Government inaugurates exam body for safety regulations
FESTUS KEYAMO PHOTO: TWITTER/FESTUS KEYAMO
The Federal Government has inaugurated an examination body to issue competency certificate and implement the Lifting and Allied Work Equipment (Safety) and Boiler/Pressure Vessel Regulations.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, while inaugurating the Boards in Abuja, said it was for the effective implementation of both regulations, for the occupational safety and health of workers in workplaces with heavy and hazardous equipment.
He also stated that putting the Boards in place was a statutory condition precedent to the process of certification and implementation of the provisions of Regulation 35 of the 2018 regulations.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Yerima Tarfa, Keyamo said the Boards would guide the examination and registration of heavy and hazardous equipment, as well as for the examination and certification of operators and inspectors of equipment in workplaces.
According to him, the Boards would provide specific, structured and detailed guidance for the examination and certification of operators and inspectors in the safe design, construction, manufacture, use, operation, installation, maintenance, repair, alteration, testing, inspection, thorough examination and registration of heavy and hazardous equipment within workplaces.
“The Competency Certificate Examination Boards shall ratify the requirement, structure, venue and passing grade of the Competency Certificate Examination,” he stated.
He disclosed that the two regulations were put in place to regulate and curtail accidents, injuries and fatalities in workplaces where lifting equipment and its accessories, as well as boiler/pressure vessel systems, are in use.
The Minister remarked that the use of heavy and hazardous equipment such as lifting equipment and its accessories, boilers and pressure systems had become prevalent in workplaces, which pose a serious threat to the health, safety and wellbeing of workers in workplaces.
He noted that the effective implementation of the regulations would significantly reduce risks associated with heavy and hazardous equipment.
Keyamo, therefore, called on stakeholders to adhere strictly to the guidelines specified in those Regulations and adopt good practices.
He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring highest standard of safety, health practices and procedures in workplaces nationwide. Keyamo also urged the Board members to work at achieving it.
Keyamo charged the two Boards to conduct assessment examination, certification of operators and inspectors, as well as their other responsibilities, credibly and professionally.
The Competency Certification Examination Board for Lifting Equipment and Accessories has as chairman, Director, Occupational Safety and Health Department, Lauretta Adogu and Henry George Umoh, as secretary, both from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Other members of the Board are representatives of Lifting Equipment Inspectors Association (LEIA), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Institute of Non-Destructive Testing, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Department of Petroleum Resources.
Adogu is also the chairman Competency Certification Examination Board for Boiler/Pressure Systems while Olaniyi Oderinde from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment is secretary.
Membership of the Competency Certification Examination Board for Boiler/Pressure Systems are drawn from the National Guild of Boiler Inspectors of Nigeria (NAGOBIN), Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Institute of Non-Destructive Testing, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and Department of Petroleum Resources.
Earlier, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Yerima Tarfa, stated that the inauguration of the Competency Certification Examination Boards was expected to pave the way for a seamless implementation of the two regulations, which would provide “the needed occupational safety and health guidance to employers and workers in both the formal and informal sectors of the economy.”
Represented by Director, Occupational Safety and Health Department, Lauretta Adogu, Tarfa stated the Boards would also address the skill gap and preference of foreign over national certificates.
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