident prevention training in the three different skill pools.
- There is no significant difference in the mean achievement of participants in terms of the acquisition of new competencies after attending the general HSE Levels 1-3 training programme.
- There is no significant difference in the mean achievement of participants in terms of the acquisition of new competencies after attending the Fall Prevention training programme.
- There is no significant difference in the mean achievement of participants in terms of acquisition of new competencies after attending the Gas Testing and Confined Space Entry training programme.
- There is no significant difference in participants’ ability to apply new competencies gained during the accident prevention training in managing workplace hazards to prevent accidents across the different sectional leadership
- There is no significant difference in the extent to which the accident prevention training has contributed to the achievement of accident-free operations across three management sub-sections.
- There is no significant difference in the extent of return on investment in accident prevention training in terms of cost savings, higher profits, and overall performance in the different management sub-sections
2.0 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The Oil and Gas sector like other high-risk sectors has consistently provided mandatory and recommended workplace accident prevention training their employees to keep them free from harm, save lives, protect assets and the environment. This training is a legal requirement and employers are duty-bound to comply with the law. Aside from legal push, employers are morally bound to provide necessary training to safeguard the employee, who also has the right to a safe and healthful working environment. There are also the cost-saving benefits of training when the employer makes more money without suffering an undue loss due to an accident. Training is currently in a state of crises around the world especially due to harsh economic climate leading to organizations being pushed to cut down on training budgets among the first line of items in order to reduce cost. This means that the lofty ideas about continuous learning and professional development of employees have to give way to concrete justification with compelling evidence that such training will deliver bottom-line results, and contribute to the accomplishment of organizational objectives (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
The current economic challenges and crises in the training world are yet to deter the petroleum sector significantly, as employers have continued to deploy valuable resources to provide workplace accident prevention training to help employees acquire and improve requisite competencies on how to carry out assigned tasks without an accident. Sadly, despite huge investment in training intervention to achieve zero incidents there seems to be no end to accidents occurring at the workplace. This recurring accident has put some sorts of doubts on the veracity, relevance, and effectiveness of workplace accident prevention training provided for workers by employers. It is against this backdrop that the researcher would investigate the strength and weaknesses of such training to determine if the critical objectives are achieved, and what can be done to sustain performance or make an improvement to justify the investment to the benefit of the employee, employer, family, and society.
3.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
Unlike several related studies on evaluating training for quality, production, resources management and other programmes, there are only a few reported studies on the Evaluation of On-site Accident prevention training in the Petroleum sector. Vignoli, Punnett and Depolo (2014) in their work, “How to Measure Safety Training Effectiveness? Towards a More Reliable Model to Overcome Evaluation Issues in Safety Training” attempted to develop and promote the new ‘mixed-methods’ of testing the effectiveness of safety training intervention due to the inadequacies of existing (classical and Realistic evaluation) approaches in Italy, and wider Europe. The paper advocated the adoption of a robust and time-efficient method that combines qualitative and quantitative measures in the collection and analysis of information for a better understanding of a research problem in order to provide possible answers to such a problem. The new way adopted for evaluating safety-training intervention was demonstrated in a pilot study at pre and post-training phases on safety training intervention course on the use of asbestos.
While examining the concept of training and development, Topno (2012) presented a broad understanding of the concept of evaluation and training evaluation in particular with an in-depth review of definitions of several scholars as he attempted to provide a comprehensive approach to the subject in his work entitled “Evaluation of Training and Development: An Analysis of Various Models”. He identified evaluation as the most critical part of training intervention because it concludes the training process, and reveals whether or not learning really occurred, and the extent learners can apply what was learned during task execution. He also unveiled a number of training evaluation models available to practitioners, researchers, and organizations that may wish to test new or existing training programmes be it for long or short terms, including the widely used Donald Kirkpatrick’s Four-level training evaluation model; the Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) evaluations model developed by Daniel L.Stufflebeam; the CIRO approach developed by Warr, Bird & Rackson in 1970; J Philips Five levels approach that formally introduced Return on Investment to support Kirkpatrick’s four levels. Other models include; Training Validation System strategy by Fitz-Enz; Bushnell’s Input, Process and Output (IPO) model. The training investment model of Hassett; the Five-levels evaluation model of Kaufman and a host of others. Each of these models has strengths and weaknesses and cannot be applied in all situations but can safely be adapted and combined to achieve targeted results. On the assessment of employee training and development programme, Borate, Gopalkrishna and Borate (2014) adopted a case study approach to evaluate employee training effectiveness and development program in the quality department at a multinational company in India, using Kirkpatrick’s four levels evaluation model. The investigation is predicated upon the fact that most companies have realized that human capital development plays the most critical role in economic competitiveness within and across states. Their main finding was that Training for continuous quality improvement was effective in the multinational company investigated as the acquired mean of all the seven hypotheses were significantly higher than theoretical mean, which suggested general effectiveness of the training implemented for continuous quality improvement.
