Ghana: Pump Attendants Dying Slowly Due To Exposure To Petroleum Hazards- COPEC Research

A pump attendant on duty

Research findings by Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) GHANA has revealed a disturbing state at which most pump attendants in the country finds themselves due to the hazardous substances they are exposed to.

The research, which covered about 100 filling stations across the country, noted that none of the pump attendants had been provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), despite working in a hazardous environment.

COPEC is yet to publish its findings, but its Executive Secretary Duncan Amoah noted that the report highlights physiological problems pump attendants are facing, which are putting their lives in danger.

He said given the chemical composition of petroleum products, including benzene tolougne xylene( btex ) which is very harmful, they had expected that operators of fuel stations would do their best to ensure the safety of the attendants. But that, he said, had not been done.

“Our most recent research on the hazards fuel pump attendants face in line with their day to day operations will be shared with all the relevant institutions, industry players and all other stakeholders in a few days from now. The findings of this report is not only interesting but we believe it will also add to your already commendable efforts towards improving of not only safety from fires and explosions, but also reducing all forms of hazards associated with everyone across the value chain of fuel distribution in the country,” Professor Felix Asante, Director of Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER), at the University of Ghana, Legon, who is also Chairman of the Executive Council of COPEC, said at the Petroleum Safety Week.

“We will continue to impress on government to extend all the necessary assistance this industry needs in order to serve the everyday Ghanaian in a very safe environment, such that the media here can only report only positive stories and landmark improvements in the petroleum downstream of Ghana.”

He concluded that “we end by encouraging the millions of consumers across the country to, at all times, observe the minimum safety arrangements and protocols pasted at all the fuel stations across the country so as not to jeopardize their own safety and that of others, whiles fueling their vehicles or engaged in any form of transaction.”