The occupational risks, it said, may be caused by technical innovation, social or organisational change, such as excessive heat (as a result of high temperature that could lead to dehydration, hyperthermia, heatstroke), workplace air pollution, skin irritation, stress and the emergence of illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, kidney dysfunction and mental health condition.
Expressing its commitment to creating safe, healthy and sustainable workplaces for all Nigerian workers, the Mainland Branch of NSITF, at the celebration of this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work, marked every April 28, held a walk to sensitise employers of labour on the importance of safety culture, an improvement on unsafe conditions and other related unsafe acts that could cause harm to human life at large.
NSITF Branch Manager, Mainland, Omotosho Eyitayo, assured that the Fund as the custodian of workplace safety and health has already adopted proactive measures to tackle the challenges head-on.
Speaking on this year’s theme ‘The Impact of Climate Change on Occupational Safety and Health’ and stating that the time to act was now, she said collaboration between governments and social partners was vital for climate mitigation and adaptation policies.
Noting that one of the pivotal duties of the NSITF was to engage with employers of labour on prevention of accidents, injury, illnesses, or death at the workplace with the implementation of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) global best practices, she said its success rate is attributed not only to the claims and compensations which further encourages workers in the course of work, also the ability to sensitise employers of labour on the importance of safety culture, an improvement on unsafe conditions and other related unsafe acts that can cause harm to human life at large.
The NSITF boss said the prevention of workplace accidents through a robust OSH program was the first step in the dynamic processes of the employees’ compensation.
According to her, “OSH is the primary charge in our responsibilities as the nation’s apex social security organisation. As workers, we are responsible for working safely and to protect ourselves and not to endanger others, to know our rights and to participate in the implementation of preventive measures.
“Our main focus is not about paying claims but avoiding accidents in the workplace and how to avoid or manage the effect of climate change, as regards this year’s theme. What the employers need to do and put in place, all these have to be checkmated. These are parts of the things we do during labour inspection.
“Each of us is responsible for stopping deaths and injuries on the job. As governments we are responsible for providing the infrastructure — laws and services — necessary to ensure that workers remain employable and that enterprises flourish; this includes the development of a national policy and programme and a system of inspection to enforce compliance with occupational safety and health legislation and policy, “she said.
With the new report launched by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) titled ‘Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate’, which reveals alarming new data on the impact of climate change on workers’ safety and health, Eyitayo said: “Promoting, respecting and realising the fundamental principle and right at work of a safe and healthy working environment also means addressing dangerous climate change impacts in the workplace. Mainstreaming OSH into climate policies and integrating climate concerns into OSH practices is crucial. Legislation may need re-evaluation or new regulations as climate hazards evolve.”
