Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Victoria Island office, Lagos, has called for active involvement of governments, employers, workers, along with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) professionals, in the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitalisation systems at workplaces to reduce hazardous exposures, prevent injuries to high-risk operations, and improve overall working conditions.

Deputy General Manager and Branch Manager of NSITF, Adekoya Opeyemi, appealed yesterday, during the branch’s commemoration of the World Day for Health and Safety at Work in Lagos.

Opeyemi said that while digitalisation and automation are impacting millions of jobs worldwide and presenting unprecedented opportunities to enhance occupational safety and health, proactive policies are needed to address the potential risks. She said the rise of digital tools and automation offers unprecedented opportunities to protect workers, especially those in high-risk sectors.

The DGM noted that AI-powered systems, smart monitoring technologies and automation could minimise exposure to dangerous conditions, prevent injuries and improve overall work environments.

Opeyemi underscored the importance of shifting hazardous tasks, such as lifting heavy objects that injure the spinal cord and fire-fighting during an explosion, from humans to robots, saying that this transition could prevent life-threatening injuries and even save lives.

The banker said the theme of this year’s celebration, “Revolutionising Health and Safety: The Role of AI and Digitalisation at Work,” aligns with the growing global recognition that technology, when thoughtfully deployed, could significantly reduce risks and hazards at the workplace.

She stated that while the NSITF is tasked with enforcing the Employee Compensation Act (ECA) 2010, it is not only committed to compensating injured workers, but also to proactively preventing workplace accidents through collaboration and enforcement of safety standards, as mandated by Section 1(f) of the Act.

Opeyemi, who said that technology is vast and must be matched with proactive and inclusive policymaking, stressed that successful digital transformation in occupational safety requires the participation of governments, employers, workers, and professionals in the OSH field. She said that without a collaborative and evidence-based approach, the very tools meant to safeguard workers could create new vulnerabilities.

The branch manager stated that embracing AI and digitalisation is not just about efficiency, but also saving lives, adding that as the workplaces evolve, so must the strategies to keep them safe.