Grohmann and Kauffeld (2015) focused on the importance of using an evaluation tool that is psychometrically sound with the right properties by organization in testing the effectiveness of their training programmes to save time, cost and other resources and to avoid using inappropriate tools for evaluating training programmes.
4.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This research adopted a combination of descriptive and analytic surveys. Ex post facto method was adopted to support primary data obtained through questionnaires and interviews to determine the outcome at level 4 of the accident prevention training. Purposive sampling technique was adopted during the administration of instruments due to the dynamic nature of site activities. The researcher developed, validated and administered instruments used to obtain responses from all levels of participants, and engaged targets respondents in face to face interviews to elicit additional feedback to support earlier responses on Level 3, 4 and 5. A direct observation technique was also used.
The study areas for this research were contractors’ worksites in Agbada Oilfield in Rivers State and the Tunu Oilfield, Bayelsa State. The Agbada Oilfield is in Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC’s) Oil Mining Licence (OML) 17, approximately 16 km North-East of Port Harcourt in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. The oilfield on dry land area on latitudinal and longitudinal positioning of 2 7° 0′ 54.468″E and 4° 55′ 54.398″N for Agbada 2, and 6° 58′ 37.529″E and 4° 56′ 4.705″N for Agbada 1 determined through a GARMI Global Positioning System (GPS) on the field.
The population of the study was mainly 1,400 workers belonging to three main contractors who had undergone various accident prevention training in an integrated oil and Gas projects at remote locations for a client under a single management portfolio.
The sample of the study is 446 workers, which represents 32% of the population studied. The sample size was determined with the use of Taro Yamane’s formula, which yielded 311 as a minimum number of sample sizes for 1,400 populations.
1,047 questionnaires were retrieved out of 1,080 administered to the two main groups and three sub-groups of respondents by the researcher on a face-to-face basis. This number represents 96% of return rate, with 33 lost representing less than 4% mortality. Aside from questionnaire, other methods used for data collection include interviews and direct observations.
Data were analyzed using, mean and standard deviation, and Paired Sample t-test at 5% level of significance (α=0.05). Research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation. Hypotheses were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and independent sample t-test.
5.0 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
The study shows that those who participated in the accident prevention training had a high level of satisfaction in terms of instructor’s expertise, module content, materials, and overall training environment. This finding collaborates Borate et al. (2014) investigation results, which affirmed that continuous quality training intervention contributed immensely to creating a positive response in trainees as their expectations were reasonably met. It also supported Dhliwayo and Nyanumba (2014) study on the related subject, which revealed that most workers who received on- the- job training expressed satisfaction that their expectations from the training were met. It was also revealed that participants’ level of satisfaction and their understanding in the accident prevention training in different skill pools differs to an extent. Participants from the Indirect- skilled pool believed that their expectations in the just-concluded and previous on-site accident prevention training were met. This was demonstrated in their varying degrees of interest and participation during the training as the Indirect- skilled asked and answered questions from instructors than the artisans. While the artisans were more active and revealed greater satisfaction than the unskilled workers. Feedback from interaction confirms clear alignment with the educational qualifications of each of the three groups of participants as Indirect- skilled with university degrees had the greatest satisfaction. Next to the Indirect- skilled were the Direct- skilled that have technical/trade school certificates, and finally, the unskilled workers with or without primary school certificates commonly referred to as helpers. This implies that the satisfaction level in the accident prevention training depends on the level of academic or professional qualifications attained by different categories of participants to an extent. It varies according to the degree of academic or professional achievement, which means the more qualified the more you are satisfied and vice versa. This finding was supported by a tested hypothesis, which confirmed that the level of satisfaction in the training programme among the different skill pools of direct-skilled, unskilled, and Indirect- skilled differed significantly.
