LAGOS STATE SAFETY COMMISSION TASK EMPLOYERS ON WORKPLACE FIRE SAFETY

September 27 06:15 2019 by The Ajasa News Print This Article

The LAGOS STATE SAFETY COMMISSION (LSSC) has tasked employers of labour to improve the safety of their workers by ensuring the provision of fire fighting equipment at workplace.

The Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, MR. LANRE MOJOLA, said this at the 2ND LAGOS FIRE SAFETY CONFERENCE which held at EKO HOTELS AND SUITES, VICTORIA ISLAND, on Tuesday, September 24, 2019.

Speaking at the conference which was themed, “FIRE SAFETY DEVELOPMENT PLAN: A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH”, the DG of the commission   highlighted the persistent cases of fatal fires in homes and public buildings that has led to the loss of lives and properties.

“Although dry weather has been identified as the major cause of this worrisome perennial problem, it has however recently progressed to fire outbreaks through the storage of petrol in homes and markets, careless disposal of cigarette stubs, adulterated fuel, power surges, petrol tank explosions, electricity sparks and illegal connection of electrical wires,”MOJOLA, who was represented by the Director of Policy Standards and Research Development, LSC, IYABO PHILLIPS, said.

LANRE MOJOLA stated that fire safety is dependent on collaborative factors such as the individual and organization’s mind-sets, vulnerability of the people exposed to the fire, prompt response of the fire service, fire properties of the product as well as fire management team.

He DG called on employers of labour to make adequate provision for fire equipment to ensure the safety of labour from highway street sweepers to factory equipment operators, school teachers and artisans.

“In line with Occupational safety and health acts, employers are mandated to provide proper fire fighting equipment such as fire alarm panels, fire extinguishers, fire dampers fire hydrants as well as ensuring appropriate fire evacuation plans by having designated fire exits and emergency escape routes for the safety of their employees,” he said.

Noting the teeming population of Lagos State, LANRE MOJOLA reinstated the need to insure properties to mitigate against damage and misery should fire occur.