Rethinking risk: health and safety in Oil & Gas – lessons from Uganda and Namibia

  • 24 July 2025
  • Posted by: Greg Coleman
  • Category: energy excellence
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The Executives at Tilenga

In the Oil and Gas sector, safety has traditionally been equated with hard hats, hazard signs and emergency drills. But the modern workplace demands a broader lens, one where employee health is treated as a foundational pillar of operational safety, not an afterthought. Nowhere is this shift more pressing, or more complex, than in frontier energy markets like Uganda and Namibia.

At Future Energy Partners, we’ve seen first-hand how holistic approaches to health and safety, when embedded into ESG strategy, can transform not only workplace outcomes but also national reputations. So, what does good, and bad, look like on the ground?

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Uganda: the missed opportunity in Tilenga

Uganda’s Tilenga project, led by TotalEnergies, has brought global attention, not just for its energy potential, but for growing concerns about community health impacts, labour practices and environmental oversight. Workers have raised alarms over poor accommodation standards, lack of access to healthcare and inconsistent training protocols. NGOs have flagged serious gaps in monitoring of respiratory health risks in dusty or toxic environments.[DS2.1]
While Tilenga has made some progress in complying with international safety standards, implementation at contractor level often lags. The lesson? ESG policies mean little without robust governance and culturally appropriate local delivery. Health protection must extend beyond the perimeter of extraction sites, it must include community clinics, air quality monitoring, safe transport and transparent grievance mechanisms.

Namibia: a model emerging market?

Namibia’s nascent offshore oil boom presents a rare chance to get it right from the outset. The country is investing in regulatory frameworks that prioritise both environmental protection and worker wellbeing. Recently, upstream operators have collaborated with government and academia to offer occupational hygiene training programmes, provide well-ventilated mobile clinics on site and co-develop mental health resources for workers in remote areas.

Early ESG integration is being rewarded. Investors view Namibia’s proactive stance as a marker of risk maturity. Operators understand that a healthy, well-trained workforce is more productive and far less likely to trigger delays through accidents or legal challenges.

Good practice: what works on the ground

Across the two markets, we’re seeing tangible benefits where health is embedded into safety and ESG strategy:

  • On-site air quality sensors in Namibia allow real-time monitoring of particulates and gases, reducing respiratory risk and prompting early intervention.
  • A “Wellness First” programme, piloted in a Ugandan logistics camp, introduced clean food prep facilities, handwashing stations and free malaria testing cutting health-related absences by 60%.
  • Community health investment is being tied to impact reporting. One Namibian operator now links local healthcare spend to ESG performance targets in their investor reporting, creating alignment across departments.
What needs to improve

Yet, challenges persist:

  • Contractor compliance gaps are still a major risk. Subcontractors are often under-trained, under-equipped, and under pressure.
  • Mental health remains largely overlooked, especially among shift workers and migrant staff living far from families.
  • ESG data is collected, but rarely translated into action plans that link safety, health and sustainability.
Health, safety & ESG: an inseparable triangle

The message is clear: health is safety and both are ESG issues.

When companies treat employee wellbeing as central to their operational and reputational resilience, the benefits are far-reaching:

  • fewer accidents
  •  higher retention and morale
  •  improved community relations
  •  stronger ESG ratings.

Oil & Gas companies operating in Uganda and Namibia face a pivotal moment. Those that prioritise health-driven safety practices, from air quality to emotional wellbeing, will gain more than compliance. They’ll earn trust.

Future Energy Partners: your health & energy ally

A clear message rings true: healthy people are safer, more productive. When employers prioritise robust physical safety measures, comprehensive mental-health support, wholesome food options, energy-efficient design, and thorough training, and when employees actively engage, everyone benefits. This globally valid principle transcends borders and cultures.

By partnering with Future Energy Partners, organisations can transform workplace health into a sustainable competitive advantage, seamlessly aligning people, planet, and productivity. Future Energy Partners empowers organisations to achieve this critical synergy by offering ESG training, ESG aligned energy audits and identifying opportunities for sustainable improvements.

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