NMDPRA To Resume Safety Audit Of Petrol Outlets, Tankers Operations – Official

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says it will recommence technical safety audit of petrol retail outlets, tankers, refining facilities and depots operations nationwide to halt rising accidents’ cases.
The NMDPRA said at least one death was recorded every four days in the course of products transportation, with 412 fatalities in 244 accidents between 2018 and the first quarter of 2023.
Executive Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC), Dr Mustapha Lamorde, in meeting with petroleum products transportation stakeholders in Abuja recently assured the operators of a halt to the deaths.
The engagement had in attendance executives of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).
Lamorde said petroleum products retail outlets took the lion’s share of accidents and fatalities during the period with 39 per cent.
Lamorde, who was represented by Mrs Maijiddah Abdulkadir, North Central Regional Coordinator, NMDPRA, said the engagement was to call for a sound management of safety in the transportation of petroleum products operations in the downstream sector.
He said the proper approach to achieve this was to ensure that HSE was managed from a business perspective and not for compliance purposes only.
He noted that safety-related matters should be integrated into the management decision-making process.
The HSEC boss added that the NMDPRA would continue to attune operators to the need to fully comply with relevant safety laws and regulations as stipulated in the Petroleum Industry Act.
“The HSE technical audit will evaluate the adequacy of the HSE requirements, competency and training of staff engaged by the operators.
“This will no longer be business as usual, it is now safety first. The NMDPRA would ensure that the aspiration of the Federal Government in passing the PIA is achieved.
“The law has provided in clear terms that in the case of negligence by any operator, such operator would be sanctioned accordingly”, he said.
According to him, the aim of the engagement is not necessarily to sanction the operators but to ensure that operations are run in a safe manner to protect people, assets and the environment.
The exetcutive Director said health and safety needed to be a front burner to attract the growth of the business, reduction of insurance premiums and protection of the public.
“For us to achieve the following, we must reawaken the safety consciousness in our operations,” he added.
In a presentation, NMDPRA’s Head of HSE, North Central Region, Mr Ugochukwu Okpara, listed the concerns and risks during operational activities like discharging or dispensing to include, not allowing the trucks to settle before beginning of discharge.
In addition, the Executive Director said this would forestall the dangers or risks posed by unwholesome practices and noncompliance to statutory provisions with respect to safety in the transportation of petroleum products.
“The NMDPRA has planned to recommence the HSE technical audits; of which the outcome will be used in liaison with other directorates, in the issuance of various licenses.