The 28th of April is set aside by the International Labor Organisation, ILO to commemorate the World Day for Safety and Health in the Workplace.
As the global community marks the 2024 edition of the day, safety experts have decried the rise of workplace accidents and the growing trend of unreported cases.
In 2003, the International Labour Organisation, ILO, began to observe the World Day for Safety and Health in the Workplace, in order to stress the need for prevention of accidents and diseases at work.
With this in mind, Senior Correspondent, Sharon Ijasan, set out to seek workers, who have been involved in any form of workplace accidents, as a result of non-compliance with safety measures.
It was difficult to get information about cases, because many unions and activists that should provide data were unwilling or giving abridged information.
After much research, She was able to uncover a workplace accident that never made it to the news.
The incident claimed the lives of two workers in the informal sector.
In addition, two onsite engineers, who wanted to service the roof mast, were injured, as well as many others.
According to eye witnesses, the engineers were on location to service the generators and rectifier, after engaging two local welders.
Unfortunately, an explosion occurred in the process.
From finding, the owner of the mast is IHS Nigeria Limited.
It is a firm that prides itself as a top telecom infrastructure service provider.
It offers telecommunications infrastructure deployment and post-management services.
Antony Oladara, the father of Patric Oladara, one of the victims, who lost their lives on the site spoke to her on the accident.
He is also into welding business.
He tells me that life has not been the same since he lost his son.
She also spoke with Obadiah, a known electrical expert.
He tells me that more than four of his apprentices were impacted by the explosion at the IHS site, located beside his workshop.
He wants relevant authorities to probe the incident, as he and family members of other victims have been footing hospital bills.
Isaaq Ahmed is one of the injured apprentices.
He says he is still in pain and the incident may cost him his university education, as he was due to write his Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME.
In a swift response, the acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC called on the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to ensure regular inspection of factories and other spaces prone to workplace accident.
The ILO estimates that every year, more than 2.3 million women and men die at work from occupational injury or disease.
Also, more than 350,000 deaths are recorded due to fatal accidents, while almost 2 million deaths are caused by work-related diseases.
In addition, more than 313 million workers are involved in non-fatal occupational accidents, causing serious injuries and absence from work.
When TVC News tried to contact IHS Nigeria for comment, there was no response to the mail sent to the firm.
A follow up visit to the company’s Lagos office, yielded no result as She was not granted access.
While those impacted by the site accident still nurse their wounds and mourn the death of their loved ones, safety experts believe that accidents in the workplace can be avoided.
