By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
To eradicate accidents at the workplace and for optimal performance, experts have called for the implementation of safety measures put in place by different regulatory agencies.
The chief executive officer of an organisation that provides safety and project management services, Hybrid Group, Dapo Omolade, said employees’ wellbeing was important in getting the best from them.
He said this at the graduation of the technical skills development programme, where the firm trained and empowered six Nigerian graduates chosen out of 150 candidates shortlisted for the exercise, which lasted six months.
Omolade urged Nigerians to be more safety-conscious in order to prevent and reduce the risk of disasters in the country.
He explained that specialized education was required to effect meaningful improvement in the global response to environmental disaster and safety management.
He noted that a main challenge in the safety sector was bridging the gap of occupational health, safety and environment. He also pointed out that safety awareness would reposition the country for disaster risk reduction, capacity-building, security management, peace-building and partnerships.
“There is need for safety education in the country. Safety science is a 21st century term for everything that deals with the prevention of accidents, illness, fire, explosion and other events, which harm people, environment and property.
“At our end, we are increasing safety awareness among organisations, which entails that their activities do not cause harm to anyone while properly identifying workplace hazards.
“Reducing accidents and exposure to harmful situations and substances also includes training of personnel in accident prevention, emergency response and preparedness in the use of safety equipment,” he said.
Omolade explained further that training was part of corporate social responsibility and career empowerment initiative structured to manage critical health, safety issues and equally provide solutions to occupational safety at workplace.
He said: “We are inculcating a strong prevention culture, whereby work-related accidents, harm and occupational crisis are eliminated and prevented through a transformational approach.
“We are grateful to the director general/CEO of Lagos Safety Commission and the agency for their partnership and endorsement of this initiative.”
Also, the national president, Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON), Evaritus Uzamore, charged other corporate organisations to emulate Hybrid’s gesture.
He said people should not wait for accidents to occur before seeking solutions, but explore preventive measures.
Uzamore emphasized the need for collaboration with government and labour unions, and tasked organisations to take up the lead role in promoting health and safety.
“There are a lot of challenges, but we have to create more awareness on what professional health and safety means and what it can do for our economy. There are companies that have good CEOs and good boards of directors who listen and understand safety sustainability, but many others still don’t understand it,” he said.
Also contributing, a business process engineer, Mr. Festus Kwode, said every sector was in need of safety officers: “The training is commendable, as more safety officers are needed to tackle risks. Our leaders and employers need to start thinking in the area of empathy towards their staff.”
“The unions need to change their agitations to three critical things: Health, safety and well-being. If they monitor these, lots of employees will not die young because employers will be held accountable and responsible for the safety of their employees. So, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and all their affiliates should start talking about the welfare, safety and wellbeing of the people,” he said.