The study also indicates that participants who attended the General HSE Levels 1-3 training have a high level of understanding in terms of acquisition of new competencies, module content, and materials. The finding clearly aligned with the researcher’s observation and interaction as most of the participants demonstrated that they learned substantial new things from the training which they never knew and that the training was beneficial to them. The outcome also supports findings from research conducted by Borate et al. (2014), Dhliwayo, and Nyanumba (2014) which affirmed that reasonable learning took place in the two different pieces of training. Most of the locals held firm to their hearts, the 12 lifesaving rules, the 3 EP HSE golden rules, the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) et cetera, and could list as many as ten hazards and control measures. The researcher concluded that participants in the mandatory general Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Level 1-3 training acquired new competencies as all of those interviewed were of the view that they will go for refresher training if nominated, and strongly recommend that every new joiner should undergo HSE level 1-3 training.
Findings also indicates that those who participated in Fall prevention training acquired a high level of understanding in terms of acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitude, module content, and materials in the accident prevention and training program. Findings are in line with the outcome of learning achievement by participants that attended the mandatory general Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Level 1-3 training who confirmed that they acquired new competencies after the training. Findings also agree with the outcome from Borate et al. (2014) and Dhliwayo and Nyanumba (2014) which affirmed that reasonable learnings took place in the two different training. The participants’ level of understanding in the Fall Prevention Training in terms of acquisition of new competencies, module content, and materials in the different skill pools differs to an extent as seen from their varying mean scores. Finding confirms varying degrees of understanding but differs in terms of the pattern of achievement as recorded among the different categories where Indirect- skilled acquired most. Direct- skilled followed and unskilled least in HSE Level 1-3 training. Unlike the HSE level 1-3 training, the unskilled workers ranked highest in the acquisition of learning in fall protection and are followed by the Indirect- skilled and finally the Direct- skilled. This outcome appears somewhat strange. However, interaction and observation confirm that although the unskilled workers cannot authoritatively comprehend learning from fall prevention training more than the Indirect-skilled and Direct-skilled they demonstrated the highest level of compliance with fall prevention requirements, which largely implies the highest level of understanding. Most of those interviewed believed that work at height was perhaps the riskiest activity due to horrific videos of fatally injured or maimed people as a result of fall from height accidents, which they watched during the training, and was not ready to be used as statistics in future. Most of them wore their body harnesses to and from break without removing it. The Indirect-skilled was next in compliance but comprehended learning more. While the Direct-skilled were least in compliance because of the obvious complacency occasioned by overconfidence. However, they demonstrated a greater level of theoretical understanding of fall prevention training next to Indirect- skilled. The tested hypothesis also validated the fact that achievement level in the Fall Prevention training among the three different skill pools of direct-skilled, Unskilled and Indirect-skilled differed significantly.
Findings also indicate that participants who attended Gas testing and Confined Space Entry training have a high level of understanding in terms of acquisition of competencies, module content, and materials. This indicates that participants were able to apply new competencies gained during the accident training programme in managing workplace hazards to prevent accidents to a large extent. The finding supports the outcome of Vignoli, Punnett, Depolo’s (2014) investigation, which affirmed that most people that received safety training averred that what they learned from such training were useful during task execution in the workplace. This finding also agrees with Borate et al (2014), Ruttenberg (2013) and Dhliwayo & Nyanumba (2014), among other studies that confirmed transferred learning as trainee indicated capability to use acquired competencies to solve practical problems at the workplace. However, the percentage of what was really transferred out of quantity acquired was not established. It is believed that a substantial quantity of what was acquired in the training was actually transferred because 90% of the total package addressed knowledge and how to work without being hurt or killed. Transfer of learning was indeed encouraged by individual workers’ consciousness to carry out activities at the workplace without being hurt, close supervision, strict compliance to safe work procedures, coaching, daily toolbox meetings, and job hazards analysis. One key finding during the interaction was the worrisome barrier to transfer of learning due to work pressure in order to meet delivery targets. More than 50% of those interviewed confided in the researcher that most times they face the dilemma of willful violation against compliance with safe work practices in order to complete assigned tasks on time because of sack threat if they fail to complete the task as requested by the boss. And, in most cases, they were compelled not to apply known safe work practices as required in order to complete work within the specified timeframe, and therefore created room for normalization of non-compliance as right things were usually jettisoned in such instances.
