By MIKE EFFIONG

The Lagos State chapter of Nigerian Institute Of Builders (NIOB) is seeking concerted efforts to ensure the health and safety of workers at various construction sites in the state.

This was the focus of the annual general meeting of the institute recently held in Lagos, with the theme: ‘Health and Safety in Construction’. Experts, who spoke at the AGM, emphasised the need for stakeholders to look into health and safety issues before, during and after construction.

Chairman of the occasion and Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources  and Rural Development, Mr Bimbo Kolawole, remarked that every effort must be made to ensure safety consciousness on the part of everyone involved in the construction industry.

He called attention of all professionals within the building environment to engender pro-active measures that will facilitate safety among construction workers, investigate the current state of compliance with health and safety  standards and rules on sites, as well as encourage everyone involved in building  to strive towards achieving zero tolerance for hazards and looses. He also called for the study of the rules of builders on health and safety as stated by the National Building Code (NBC).

In his opening speech, chairman of the Institute,  Mr Jelili Akinpelu, stressed the need for new ideas to be injected in to health and safety practices to reposition the construction industry. “I have keenly observed with interest the current state of health and safety (H/S) management practices in the construction industry, and therefore, it becomes apparent and imperative for a paradigm shift in attitude, and for everyone to quickly inject new ideas and reposition the H/S practices in the construction industry in line with the vision and mission of the built environment and professionals for the benefit of our nation,” he said.

Akinpelu further declared that the danger in the construction industry should prompt strict adherence to health and safety measures. “Construction is a very hazardous industry, every year a lot of workers, both skilled and unskilled, lose their lives and many are maimed and injured on construction sites.