A Critical Analysis of Uganda’s Regulatory Framework on Occupational Safety and Health in The Upstream, Midstream and Downstream of The Oil and Gas Sector

Abstract

The need to curb hazards and risks at work places has created much desire to implement occupational, safety and health standards. This study argues that the deterrence effect created under regulatory framework is not adequate enough to ensure the effective implementation of occupational, safety and health strategies. The slow response to regulation may require the need to amend the rules and yet institutional weakness have created a laxity in the enforcement mechanism creating failings in the management of occupational, safety and health standards. This thesis shall also contend that lack of political will has thrashed the emerging need to have occupational, safety and health a much-needed priority and compounded with man power gaps and inadequate funding means that achieving the effective management of occupational, safety and health standard is empty talk. The discovery of oil and in Uganda is going to lead to massive growth and industrialization with a big requirement for labor force at all levels from production and development to the midstream element of transportation and the wider petrochemical industry. This massive labor force needs to be protected considering the high-risk hazards associated with oil and gas production and development. With a weak legal and regulatory framework in occupational, safety and health ranging from, weak institutions with inadequate capacity for enforcement, inadequate and weak penal provisions all compound the ineffectiveness in the management of occupational, health and safety. The thesis will analyze the extent of compliance with national regulatory framework that provides for occupational health and safety in the oil and gas sector, assess the key challenges encountered in the implementation of OSH standards in the oil and gas sector, propose mechanisms for improving occupational health and safety standards among others.