Investigating the relationship between human and organisational factors, maintenance, and accidents. The case of chemical process industry in South Africa

Accidents continue to be a major concern in the production, storage, and use of hazardous substances, and accidents have occurred either during maintenance or lack thereof. However, there is limited academic coverage of the initiatives implemented to prevent such accidents in South Africa. In recognition of this gap, the study explored participants' perceptions on the relationship between human and organisational factors, maintenance, and accidents using a quantitative approach on data analysis. A questionnaire was distributed online and used to collect data from employees of a chemical and process industry company in South Africa, with 247 valid responses out of 316 obtained from 450 participants invited to voluntarily participate in the study. The findings of the study revealed several noteworthy correlations. Firstly, there were positive and significant relationships between various factors such as procedure implementation, communication accuracy, communication satisfaction, permit to work system, competency level, and risk management. These factors were found to have an impact on the occurrence and frequency of maintenance-related accidents. Specifically, maintenance activities were shown to reduce the likelihood of accidents, while effective risk management practices resulted in a similar outcome. Additionally, communication satisfaction was found to be associated with improved risk management during maintenance operations. The implementation of a permit to work system was also found to reduce the risk during maintenance and contribute to accident reduction. Furthermore, a higher competency level was found to be associated with effective risk management during maintenance and a decrease in accidents. Lastly, communication accuracy was found to be linked to more effective risk management during maintenance, leading to a decrease in accidents. Based on these findings, it is recommended that companies in the chemical and process industry continue to prioritize human and organization factors as well as maintenance practices to ensure safe and reliable operational performance. By focusing on these aspects, companies can minimize the occurrence of accidents and promote a safe working environment.