News | Occupational Safety & Health Association

5Dec2022

STAKEHOLDERS SET TO PARTNER TO IMPROVE SAFETY AT WORKPLACES DURING THE 12TH INTERNATIONAL SAFETY CONFERENCE

Stakeholders from diverse sectors including the public and private sectors have expressed their concern about the safety of lives at workplaces and have resolved to establish partnerships to improve the safety of lives at work.

The stakeholders resolved to among others establish potent partnerships to stunt the astronomic rate of fatalities, accidents, and incidents, especially in the nation’s workplaces which according to them is a key strategy to revamp the nation and its economy as far as health and safety are concerned.

The Stakeholders rolled out this resolution during the 12th International Safety Conference and awards which was held recently at the Conference Hall of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mabushi, Abuja.

Declaring the Event open, the Conference Committee Chairman Engr, Christian Oyinbo FOSHA noted that Security, Saving lives, and promoting safety everywhere is everybody’s business.

“In Health and Safety, the slogan safety is the responsibility of all, simply means that we are all parties working together for mutual benefits and it can only be if every one of us plays his/her role then we can generate health and safety and make the partnership to work,” he said.

Similarly, The Minister of State for Works Housing, Hon. Umar I. El-Yakub speaking on the theme of the event: “A Partnership that Works: The Role of Stakeholders Towards Safety of Lives at Work” emphasized that everyone must get involved to promulgate safety across the board.

Expressing his delight with the advocacy strides of the Occupational Safety and Health Association, The Works Minister noted that Nigeria has significantly improved in terms of Health and Safety Compliance because of the Unrelenting and ever-flaming drive of the OSHAssociation towards its mandate of stunting fatalities, acceding and incident across the board and called on stakeholders to key into the safety drive and salvage the country from the narrative of being among the least in terms of health and safety compliance.

The Regional President of OSHAssociation Nigeria Region, HRH, Dr Amb, Olusegun Aderemi, FOSHA, implored everyone to remain steadfast because “it is our prime responsibility to ensure everyone’s safety around you and your environment; in order words, the role of stakeholders towards the safety of lives at work or home should be a shared responsibility, where we all need to cooperate to advance our mutual interests.”

“This shared responsibility that I mentioned earlier implies that the issue of safety should be a pre-condition and take dominance in the course of designing every policy, and operational procedure at workplaces. If we all play our roles responsibly with passion and commitment the theme of this 12th International Safety Conference would have achieved a very positive outcome.

In a lecture at the event, Prof George A Genyi , FOSHA, averred that safety is a matter of life and death revealing that many deaths recorded in Nigeria occur as a result of negligence to safety tenets in his paper titled: The Need for Partnership for All.

Also unveiled at the event was the OSHAssociation UK Safety Anthem which was composed and Sung by Dr A C Madu FOSHA, The Imo State Chapter Chairman of the Association. Kids Safety Presentation and Unveiling of Amanda the Smart Safety Girl by Zara Uwalaka was yet another exciting moment at the conference as everyone was thrilled and mesmerized by the presentation of the lad.

The high point of the event was the investiture of some key stakeholders as Fellows of the OSHA-UK – Nigeria (FOSHA) and the induction of scores as members (MOSHA) all of whom have distinguished themselves by being safety ambassadors across their respective areas of influence

Similarly, the event was used to decorate some notable individuals with a merit Award of safety excellence on the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing, Hon. Umar I. El-Yakub, the Honourable Minister of Environment, Barr. Abdullahi Mohammed, Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi rtd. as well as the Honourable Minister of State for FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijani Aliyu.

Meanwhile, the Etsu Nupe. His Royal Majesty Dr Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar GCFR was decorated with the star award of Grand Patron of the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), United Kingdom, Nigeria Region. The chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers joins the league of eminent but few Nigerians to be so decorated in that cadre, among who is the Sultan of Sokoto, Alh. Saad Abubakar, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, among others.

OSHAssociation has never relented in advocating for safety best practices in the nation, to this effect, Association has rolled out several campaign programs such as Conferences, workshops, and training programs among others across the nation through its chapters all in a bid to consciencetize the citizenry on the need and benefits of safety compliance in workplaces as well as across the board.

