Surveyors urge govt to enforce construction safety policy

WORRIED by the frequent incidences of collapsed building and other avoidable accidents in the country, land surveyors in Nigeria have called on the Federal and all levels of government to make and enforce safety policy applicable to construction and building industry in the country.
   
The surveyors, under the aegis of Association of Private Practicing Surveyors (APPSN), blamed most tragic incidences in the construction site, which have resulted into deaths, on lack or inadequate safety measures.
 
They also urged President Muhammed Buhari and the state governors across the country to put in place working safety policy that will not only be made known to the public but also be enforced to the letter.
 
Speaking during the annual Professional Development Workshop, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry building, Alausa, the Chairman, APPSN, Lagos State branch, Olufemi Odetunmibi, said that cases of building collapse could be avoided if the materials and the workers had been properly monitored.
 
Odetunmibi reasoned that, it is not enough to have the safety policy written without implementing them, saying that the only way to avert needless disaster and tragedies is to implement effective safety policy.
   
According to him, “Our job is dependent on the environment. So, what we are doing today is part of the sensitisation of the stakeholders on the issue of safety. To ensure safety in our society especially in the building profession, survey is basically the bedrock of meaningful development. 
 
“That means that there can’t be any major development without the input of surveyors. Therefore, when surveyors are aware of the need for safety, they will be safety conscious, which means that every other professionals coming to work in the environment would imbibe safety culture and it goes on from there.”
 
Odetunmibi, who described the theme of the workshop, titled: “Man and His Environment: Life Saving Measure”, as apt, said it is the duty of any surveyor to consider safety while working on the sit.

Explaining the rationale for the theme, the APPSN Lagos Chairman said that it is the environment that influence, determine and also mould human nature, adding that, the total man is a product of his environment but conversely too, the environment is as man made it. “Our action and inaction influences our environment positively or otherwise. Interestingly, the surveyors daily exercise is greatly dependent on the conditions of his environment.”
 
According to him, “For surveyors, being the first person to work on the site, we make the issue of safety very important, we prioritise it and let the people see the need to their daily activities. So, safety is key. We demonstrate it, we preach and we also encourage people to imbibe it,” he said.