Downstream Operators Partner Agencies to Mitigate Incessant Petroleum Tanker Accidents

Peter Uzoho

Downstream oil and gas operators under the aegis of Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) have stepped up their collaboration with fellow industry players, regulators and law enforcement agencies to mitigate the increasing number of truck-related accidents on the roads.

Executive Secretary of MEMAN, Mr. Clement Isong, disclosed this to journalists yesterday, after a stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos.

He said the move followed an emergency stakeholders’ meeting held to address the alarming rate of truck accidents and explosions on Nigerian roads.

Some of the stakeholder groups present at the meeting included the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and MEMAN’s Health, Safety, Security, Environment, and Quality (HSSEQ) committee.

Other stakeholders were the Lagos Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and the South-West Region of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) amongst others.

Isong, explained that the primary objective of the brainstorming session was to foster collaboration among regulators, operators, and enforcement agencies to mitigate the increasing number of truck accidents witnessed so far in 2024.

The executive secretary stated, “This meeting is the first in a series of urgent actions aimed at addressing the recent spike in truck accidents and explosions

“The analysis of several petroleum tanker-related crashes over the past four months revealed several root causes. These included deplorable road infrastructure, inexperienced drivers in oversized trucks, and a lack of truck maintenance, among others.

“Issues included drivers’ mental alertness and attitudinal behavior. Some trucks were fully loaded up to 66,000 liters, far exceeding safe limits. Inadequate maintenance practices led to mechanical (brake) failures.”

He noted that the stakeholders proposed several measures for operators to implement, driven by the industry’s commitment to self-regulation.

These measures, according to him, included more stakeholder collaboration and increased engagement, especially with key stakeholders such as NMDPRA, NARTO, PTD, and FRSC.

He added that driver training, truck maintenance, and fleet renewal were also considered key factors.

Isong, said the meeting also agreed to ensure mandatory annual training for all drivers at FRSC-approved centers, driven by the industry, adding that henceforth, marketers would reject underage drivers, untrained drivers, and trucks that have not undergone inspection or failed the Safe-to-Load integrity checks at loading bays.

“Marketers must insist on biannual comprehensive integrity evaluations for all trucks transporting petroleum products at approved centers.

“Marketers should insist on phasing out old trucks and replacing them with new ones featuring modern safety measures such as ABS, anti-rollover, anti-spill, anti-skid, speed limiters, onboard computers, and cameras. Trucks over 15 years old should be repurposed for non-hazardous cargo”, he further said.

Contributing, Assistant Director/Head, DSSRI, Southwest Zone, NMDPRA, Mr. Ibrahim Dimowo, said actions before the authority included regulatory revisions such as updates and enforcement of truck specifications and loading limits with a focus on safety.

On monitoring and evaluation, he said that the authority would approve and implement new technologies for incident detection and monitoring.

On compliance enforcement, Dimowo said there should be clear consequences for non-compliance with safety regulations.

Emphasising the need to ensure that all trucks were registered and assigned specific ullage permits, he said there was a need to state what the tank size for petroleum products should be and ensure compliance.

Corroborating, Corps Commander, Lagos State Sector Command, FRSC, Patrick Davou, emphasised the need for strict enforcement of pre and post Safe-to-Load (STL) integrity inspections on trucks.

On driver certification and road safety initiatives, Davou said there was a need to verify driver qualifications during STL inspections and to collaborate on the 5-pillar road safety initiatives.

He called for proper classification of drivers’ licenses for transporting hydrocarbons.