IJLTEMAS International Journal of Latest Technology in Engineering, Management & Applied Science (IJLTEMAS) IJLTEMAS 2278-2540 IJLTEMAS 249 10.51583/IJLTEMAS.2026.150800055 Management Risk Assessment and Management Tool Use, Implementation Quality and Perceived Effectiveness During Shutdown and Turnaround Maintenance: Evidence from a Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Operator Inyang Ekpo Kingsley University of Essex, Colchester, England Nigeria Lazarus Esitikot Esang Highstone Global University, Texas, USA Nigeria Edet Ekong Akaninyene Highstone Global University, Texas, USA Nigeria Cyril Akpan Mfon University of Port Harcourt Nigeria Leonard Ede Chinedu University of Port Harcourt Nigeria 15 8 785 799 26 08 2026 31 08 2026 10 09 2026 Risk Assessment and Management; Shutdown and Turnaround Maintenance; Safety Performance; Spearman Correlation Abstract

Risk assessment and management (RAM) tools are central to shutdown and turnaround maintenance (STAM), but frequent use does not necessarily demonstrate implementation quality or safety effectiveness. This cross-sectional study analysed respondent-level survey data from 148 STAM professionals in a Nigerian upstream petroleum organisation. Descriptive statistics, Spearman correlations, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), robust multiple regression and Mann-Whitney U incident-group comparisons were applied. JSA (M = 4.53) and toolbox talks (M = 4.35) were used more frequently than HAZOP (M = 2.30) and risk registers (M = 2.27). EFA showed only marginal sampling adequacy (KMO = .610; Bartlett's chi-square(10) = 54.70, p < .001) and a weak two-factor structure, confirming that C1-C5 should not be treated as a strongly unidimensional effectiveness scale. The regression model explained little variance in the composite score (R2 = .031; adjusted R2 = -.018; robust F = 0.62, p = .741), and no predictor was significant. Incident-experienced respondents reported modestly higher JSA use, incident-prevention perceptions and field-implementation perceptions, but the composite effectiveness difference was non-significant. The findings support a compliance-effectiveness paradox: high procedural activity can coexist with weak or inconsistent signals of substantive effectiveness. RAM assurance should therefore combine activity frequency with analytical quality, barrier health, control verification and action closure.

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