– Alanza Giwa
Safety View Media, Abuja.

17Nov2022

oshanigeria Membership, News Leave a comment

“WE ARE CONSTANTLY IMPROVING SAFETY STANDARDS AT THE AIRPORTS” SAYS FAAN MD AS HE BAGS OSHAssociation UK FELLOWSHIP

The Managing Director/CEO, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Capt. Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu FOSHA has expressed his delight in the strides archived by FAAN, particularly in terms of Health and Safety best practices, and has declared the Authority’s intent to constantly review and upgrade its safety protocols to ensure that Nigerian airports are safe for flights operation and safe for passengers.

The FAAN Boss stated this in Abuja, during his conferment of OSHAssociation UK fellowship and Inauguration of the Authority as Cooperate Member of OSHAssociation where he attested that FAAN is working in line with the Mandate recently rolled out by the Federal Government to not just Improve the Safety Standards for flights operation but also to make Nigerian Airports safe for passengers as well as airport officials.

Expressing his delight for the honour bestowed on him by the Association, Capt. Yadudu FOSHA expressed his excitement on the fellowship conferment alongside the Cooperate Membership Inauguration adding that is not just an addition of yet another feather to his hat and that of the Authority, but a crystal indication that FAAN is indeed improving and growing across the board as the Authority’s strides is being recognized internationally.

“ I must confess that this is not just an honour to FAAN and Me, but a crystal indication that the unrelenting passion and drive of this Agency to see that Nigerian Airports are not just standardized but also improved with the view of ensuring safe operations as well as the safety of the lives of Passengers and officers.
“This recognition by OSHAssociation UK speaks volumes of our strides and proves beyond doubt h that we are forward and onward” he noted

Capt. Yadudu further explained that the fellowship and Corporate Membership will spur FAAN to do more in safety. “We want to assure you that we are committed to safety” the FAAN MD told the Association. I was also a safety officer and safety manager so I have been a safety person. Our industry is entirely about safety. Every day, there are over 10, 000 flights all over the world, but we go on for months without crashes. This speaks to the safety protocols of the industry. There is a lot that goes into making an aircraft fly safely” he explained.

“If we don’t pay attention to safety, we can’t survive in this industry. But we will keep on making more efforts to operate more safely” he noted.

He also promised the Association that FAAN will review the safety recommendations

“We will review your safety recommendations with our regulations and implement them based on our regulatory parameters,” he told the association.

Also speaking at the event, Regional President, Occupational Safety and Health UK, Nigeria. HRH, Dr. Olusegun Aderemi, while decorating the FAAN MD disclosed the intent of the Association to take the partnership to the next level given the critical role of FAAN in providing safe and essential services to aviation operators and users.

He also requested to help FAAN achieve its safety mandate by providing safety awareness, safety signages, safety trainings for various departments of FAAN, and more as this will go a long way in not just ensuring that passengers and officers are safe in Nigerian Airports but that the Narrative of Nigeria being one of the least in terms of Health and Safety compliance, especially in workplaces is reversed.

The FAAN inauguration and Fellowship conferment which had the theme: “Aviation Safety: Key for Development and Sustainability” is one of the Association’s unrelenting resolutions to see that the gospel of safety is spread across the board. At the same time, OSHAssociation understands and is working acidulously to get all stakeholders Captains of Industries, Heads of Departments, and the like get involved in the issues of OSH as this will ensure that they are not just Safety aware but are passionately driven towards changing the current narrative through proper policy formations and deliberations for the betterment of officers within their jurisdiction as the Nation at large.

18Oct2022

oshanigeria News, NSAP, Skills, Uncategorized Leave a comment

5 BIG CONSTRUCT: CONSTRUCTION FIRMS PLEDGE TO ENFORCE SAFETY BEST PRACTICES IN THE SECTOR

No less than 200 construction firms have recently resolved to upgrade the welfare of their staff as well as the potency of their project delivery and service through the inculcation of standardized safety best practices in the country.

The Construction companies resolved to eradicate hazards present in the construction sites during The Big 5 Construct Event which was held recently at the Landmark Center, Lagos.

