In his book, The Wealth of Nations (1776), Adam Smith suggested that workers’ wages vary according to the work conditions that such worker experiences. This assertion indicates that there is a valuation for risks. When workers accept jobs, they accept all the characteristics, including the associated risks. Therefore, jobs with identified attendant risks make provision for this in the wages they offer.
However, in today’s workplace, employers’ awareness and actions are increasingly being directed to making optimal investments in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), in order to reduce and prevent the risk factors. This approach promotes the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees and is also cost-saving to employers.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), “Health and safety at work is aimed at promoting and maintaining the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the reduction of workers leaving work due to health problems caused by their working conditions, among other things.”
To further entrench this principle, April 28, 2018 is commemorated as the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, otherwise known as SafeDay. The day is set aside as part of an annual international campaign led by the ILO to draw global attention to the urgent need to promote safe, healthy and decent work through advocacy in terms of minimising accidents and diseases arising from the work people do.
In Nigeria the level of sensitization/awareness on occupational health and safety is still low. While a few multinational FMCGs and oil companies are conscious of the practice, the same thing cannot be said of most indigenous establishments. The informal private sector, particularly artisans such as plumbers, mechanics, hairdressers, etc., who are the most vulnerable ones, are completely left out.
The impact of occupational health and safety in an organisation cannot be overemphasised. As the human resource is the most important factor in any organisation, employees must be healthy, both physically and emotionally to ensure optimal performance.
Health and safety must be given the priority it deserves if an organisation must achieve its corporate goals. When the workforce of any organisation is exposed to accidents and diseases, the organisation will experience numerous forms of disruptions arising from absenteeism, low staff morale and consequently low productivity both in quality and volume. Naturally, the situation will extend to other critical issues like loss arising from rework, increased periods of downturn, high cost of medication, cost of litigation and loss of reputation. Therefore, organisations must recognise the pivotal role of a healthy workforce and understand that the human capital is at the heart of its operations. They must learn to build capacity in environmental health safety and to comply with necessary safety procedures.
On its part, government must take the lead by setting the agenda; the starting point being strong regulation and enforcement by the appropriate government agencies. They must also drive the change towards greater awareness and adherence to improved occupational health and workplace safety.
An interesting angle to this year’s commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work is the theme: ‘Generation Safe and Healthy’. This theme, apart from seeking to improve the safety and health of young workers, also lends support to international efforts to end child labour (annually commemorated on June 12 as the World Day Against Child Labour). Particularly in developing countries, poverty is a major reason why children engage in work to help support their families financially.
Some of the companies that have set the bar with respect to occupational health safety (OHS) include Guinness Nigeria, British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), Coca-Cola, among others. These corporate organisations are committed to the safety and wellbeing of their staff and stakeholders and boast of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) policies that conform to global best practices.
Guinness Nigeria has a zero-harm philosophy which is aimed at eliminating workplace accidents and safety for staff. The company strives to create and maintain a safe working environment for all its employees. Its safety agenda is underpinned by the parent company, Diageo’s, global zero harm programme, which is premised on four pillars: prevention, compliance, capability and culture.
For BATN, EHS is a way of life. Safety consciousness is constantly instilled in the minds of staff and visitors at the company’s factory and offices. It is not surprising, therefore, that the company, in its first participation in 2016, won the ‘Best Kept Industrial Premises’ award instituted by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). The annual award, which is open to manufacturing companies, including food and beverage manufacturers in the large, medium and small-scale categories, promotes best practices in the maintenance of clean and safe work environments among manufacturers in the country.
Coca-Cola has effective occupational health and safety systems, standards and practices appropriate to risks associated with its business activities. The company sees safe and healthy workplace as a business imperative and a fundamental right of every staff. It endeavours to minimize the risk of accidents and ensure the safety of its workers, visitors to its operations, and the public, and by so doing maintaining a productive workplace in every part of its work premises.
Adherence to occupational Safety and Health is important in realising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 8 which addresses ‘decent work and economic growth.’ Considering the correlation between the provision of decent work and the attainment of economic growth, every nation that desires economic advancement must give adequate attention as well as deploy the required resources to bring workplace conditions to international EHS standards. A healthy workforce is a requirement for development. That is why sufficient resources must be provided to ensure this happens.
The promotion of decent work is a tripartite responsibility involving government, the private sector and labour. It, therefore, means that all hands must be on deck.
Goke Adetiloye
Goke Adetiloye is a consultant on industrial safety management based in Lagos
