ILO, others move to curb 3m yearly deaths from industrial accidents in Africa

International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other safety bodies have called for action towards promoting safe and healthy workplaces to reduce risk of accidents and curb millions of deaths yearly.

They made the call at the fifth edition of the Africa Safety Awards for Excellence (AfriSAFE)/2023 Congress, with the theme, ‘Collaborating for a Safer and Sustainable Africa’, held in Lagos at the weekend.

ILO Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Vanessa Phala, said fatal hazards at workplaces could be avoided by developing strategies.

She said already, three million deaths are recorded yearly due to industrial accidents and occupational illnesses, while another 360 million suffer from work-related non-fatal accidents, according to recent statistics by ILO and World Health Organisation (WHO).

In her paper, titled ‘Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) as a Fundamental Human Right: Steering Collaborations in Africa’, Phala cited collapse of storey buildings across Nigeria and a fatal elevator accident at a Lagos hospital as disasters that greatly affect the lives of workers.

Phala said in addition to human suffering and deaths, there are incalculable loss of working days, which constitute significant economic impact and represent nearly four per cent of the world’s yearly Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

She identified main gaps causing industrial accidents in West and Central African countries as lack of national standards, specialised human resource and workers education on OSH, and poor OSH labour inspection.

Phala also identified poor social protection systems, limited financial resources, poor literacy rate of workers and lack of public awareness.

Chief Executive Officer, Zambia Sugar, Mr. Oswald Magwenzi, in his keynote address, called on the leadership of Africa to ensure a safe workplace and communities.

He also called on governments and companies to invest in workplace safety and allocate resources to address safety priorities.

Speaking earlier, the President of AfriSAFE, Nthabiseng Mmusi, said the organisation has been promoting a safer and more sustainable Africa, noting that the theme of the event resonates deeply with shared commitment to protecting lives, preserving the environment and contributing to the well-being of the continent.