World Safety Day: NSITF charges employers on conducive environment for workers

The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has called on employers to ensure that their employees are provided with conducive atmosphere to operate as this will guarantee their safety which will translate to reducing climate change impacts and better outputs.

The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘The Impact Of Climate Change On Occupational Safety And Health’.

Head of Department, Health and Safety, NSITF, Ibadan branch, Mr Sunday Olowookere, gave this charge while speaking during a sensitisation workshop organised by the NSITF, Ibadan region, in commemoration of this year’s World Day For Safety And Health At Work at its regional office in  Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Thursday.

Olowookere stated that: “Whenever there is a complaint from the employee, the employer must react appropriately. The employers can also study the environment and make available necessary things that will ensure the safety of their employees.

“For instance, in a bakery where bread is being produced, there will surely be heat in such environment. The employer must find a way to reduce the heat by providing heat extractor.

“Also, in an environment where they use volatile gas that is acid, the employees must use nose mask and cover their eyes because that acid can cause damage. So, all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are what employers should put in place to ensure the safety of their employees at all times.”

The highlight of the event was a tree planting exercise which was done by top management officials of NSITF led by the Regional Manager, Ibadan, Mrs. Toyin Emoerdi.

The Regional Manager, Ibadan, Mrs Toyin Emeordi, after planting the tree noted that the promotion of occupational safety and health is being handled by NSITF HSE team taking up sensitisation and OSH inspection/àudit checks on organisations across the South-West zone to limit accidents and diseases. She stated that it is the first step of compensation to employees she stressed.

In his remarks, the Regional Head of HSE, NSITF, Ibadan Region, Mr Gbenga Oso, the significance is to show the natural way of taking out CO2 by plants from the environment to reduce carbon and global warming in line with the Paris Agreement COP21, (Conference of parties) decarbonise and reduce emissions.