The participants’ ability to apply the new competencies gained during the training in managing workplace hazards to prevent accidents after training in the different skill pools (LCS, LOS and LSS) differs slightly to an extent. These varying mean scores indicate that participants applied the new competencies gained during the training in managing workplace hazards to prevent accidents after training in the different skill pools differs to an extent. Finding collaborated researcher’s interaction and observation as the frontline supervisors and workers (LSS) rendering support services readily complied with safe work practices and procedures learned during training than the construction and operation spread probably because they exert less bodily stress. One of the Logistics officers interviewed revealed that upfront planning was a major key to translating learning from various accident prevention training to daily work execution as it has helped in preventing or reducing ‘fire service ‘response that would usually inhibit doing what is right. The construction spread (LCS) also demonstrated good use of what they learned from the three training packages evaluated despite the fact that they ranked next to the support spread. However, they faced multiple challenges because they are the key people actually doing the main work and due to other factors, which include: nature of work environment, type and integrity of equipment used, worksite restrictions and interface issues, multiple and divergent instructions, the attitude of supervisors and colleagues as well as other intervening challenges from clients and worksite dynamics. Two of those interviewed confided in the researcher that, at times, multiple and divergent instructions are issued on how best to execute one task against known procedure and that has led to not really implementing the task in accordance with knowledge gained from training. Finally, the operation spread seemed to view daily tasks more as routine activity and demonstrated more complacent behavior to doing the right thing based on learning from accident prevention training. One of those interviewed informed the researcher that his manager would only get worried if the system is down or there is a fire outbreak, and that transfer of technical knowledge learned is of greater value to him than learning from accident prevention training. The tested hypothesis did not support this finding wholly as it indicated that ability to apply new competencies gained during the training in managing workplace hazards to prevent accidents after training across the different skill pool of LCS, LOS and LSS did not differ significantly.
This indicates that the accident prevention training has contributed to the achievement of accident-free operations to a large extent. This shows a positive result/ outcome of the on-site accident prevention training. The finding supported Ruttenberg (2013), Borate, Gopalkrishna and Borate (2014), The South Australian Freight Council (2015), Bianchini, Pellegrini, Peta and Saccani (2014), and Dhliwayo & Nyanumba (2014) earlier positions which revealed that safety training created a positive impact in terms of accident prevention/ reduction, improved quality and even boosting production. The main objective of accident prevention training is to ensure the achievement of ZERO ACCIDENT, meaning no incident. Workers from the three companies contributed significantly to the achievement of over 20 million LTI-free man-hours within the last 5 years (2013-2018) on current projects for the same client. Monthly, Annual and Project-to-date report sighted from secondary data sources (HSE Statistics records) confirms very impressive HSE performance attributable largely to increased on-site HSE awareness resulting from planned accident prevention training.
It also revealed that accident prevention training has contributed to the achievement of accident-free operation to a differing extent as assessed by three different management sub-sections of Operations, Support and Construction as seen from their differing mean scores. Construction activities are high risk with great potential to cause harm, such as: mechanical and manual lifting, excavation, welding, coating, and electrical and instrument installation, radiography, pressure testing and all manners of activities carried out underground, surface, confined space and even at height, both in brown and green fields. It is therefore not surprising to note that construction workers mainly at the cool face of activities are required to undergo series of technical and safety competency training prior to engagement, and sustained refresher sessions throughout the duration of work. All the participants interviewed believed very strongly that they could not engage anyone to do work when such a person has not undergone the mandatory or recommended accident prevention training. For instance, it is mandatory for everyone entering the workplace to undergo site safety orientation programme. Secondly, no worker touches an object if you have not undergone basic HSE levels1-3 training. It is on this premise that those interviewed believed that on-site accident prevention training contributed significantly to the achievement of accident-free operation, drastic reduction near-misses, unsafe acts and conditions in the workplace. The operation team interviewed also believed in the potency of accident prevention training in the achievement of goal zero or drastic reduction of workplace accidents but argued that facility integrity and health are also key contributors to the achievement of accident-free operations. One of the team leaders interviewed averred that facility health and integrity is critical in this era where most facilities are designed to run virtually unmanned and to burn down and wonder the critical role accident prevention training plays in the achievement of goal zero. For him, health awareness training is a priority for people in control rooms, security, and catering personnel. While, the support category also believed in the contribution of on-site accident prevention training to the achievement of goal zero but reasonably differed from both construction and support team as some of those interviewed stressed that it was a combination of training and luck. A section of those interviewed told the researcher it is God not any kind of training. Again, this accounts for the third-place roll of the support team. Tested hypothesis did not support finding as it indicated that the contribution of on-site accident prevention training in the achievement of accident-free operations across the different management sub-divisions of Operations, Support and Construction did not differ significantly.