Since its inception, the Big 5 Construct Nigeria is the largest gathering of the construction and infrastructure community in Nigeria which connects suppliers with quality buyers from across Nigeria and the West African region as well as promoting innovation, sharing cutting-edge knowledge, and accelerating business. Hence it is the biggest event that assembles top stakeholders, and captains of industries from the Building/construction sector to discuss and deliberate on issues pondering on standards as well as modern innovations and prospects for improved, standardized and qualitative service delivery in the sector.

Illuminating the company’s representative, stakeholders as well as delegates on the need to improve their standard of operation as far as Occupational Safety and Health Best practices in concerned, the Regional Administrator of the Occupational Safety and Health Association- Nigeria region, Engr. Emmanuel Uwalaka pointed out the difference between hazards and risk in the Building/construction sector as well as the modalities that are needed in other to prevent/address such occurrences if or when they occur.

In his presentation titled “Strategies of Achieving Safety Best Practices in the Construction Industry”, Engr. Uwalaka itemized the common causes of fatalities and Injuries in the sector which according to him can be duly avoided if proper regulations, as well as adherence to stipulated safety guidelines, are upheld. He also emphasized that it is the responsibility of the management staff of firms r to not only provide all the materials and modalities to ensure the safety of their staff but also enforce regulations that will bring about complete adherence alongside compliance in the long run.

“As an employer, it is important to understand who is responsible for health and safety in the workplace and what actions you can take to ensure the health and safety of your employees, contractors, and others who may be affected by your operational activities,” He said.

He also called on the stakeholders present as well as heads of organizations to key into the National Safety Advocacy project (NSAP 2021-2023) which according to him will not just help them develop their service standards in terms of Health and Safety, but will empower them to also contribute to the development and localization of safety best practices and structures for the benefit of the general public.’

Responding to the charge, the Construction firm’s representatives attested that there is a gap that needs to be bridged urgently in terms of safety localization in the sector. They also noted that the sector being a backbone of the national economy needs to be revamped as this will not only bring about better and safe service delivery during project construction but will see that the welfare of the workforce is improved substantially thus boosting their continence while they go about their productive activities while on site.

OSHAssociation has never relented in ensuring that all sectors are reached out to with the gospel of safety and its best practices. To this extent, the Association has been conducting seminars, training programs, and advocacy campaigns as well as participating in conferences and external events all in its bid to see that the general public starting from stakeholders down to the least of Nigerians are enlightened on the benefit of safety adherence.

12Oct2022

oshanigeria Chapters, Education, Inductees, Membership, News Leave a comment

IMO: THE RECTOR FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE DECORATED AS OSHAssociation GRAND PATRON, PLEDGES TO ENFORCE QHSE IN CURRICULAR

The Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, has expressed concerned over the employability of its students in terms of basic Occupational Safety and Health Knowledge and has directed all Departments within the institution to enforce Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) training in their curricular.

The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, Engr. Dr. Michael Arimanwa FNSE, FOSHA, JP, gave the directive during the 2022 Imo State Specialised Health, Safety and Environment Programme held recently at the 1000 Capacity Auditorium, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri.

The event with the theme: “The Roles of Educational Institutions in Building Quality Safety Education in Nigeria” is hosted by the Occupational Safety and Health Association in conjunction with the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, Imo State and is specifically aimed at containing domestic and workplace fatalities and at the same time premiering the safety revamp project of the institution in conjunction with the Association to see that the students are equipped with the fundamentals of Safety best practices required in industries.

Welcoming delegates at the event, the Rector, Engr. Dr. Michael Arimanwa FNSE, JP, who is also a distinguished Fellow of OSHAssociation UK, expressed his excitement at the launch of the program. He attested to the delegates that the Federal Polytechnic Nekede was once again setting the pace as the first to start the HSE Training Programme in the entire Southeast. He reaffirmed the status of his institution as the best-performing Polytechnic in Nigeria, as well as a Centre of Excellence on ICT.

The Rector also expressed optimism that the HSE program would create a new wave of consciousness in the mind of the citizenry as far as health, safety, and the environment is concerned.

