World Day For Safety And Health At Work 2022

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is celebrated every year on 28 April and aims to prevent occupational accidents and diseases. The theme for this year’s event is tagged “Act Together to Build Positive Safety and Health Culture”.

To mark this year’s event, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund(NSITF) Maryland branch took to the streets and roads in Surulere, Lagos to create awareness and sensitize people about the importance of maintaining healthy work standards to avoid any kind of mishappening and also to create awareness on how to promote a healthy work culture and reduce work-related deaths and injuries.

Well detailed fliers were given to passersby as NSITF workers joyful dance to celebrate the day.

The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund(NSITF) is a proactive and employee dedicated government institution committed to the welfare of employees in the event of work-related accidents and injuries.

NSITF offers the Employees’ Compensation Act, which protects Nigerian workers in the private and public sectors from difficulties arising from workplace accidents by providing adequate and timely compensation for employees or their dependants for any death, injury, disease, or disability arising out of or in the course of employment.

Mrs. Adegboola; the Head Of HSE, who spoke to our correspondent, encouraged “every employer who registers with NSITF to carry out routine and health and safety checks in their organizations.

“NSITF – What we stand for is a very healthy work environment, we encourage employers to have a healthy work environment in doing so even the workers will be productive, you know a healthy environment produces highly productive workers so that is what we stand for and that’s why we are encouraging employers to have a culture of occupational safety and health,” she said.

In a bid to achieve a world without occupational accidents and diseases in the future, Mrs. Omotosho Eyitayo; Assistant General Manager of Mainland speaking at the organization’s celebration, emphasized workers’ safety at the workplace to save lives which involve setting up effective Health ad Safety policies and systems. She said,

“Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic have shown the importance of the participation of social partners in Occupational Safety and Health governance, contributing to improving the quality of policies and strategies and facilitating their rapid and effective implementation (by building ownership and commitment).

“Occupational Safety and Health systems are standard, measures and procedures set up by organizations to protect workers from hazards, threats, and risks. Safety and Health culture should be imbibed and implemented by organizations. A culture in which the right to a safe and healthy working environment is respected at all levels, where governments, employers, and workers actively participate in securing a safe and healthy working environment through a system of defined rights, responsibilities, and duties, and where the principle of prevention is accorded the highest priority.

Mrs. Omotosho also stated that compliance with occupational safety and health regulations at the workplace level includes, organizations opening communication and building dialogue on trust and mutual respect with employees.
* Integration of Occupational Safety and Health management systems into the organization’s general management structure.

* Culture change to achieve a positive Occupational Safety and Health culture.

* Occupational Safety and Health is considered a core value of the organization, integrated into every aspect of the organization’s dealing.

* Positive Occupational Safety and Health leadership by employers and top management.

* Training and information for all workers to ensure they can actively participate in actions to improve Occupational Safety and Health.

“At the national level, a government who prioritized the active participation of employers and workers in Occupational Safety and Health have been able to collectively develop and implement emergency laws, policies, and interventions.

At the workplace level, workers’ participation and engagement, through joint Occupational Safety and Health committees and workers’ Occupational Safety and Health representatives have been key in promoting compliance and designing and applying suitable and effective measures to eliminate hazards or minimize risks that are adapted to the workplace and workers’ need.

“In conclusion, NSITF is committed to the welfare of every Nigerian worker as its main objective, as long as their employers have keyed into the Employees’ Compensation Scheme. The Fund implores all employers of labour to key into the scheme as it provides for an open and fair system of guaranteed and adequate compensation for any injury, death, occupational diseases or disability arising out of or in the course of employment.”

For more information on how to enroll, kindly visit any of NSITF branches nationwide or log on to www.nsitf.gov.ng Or call 07031781617
07031781630