The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSIFT) has urged employers to invest in resilient occupational safety and health (OSH) systems as a preventive measure against possible accidents at work.
Mr Bino Okonweze, Deputy General Manager, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), made the call at the 2021 annual occupational safety and health awareness programme for the North East, on Saturday, in Bauchi.
According to Okonweze, the theme, “Enhancing productivity through prevention of workplace accidents and promotion of occupational safety and health”, focused on strategies to strengthen the OSH system.
“To build resilience to face crises now and in the future, deducing from lessons and experiences encountered from the world of work,” he said.
He said it was vital to imbibe the culture of safety and health, which must be strictly adhered to at the workplace to allow workers return to their families in good health at the close of work.
“Safety at work is also safety at home, because if you are not safe at work, you are not at home either.
“To ensure we accomplish a workplace free of occupational hazards, diseases and accidents in this new normal, “workers and offices must see safety and health in the workplace as a way of life and ensure to promote a harm free environment.” he said.
Mrs Bukola Arowosafe, the facilitator, in her presentation reiterated that NSITF was committed to promoting a preventive safety and health culture.
“To enable employees and employers fulfil their responsibility of preventing deaths, injuries and diseases in the workplace, NSITF, has a profound interest and mandate in the welfare of the employees,” she said.
Arowosafe explained that behaviour-based safety was a safety management system that specified exactly which behaviours were required by each employee.
“A good safety management system has control in place to determine if employee behaviour exists as a routine in the work environment,” she said.
Mr John Oleke, also a facilitator, said NSITF proactively engaged stakeholders in ensuring the safety of employees in the workplace through its mandate of promoting the enforcement of occupational safety and health standards in the workplace.
”According to our constitution, we are to liaise with other health stakeholders, to create awareness and promote safety and health in the workplace.” he said.
Oleke also revealed that most registered employers, whose employees are captured with NSITF, continuously enjoy medical expenses refund, disability benefits, death benefits, loss of productivity benefits and rehabilitation.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Mr Mike Amaliku from Lys Academic Bauchi, appreciated NSITF for creating awareness of safety and health.
He said the presentations would assist in providing the participants the opportunity to go back to their organisations and relate the ideas and benefits of investing in safety and health.
