Keywords
petrol stations
spatial analysis
urban ecosystem
Mont-Amba
Kinshasa
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction
The rapid, uncoordinated proliferation of petrol stations poses significant risks to public hygiene, community safety, and environmental integrity within the Mont-Amba district of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Purpose
This study evaluates the Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) management systems operating across petrol stations in Mont-Amba.
Method
A cross-sectional survey identified 49 operational petrol stations. Primary data were gathered using field observation checklists and GPS coordinate mapping. Spatial distribution and buffer distances were analyzed using OpenStreetMap shapefiles, Electoral Commission (CENI) administrative boundaries, and ArcGIS Pro 3.4 tools (Kernel Density Estimation, Euclidean distance, and buffer analysis) projected in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM Zone 33S/34S).
Results
Compliance rates across the evaluated systems were critically low: 31.9% for hygiene, 23.5% for safety, and 33.0% for environmental standards. High station density and extreme proximity to residential zones (<400 m) heightened the risk of structural fires, localized air pollution, soil contamination, and groundwater degradation. Basic occupational safety requirements—including essential personal protective equipment (PPE)—were systematically neglected.
Conclusion
Substandard QHSE performance across Mont-Amba petrol stations creates severe operational hazards and degrades the urban ecosystem. Enforcing strict regulatory oversight, mandatory Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), and minimum spatial buffer zones is essential to mitigate these public health risks.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Kingombe, G., Opuluku, R., Musibono, E., Biey, M., Nsimanda, I., Bondo, S.