The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has advised Micro, Medium and Small-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) to implement safety and health measures at work.
At a workshop in Lagos on the topic of "Strengthening the Capacity of Local MSMEs/Manufacturers to Produce High Quality PPEs and Healthcare-related Products," the ILO representative, Ms. Chinenye Anekwe, explained that the workshop was a COVID-19's response project funded by the UN but carried out by the ILO, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and World Health Organization (WHO).
She stated that the workshop's goal was to increase the ability of MSMEs and manufacturers to guarantee safety and health.
The Director-General, of Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola, said it was aimed at strengthening MSMEs in terms of occupational safety and a healthy environment at the workplace.
Mojola said his commission found out that many MSMEs did not have safety measures in place; as a result, there were many accidents.
“This workshop is an initiative of the ILO and supported by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and other safety organisations on how safety can be deepened across the sector,” he stated.
He added that the workshop was an improvement on the online ‘train the trainer section’ that went through safety areas, premises, materials storage and machine safety and welfare of the staff and working environment of companies in control of substances hazardous to health and other safety issues.
He averred that they should enlighten the owners of buildings of MSMEs on the importance of safety.
On building collapse in Lagos State, he said there were several factors aside from substandard products.
He reiterated that there was a lack of direction of duties, where one person is the master of all.
He lamented that there was also excessive maximisation of profit.
Mojola reassured that they would continue to carry out sensitisation programmes, adding that it was working with a sister agency in charge of buildings.
He said whenever a building collapses, defaulters should be prosecuted.