Workplace accident analysis in the Algerian oil and gas industry

Abstract

A total of 42,032 workplace accidents were reported in 2021 by the Algerian National Social Insurance Fund for Salaried Workers in Algeria, of which 38,225 were accidents within the workplace and 3807 were related to traffic accidents or other reasons. Most of these accidents were recorded in the building and construction field, followed by the oil and gas company exploration and drilling, which comes at the forefront of the Sonatrach company. This study aims to analyze accidents in the workplace using quantitative and qualitative methods to determine the corresponding causes. Our study was carried out in collaboration with Sonatrach in south Algeria where information and reports on work accidents from years 2017 to 2021 were collected. Data acquired were classified and analyzed according to the location and time of the accident. Based on the results obtained, we found that the human factor was the main cause of most accidents due to nonrespect of safety procedures and lack of concentration of workers. The results of the analysis suggest implementation of a break time during the afternoon, avoiding long overtime hours, suspending work outside stations during high temperatures periods in July and August as well as suspending work when sandstorms appear in winter. K E Y W O R D S causal tree, Ishikawa diagram, occupational health and safety, oil and gas industry, quantitative and qualitative accident analysis, work accidents 1 | INTRODUCTION Workplace accidents have always greatly impacted various fields, especially in the economic and industrial fields. The Algerian National Social Insurance Fund for Salaried Workers in Algeria reported over 42,000 accidents in 2021. 1 The Algerian law of July 1983 provides in Article 6: "it is considered as an accident at work any accident having caused a bodily injury, attributable to a sudden, external cause and occurring within the framework of the employment relationship". 2 Worldwide, workplace accidents are witnessing frightening statistics, according to the International Labor Organization. Every 15 s, a worker dies from a work-related accident or illness. Also, every 15 s 153 workers suffer a work-related accident and 321,000 people die each year from work-related accidents. 3Despite all efforts to reduce these incidents, they still occur, especially in some industrial countries. In the past three decades, major industrial accidents have occurred, causing deaths and injuries to workers. Among these incidents:• The Ocean Ranger tragedy in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada occurred on 15 February 1982 and caused the death of 84 workers.The rig in Ocean Ranger was designed and built by Onshore Drilling and Exploration Company (ODECO) in 1976. 4• Sayano-Shushenskaya power station accident in Yenisei River, near Sayanogorsk in Khakassia, Russia. Occurred on 17 August 2009 at 08:13, 75 people were killed and billions of roubles were lost. 5

Do ESG controversies moderate the relationship between CSR and corporate financial performance in oil and gas firms?

“…In the same sense, it has been confirmed that the social factor, through the workforce and product responsibility mainly, positively influences financial performance in the O&G sector. It can be seen how issues related to a safe and healthy workplace or a product and service where consumer safety is integrated are relevant issues for a sector such as the O&G where its working practices and production processes can sometimes have devastating consequences for the worker or the consumer (Zerrouki, et al 2023). A optimal health and safety policy in the workplace and during the production process will allow the sector not only to benefit from a reduction of possible unintentional accidents, but will also allow it to increase stock value, as the results obtained corroborate.…”