The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)-Africa has called for a new National Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) bill to address emerging workplace risks and improve the protection of workers across Nigeria. The call was made during a stakeholders’ engagement on occupational safety and health, where labour leaders and experts stressed……
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)-Africa has called for a new National Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) bill to address emerging workplace risks and improve the protection of workers across Nigeria.
The call was made during a stakeholders’ engagement on occupational safety and health, where labour leaders and experts stressed the need to strengthen policies in line with the changing nature of work.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), nearly three million workers die globally each year from occupational accidents and work-related diseases, while millions more suffer non-fatal injuries and are exposed to psychosocial risks in the workplace.
Speaking at the event, General Secretary of ITUC-Africa’s regional organisation, Joel Odigie, urged governments, employers and other stakeholders to make occupational safety and health a top priority by adopting stronger legal and institutional frameworks that reflect present-day workplace realities.
A representative of the International Labour Organisation also highlighted the evolving nature of occupational hazards, noting that ensuring workers’ safety goes beyond providing personal protective equipment (PPE). She stressed that governments and employers must proactively identify and address emerging risks affecting workers.
Participants at the forum agreed that strengthening and effectively implementing Occupational Safety and Health policies would help create safer workplaces and ensure that workers are not forced to choose between earning a livelihood and protecting their health and safety.
The engagement also underscored the growing global recognition of occupational safety and health as a fundamental right, a development that gained greater attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed the critical importance of safe and healthy working environments.
