PUTTING PROFIT BEFORE LIVES (SIGN THE HEALTH & SAFETY BILL INTO LAW)

The National Assembly on Thursday, 27th September 2012 passed the Labour Safety, Health Welfare Bill intending to protect Nigerian workers. The bill seeks imprisonment for any employer who breaches labour laws.

The Labour Safety, Health Welfare bill seeks to set aside and expound the Factory Act 2004 to make comprehensive provisions for securing the safety, health and welfare of persons at work. It will also promote safe and healthy work environment for employees and protect them from injuries and illnesses at their workplaces.

The bill also seeks to protect others against risks to safety and health with regard to activities of persons at work in addition to establishing the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.

The question to be asked is, when will Nigeria sign the health & safety bill into law if it truly seeks to promote safe and healthy work environment for employees and protect them from injuries and illnesses at their workplaces? This comes to light upon reading of a special feature article in one of Nigeria daily newspaper (The PUNCH) narrating the plights of some employees who working for a steel company.

A former employee of Metal Africa Steel Company was taken to the hospital when an overhead crane fell on his right foot in the rolling unit of the company. This employee who earned N900 (£2.91) daily could have been saved the pain if provided with personal protective equipment (industrial safety boot).

“We were working in the rolling steel unit when a crane landed on my leg,” he said. “I was in severe pain and the company rushed me to Idera Maternity Hospital in Odogunyan. I was there for one month and seven days. The company picked the bill but when I was discharged, I was at home for another three months nursing my wounds at my own expense. I was not paid a kobo as compensation.”

Another casual worker with the same steel company related that he was also smelting a pot of hot steel scraps last year, without the protection of a PPE, when the molten steel splashed on his left arm causing an immediate change in the colour of the limb.

The casual workers get days off as a result of the sting and smell of burning flesh. The worker said “He was back to duty two weeks after being treated for third-degree burns at the expense of the company.”

The experience of these employees and others bring to the fore-front how employers in our country are putting profits before the lives of their employees. Many of our businesses, companies have become graves for employees involved due to lack of protection and working in hazardous environments without the provision of standard safety equipment. Another employee mentioned they were not provided with any safety equipment.

According to a research conducted by the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital on 107 steel rolling workers, it was observed that besides death, permanent disabilities are also a real occupational risk.

Leading the researchers, Dr. Dupe Ademola-Popoola reported that workers were at a high risk of injuries to their eyes and even death caused by flying particles, metal chips, explosion from liquid metals, furnace lights and others.

“107 steel rolling workers were surveyed for eye-protection practices, previous eye injuries and present ocular (visual) status. Half of the workers possessed eye protective devices, EPD. However, 31.6 percent of them never used it. Of the latter, 68.9 percent reported a history of work-related eye injuries; eight cases at the drilling unit (12.9 percent), 18 at welding (29 percent), 13 at grinding (21 percent) and 23 cases at other work processes (37.1 percent).”

She and her team of researchers approved that standard equipment in a steel company, such as eye-protective devices, safety garments, belts and helmets among others be provided for workers while there should be an enforcement of the rule by managers.

Health and Safety is not just concerned with objects and premises; predominantly the objective is to protect people. It spans across all industries and professions. Hence the need to employ health and safety advisers/officers by our public & private organisations including local authorities, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, construction/engineering companies, colleges, universities, manufacturers, large private companies and food processing/packaging plants.

There are lot of reasons why we should have a good health and safety management system. The reasons can be categorised under moral, legal and financial.

It’s high time the Labour Safety, Health Welfare bill becomes law and breaching the law should carry heavy fines and imprisonment. Many employers are putting profits before the lives of their employees.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, CEACR has called on Nigeria to take necessary measures towards ensuring that the occupational safety and health become law.

It’s realistic to achieve a healthy economy with high quality of products and services and long-term productivity. However, the bane of this is poor working conditions which exposes workers to health and safety hazards.

Workplaces designed according to good principles of occupational health, safety and ergonomics are most sustainable and productive. Adequate focus on assessing the various capabilities of new recruits, optimal induction processes, adequate control measures, up-to-date and straightforward information with proper supervision and understanding check regarding health and safety matters at work, remain the suitable scaffold on which ideal occupational health and safety and delivery of high quality goods and services are laid. 

Nigeria, sign the health and safety bill into law to protect the lives of employees and others against risk to safety and health in workplaces.