Proceedings of the
European Safety and Reliability Conference (ESREL2026)
14 – 19 June 2026, Braga, Portugal

Evaluation of Safety Culture Through Field Research in a Hydrocarbon Exploration and Exploitation Company

Konstantinos Mallas

Department of Chemistry, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece.

kostas.mallas@gmail.com

Myrto Konstantinidou

Systems Reliability and Industrial Safety Laboratory, NCSR DEMOKRITOS, Greece.

myrto@ipta.demokritos.gr

ABSTRACT

This study examines safety culture in hydrocarbon facilities through empirical research involving 133 employees across various hierarchical levels and educational backgrounds. The research employed a structured questionnaire focusing on four key dimensions: communication, training, employee involvement, and prevention procedures. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences related to employee gender and educational level. Results indicate that perception of safety measure effectiveness varies across the workforce, influenced by social, educational, and professional factors. A key finding emphasizes the necessity for two-way communication on safety issues, as traditional one-way approaches prove insufficient for creating effective safety culture. Main recommendations include establishing effective two-way communication channels, developing practical training programs tailored to specific work environments, and enhancing employee participation in safety policy formulation.

Keywords: Safety culture, hydrocarbon sector, field research, employee perception, communication, training, prevention procedures.



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