“We believe this program would help to awaken safety awareness among people, especially now that people even slump while working. It is also our hope that in no distant time, the membership of OSHA in Federal Polytechnic Nekede and the Southeast would expand significantly” He explained.

Declaring the event open, the President, OSHAssociation Nigeria Region, HRH, Dr. Amb Olusegun Aderemi declared that TVET remains the solution to provide jobs for the teaming unemployed youth in the country adding that Safety and Health Knowledge remains relevant as it will safeguard the lives of the workforce, especially the young ones who are 100% of the nation’s future.

Represented by the Rivers State Chairman, Dr. Chris Mitchell FOSHA, the OSHAssociation’s President reiterated that the inculcation of Health and Safety training in TVET will go a long way to not just revitalize the sector, but ensure that accidents, incidents, and fatalities are being stunted to the barest minimum.

“With the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) in conjunction with the OSHAssociation critically driving safety best practice across the board, polytechnics remain relevant in this journey that is set to bring out a revamp in the nation as far as Health and Safety is concerned” He declared.

Also speaking at the event, the Ag. Chairman of the Governing Council of the Polytechnic, Sqd. Ldr. Chima Idika Chima (RtD) thanked the Rector and his Management team for the feat of establishing a HSE Training Centre in the institution, pledging the support of the council members to the program.

In a keynote address, the Chairman of Imo State Chapter of OSHA UK – Nigeria and Coordinator Poly-OSHA Programme, Dr. Austin Madu, thanked the Rector for the unflinching support he granted the OSHA team which facilitated the inauguration of a HSE International Certification center at the Federal Polytechnic Chapter. He described safety and health as “constituents of welfare because health is wealth.”

According to Dr. Madu, “In her bid to complement the efforts of trade unions, therefore, OSHA has offered a lucid operational framework that provides the right impetus to workers all over the world at least to keep the zest of trade unions fighting the increasing rate of work-related diseases, accidents, and fatalities afloat.”

In a lecture at the event, The Regional Administrator of OSHAssociation Nigerian region, Engr. Emmanuel Uwalaka averred that safety is a matter of life and death revealing that many deaths recorded in Nigeria occurs as a result of negligence to safety tenets.

The speaker further described safety skills as “a soft skill” that can earn anyone a place in multinational organizations. He lauded the Rector for championing the establishment of the HSE Training Centre in Federal Polytechnic Nekede, adding that the institution is at the vantage of servicing the rest of the Southeast in HSE training and certification.

The high point of the event was the investiture of sixteen individuals as Fellows of the OSHA-UK – Nigeria (FOSHA) and the induction of over forty-one people as members (MOSHA). Some of the individuals that received the OSHA Fellowship investiture were the Deputy Rector (Academic), C.C. Onyemenonu, ASUP President, Mr. Anderson Ezeibe, Dr. Basilia Igbokwe, Comr. Oliver Uchenna Enete, Engr. Dr. Moses Owolabi, among others.

Similarly, the event was used to decorate some notable individuals as Patrons of OSHA-UK, among who was the Ag. Chairman of the 14th Governing Council, Sqd. Ldr. Chima, I. Chima, Chairman/CEO Fratelo Group of Companies, Evang. Berthran Uzodinma, HRH Eze Godwin Merenini, and HRH Eze Augustine Iwuoha.

Meanwhile, the Rector, Engr. Dr. M.C. Arimanwa FNSE, JP, was decorated with the star award of Grand Patron of the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), United Kingdom, Nigeria Region.

The award-winning Polytechnic boss joins the league of eminent but few Nigerians to be so decorated in that cadre, among who is the Sultan of Sokoto, Alh. Saad Abubakar, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, among others.

21Sep2022

oshanigeria Education, News, NSAP, OSHA Training Leave a comment

MARITIME SAFETY: Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) equipped their Staff with the Workplace Safety Knowledge

In fulfillment of its mandate stunting fatalities, accident, and incidents across all sectors of the nation’s economy as well as extensive safety advocacy, the Occupational Safety and Health Association in collaboration with the Spring Creek Integrated recently organized a one day Health and Safety Awareness Course for the management staff of the Nigerian Shippers council through the virtual platform.