This shows that to a large extent, the returns on investment in accident preventing are justifiable in terms of cost savings, higher profits and overall performance. This shows high and justifiable returns of investment of the accident prevention training. Finding from this study supported the outcome of nine companies’ case studies investigations on ROI from different safety, quality and performance improvement training programme conducted in South Australian according to The South Australian Freight Council Inc. (2015). The management investigation team concluded that companies bottom line were generally improved through training as it impacted positively on safety, profitability and productivity, increase in worker’s motivation and morale, customer satisfaction, the reputation of companies and profile. Ruttenberg (2013) study on The Economic and Social Benefits of OSHA-10 Training in the Building and Construction Trades also concluded that OSHA-10 training made a great difference as savings due to accidents averted run into millions of dollars. Investigator stated that if safety training could reduce injuries by 2% a year it means that savings could rise to $336 million per year, which will likely triple to $1billion dollars if we achieve 6% reduction of accidents. The position of these two and many other studies on the ROI was collaborated by the entire managers interviewed. Two of the Project managers and one Director recounted huge losses their companies suffered (on a non-SHELL project) due to accidents which occurred because the workers’ lacked the basic knowledge, skills and attitude required to manage workplace hazards which would have been acquired through on-site accident prevention training. All those interviewed agreed that recommendations on the urgent need to train or retrain workers were prominent in most (if not all) accident investigations reports.
Also, the returns on investment in accident prevention training are justifiable in terms of cost savings, higher profits and overall performance, and differs to an extent in the three different management sub-divisions of Operation, Support and Construction as seen from their differing mean scores.
6.0 CONCLUSIONS
Following investigations and findings, it is evident that the implementation of on-site accident prevention training interventions in the Petroleum Industry is in compliance with regulatory and industry requirements. Aside from these, the intervention is seen essentially as an integral part of the entire production and service delivery process, which enhanced cost-saving, higher profit, and overall well-being of organizations. The following conclusions were drawn from each of the indicators measured, as follows;
The study showed high level of participants’ satisfaction with the on-site accident prevention training. It also revealed that all the participants acquired new knowledge, skills, and behavior from the training, which means that learning, took place. Also, participants applied new competencies they acquired from the accident prevention training in managing hazards at the workplace to prevent accidents after the training. The result of the study also showed mean score far higher than the criterion mean indicating that the on-site accident prevention training contributed immensely to the achievement of accident-free operations to a large extent. for safety intervention, man-hours and other resources that would have been deployed to investigate accidents and the consequential costs were saved, improved site housekeeping, increased HSE compliance level and higher morale among workers, etc.
The study result showed that Returns on Investment (RoI) in the on-site accident prevention training are justified to a large extent in terms of cost savings, higher profits and overall performance.
The following recommendations are made:
- Companies should continue to support every effort to ensure continuous improvement of on-site accident prevention training programme in order to sustain workers interest since the interventions meet their expectations and help in boosting their morale and motivation
- Companies should continue to review learning experiences and delivery strategies in the three (and other existing) programme in order to sustain participants’ interest and make learning relevant in order to enhance greater achievement.
- Companies should leverage relevant research findings and best practices on the most suitable training environment to enhance the transfer and utilization of acquired competencies at the workplace.
- Companies are encouraged to develop a robust and sustainable training department to consolidate the gains of reduced incidents, and workforce with vast competencies on effective hazard management in order to bridge gaps as a result of the incursion of new technologies, regulations, standards, procedures and site environmental challenges.
- Companies should invest more in accident prevention training intervention as an integral aspect of production and service delivery since the intervention has been identified as viable means to save cost, boost productivity and improve the overall performance of individuals and organizations.
- Additionally, every organization should launch or sustain an On-site accident prevention training programme due to its indispensability as an essential strategy for cost-saving and overall prosperity of any business organization.
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