Assessment of Occupational Safety Management in Selected Manufacturing Firms in the Aba Industrial Cluster, Abia State

Manufacturing enterprises in the Aba industrial cluster generate significant employment across South East Nigeria but operate under persistent occupational safety deficits that result in preventable injuries, equipment damage, and regulatory liability. This study assesses the status of occupational safety management systems in ten randomly selected manufacturing firms in Aba, Abia State, spanning the metalworking, plastics, and footwear subsectors. A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining structured questionnaire surveys of 120 workers and managers, safety audit checklists, and on-site observation of work practices. The assessment framework was anchored on the elements of ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management system requirements. Compliance scores were computed for each firm across eight safety management domains including hazard identification, risk assessment, emergency preparedness, safe work procedures, and incident reporting. Mean compliance scores ranged from 32 to 61 percent across sampled firms, with the highest deficits recorded in documented risk assessment, worker safety training, and formal incident investigation. Injury rate data from firm records indicated a mean lost-time injury frequency rate of 8.4 per million man-hours, approximately three times the manufacturing sector benchmark in comparable economies. The study recommends mandatory adoption of documented safety management systems, periodic third-party safety audits, and establishment of a Small and Medium Enterprise Safety Assistance Programme by the Abia State Ministry of Labour. Keywords: occupational safety, manufacturing firms, Aba industrial cluster, ISO 45001, safety management.