The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), on Monday, said it has conducted 5,592 workplace inspections nationwide within a year.
The move, according to the agency, was a stride towards worker safety as it emphasised the urgency of safety proactive measures against the backdrop of climate change.
Speaking during the 2024 World Day for Safety and Health at Work in Abuja, NSITF managing-director, Maureen Allagoa, disclosed that from May 2023 to April 2024, the Fund carried out 3,234 health and safety audits, 1,614 awareness campaigns, and 744 follow-ups on workplace cases, which she said that the agency aimed to double the efforts by next year while leveraging its extensive network of regional and branch offices.
She stressed the importance of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) programmes in preventing workplace accidents, saying it was a key focus of the Fund’s mandate.
Speaking further on this year’s theme, ‘The Impact of Climate Change on OSH’, Allagoa pointed out the multifaceted challenges it present, including extreme heat, weather events, and increased disease risks.
These environmental changes, according to her, threaten not only the physical health of workers but also their mental well-being and productivity.
She, however, said that NSITF has taken a proactive stance with adoption of a multidisciplinary approach that marries environmental sustainability with OSH practices.
Through its OSH officers, she added, the Fund has been actively educating and training workers, raising awareness of climate-related hazards and promoting the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Specific initiatives include sensitising workers about climate change impacts, training in first aid and emergency response, investigating workplace accidents to prevent recurrence, and advocating for tree planting to combat greenhouse effects.
Other efforts, she said, include identifying potential hazards at workplaces , training workers on first aid treatment and response to emergencies, investigating causes of workplace accidents so as to forestall re-occurrence, recommending safety standards and leading the vanguard of tree planting campaign to reduce greenhouse effects.
Allagoa called on employers to invest in resilient infrastructure and protective gear to counteract the effects of climate change, which includes robust emergency plans and durable workplace designs.
According to her, notable companies benefiting from NSITF’s OSH activities include Schulmberger in Port Harcourt, Julius Berger Construction Company in Abuja, Dangote Cement in Kogi State, Shellberge Manufacturing in Lagos, and Federal Palace Hotel in Ikoyi, among others.
The event culminated in a tree planting ceremony at the NSITF premises, led by the managing director and supported by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), followed by a roadshow in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
She said, “Climate change affects workplaces in various ways, including excessive heat, increased exposure to extreme weather events, Ultra-Violent radiation, vector-borne diseases, agrochemicals, air pollution, as well as changes in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters.
“These environmental shifts jeopardize the physical well-being of workers and impact their mental health and overall productivity. Moreover, numerous health challenges are linked to climate change, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illnesses, and mental health disorders.”