Assessment of Occupational Hazard Exposure and Safety Practice Compliance Among Correctional Service Officers in Delta State

This study examined occupational hazard exposure and safety practice compliance among correctional service officers in Delta State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted, involving a sample of 210 officers selected through proportional stratified random sampling from five correctional facilities. Data were collected using a structured, validated questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.82 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that correctional officers are exposed to multiple occupational hazards, including physical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial risks. Organizational factors such as management commitment, supervision effectiveness, and availability of safety guidelines significantly influenced compliance with safety practices (p < 0.05). Individual factors showed mixed effects: age and work experience significantly influenced compliance, while gender had no significant effect. A moderate positive relationship was found between hazard awareness and personal protective equipment (PPE) utilization (r = 0.46, p < 0.001), indicating that increased awareness enhances safety behavior. Additionally, frequent exposure to hazards was significantly associated with higher adherence to safety measures (r = 0.31, p < 0.05). The study concludes that while correctional officers in Delta State demonstrate reasonable compliance with safety practices, such compliance is largely driven by organizational support, personal experience, and awareness of occupational risks. It recommends strengthening management commitment, improving safety training programs, and institutionalizing mentorship systems to enhance compliance and reduce occupational hazard exposure.