FG commences review of obsolete occupational safety, health regulations

The Federal Government has commenced the second phase of the review of obsolete Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) regulations aimed at addressing emerging workplace safety and health concerns.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ms Kachollom S. Daju, while flagging off a technical retreat organised for this purpose in Abuja, stated that this phase of the exercise would review the Factories (Woodworking Machinery) Regulations of 1959, for the purpose of ensuring safety and health at work in the woodworking industry for the purpose of bringing them “up to date with international best practices, standards and economic realities.”

A statement signed by the Labour Ministry’s Head, Press and Public Relation, Olajide Oshundun, said, “The Permanent Secretary, represented by Director, Special Duties and Projects, Dr Martina Nwordu, emphasised that when reviewed, the Factories (Woodworking Machinery) Regulations of 1959 would not only have enormous impact on workers within the woodworking industry, but also on every facets of the national workforce.

“She stated that the review of those regulations was part of government’s commitment to ensuring the safety, health, welfare and protection of workers against hazardous working environment and conditions.

“Daju also noted that the Federal Government would consistently be proactive in “achieving a safe and healthy working environment through national programmes, legislations and collective agreements on Occupational Safety and Health, in line with the ILO agenda for decent work.”

The Permanent Secretary added that the government, through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, would also ensure the implementation of the reviewed regulations through continuous advocacy, monitoring and enforcement.

Daju disclosed that at the end of this phase of the technical retreat, the reviewed regulations would be further reviewed and validated by “the tripartite plus partners and other relevant stakeholders, and the validated draft documents forwarded to the Federal Executive Council for approval, domiciling and gazetting.”

The Permanent Secretary enjoined the participants at the retreat to carry out this national assignment with utmost professionalism.

Earlier, Director, Occupational Safety and Health in the Ministry, Mrs Lauretta Adogu, defined OSH regulations as legal instruments or tools for ensuring compliance with existing laws and legislations on protecting and safeguarding the safety, health and welfare of workers.

She noted that the Ministry had the mandate of developing and reviewing legislative instruments on Occupational Safety and Health, as well as ensuring compliance through monitoring and enforcement of the basic provisions of the relevant laws.