Declaring the safety awareness training open, the Executive Director of OSHAssociation United Kingdom, John Flynn FOSHA, said that the issue of safety remains an issue of critical concern across all sectors, especially the maritime sector. While itemizing some of the key issues of safety concern, John Flynn opined that more efforts are required as regards policies and regulations development, which will go a long way to revamp the sector by instilling a substantive level of safety consciousness and confidence in the mind of workers in the sector.

While charging the management staff to ensure health and safety compliance in the council, the OSHAssociation Executive Director expressed his optimism that the continued Safety Capacity Development training will help the council as far as Occupational Safety and Health best practices and its localization is concerned in the country. According to him, the Association training is specifically tailored to suit industrial needs and peculiarities as far as Health and Safety are concerned in the Maritime Sector.

“OSHAssociation provide safety training programmes tailored to the needs of ships, shipyards, and their workers. No matter what your workday looks like, our training not only suits the industry but instills a substantive level of consciousness in the mind of the workers of the sector and ensures that they are equipped with all the fundamental and vital knowledge to see that they carry out their activities safely. He said.

Similarly, the Regional Administrator of the Association, Engr. Emmanuel Uwalaka gave a brief erudition on the strides and achievement of the Association in public sector and it’s impact as regards effective safety advocacy across all sectors of the economy. While expressing his delight in the Continues Capacity training programmes which is being premiered, Engr. Uwalaka attributed the high rate of accidents and fatalities across the nation to a lack of compliance to set safety guidelines as well as deliberate ignorance and disregards to safety measures.

Speaking at the event, the chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the Association, Dr. Chris Mitchell FOSHA educated the staff on the need for management staff to also be safety leaders in their workplaces. In his presentation on “Continuous Development and Improvement on Workplace Safety: A Gradual Journey to Health And Safety Skills in the Workplace”, Dr. Chris emphasized the need to enact a working organisational safety culture in a workplace which according to him is very vital because “actions driven by organizational believes can have a significant influence on the workers’ action.

While itemizing the reasons for resistance to achieving a safety culture include doubt, leadership, infrastructural, and motivation among others, Dr. Chris established that the characteristics of a positive safety culture must include value, personal safety, willingness, and safe behaviors adding that an individual can be committed to safety wholly especially if they are consciously competent, reward safe behaviors, looks at eliminating causes of hazards instead of placing blames, as well as demonstrating and active behavior towards coworkers.

Also speaking at the event, Mr. Ayoola Kolawole Ishola MOSHA; a Safety Engineer gave common examples of Shipping and Port Accidents including the modalities that ought to be implemented to prevent or address the situation as the case may be. Mr. Kola in his presentation titled “Workplace Health and Safety Best Practices in Shipping and Port Operations” explained that everyone (including the supervisor, the employer as well as the organization) has a critical role to play in terms of health and Safety at workplace.

OSHAsssociation has never relented in ensuring that the gospel of safety is localized extensively, especially through awareness, training and capacity development programmes for organizations across different sectors of the industry. This and many other strides have so far established the Association as the top training and impacting institution in Nigeria and beyond as far as Occupational Safety and Health are concerned.

– Team

Safety View Media

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Category Archives: News

STAKEHOLDERS SET TO PARTNER TO IMPROVE SAFETY AT WORKPLACES DURING THE 12TH INTERNATIONAL SAFETY CONFERENCE

“WE ARE CONSTANTLY IMPROVING SAFETY STANDARDS AT THE AIRPORTS” SAYS FAAN MD AS HE BAGS OSHAssociation UK FELLOWSHIP

5 BIG CONSTRUCT: CONSTRUCTION FIRMS PLEDGE TO ENFORCE SAFETY BEST PRACTICES IN THE SECTOR

IMO: THE RECTOR FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE DECORATED AS OSHAssociation GRAND PATRON, PLEDGES TO ENFORCE QHSE IN CURRICULAR

IMO: THE RECTOR FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE DECORATED AS OSHAssociation GRAND PATRON, PLEDGES TO ENFORCE QHSE IN CURRICULAR

MARITIME SAFETY: Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) equipped their Staff with the Workplace Safety Knowledge