2.2.4.1 Accident management / compensation: It is true that elaborate efforts are made to prevent accidents, but as a result of human errors they still occur. It therefore becomes necessary to look at appropriate response procedure to alleviate their effects when they occur.
2.2.4.2 In order to respond appropriately, proactive measures are required such as advocated by (ACT Building And Construction Industry) safety hand book (2007):
I. All employees must have access to first Aid kit.
ii. The names of first aiders and officers, first aid procedures and emergency contact phone numbers should be part of the induction process and displayed in prominent locations visible to all workers.
iii. Make sure you always know where first aid facilities are located.
iv. Remain calm
v. Assess the incident. Contact the designated first aider for your area (or get someone else to do it)
vi. If any one needs immediate first aid and the first aider cannot be located, contact the site office to call an ambulance.
2.2.4.3 WORKERS COMPENSATION:
The workers compensation Act aims to provide timely, safe and durable return to work through effective injury management and income support to injured workers. It works in conjunction with occupational health and safety legislation that seeks to reduce the human and economic cost of work- related injury through improvements in the management of occupational health and safety in the work place.
2.2.5.1 Okonkwo (1998) posits that "in Nigeria, the workmen compensation degree of 1987 as amended in 1990 imposes strict legal liability (without fault or negligence) on the employers of labour."
2.3.1 HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Health is defined as the condition of a person's body or mind (has poor health or enjoys the best health). However, writing on safety
2.3.2.1 Bokinni (2001) posits that :
“Safety is about the protection of people, assets, absence of accident and safe working practices. It is primarily concerned with finishing the working day in the same physical condition as when you started it. Accident therefore is a "mishap" resulting in damage to property and or injury or death to persons. It is traceable to an act or omission on the part of somebody caused by human actions through unsafe acts and conditions. The most common cause is poor management organization, failure to provide and follow safe system of working, inadequate training and instructions.
2.3.2.2 He submitted further the under listed as the purpose of safety:
I. To minimize accidents to the barest minimum and provide save working environment.
ii. To achieve through proper safety education work accident prevention.
iii. To enhance performance of equipment through safe work practices, reduce cost and maintenance, insurance claims / premiums
iv. To evolve an efficient security system as to handle dangerous situations
v. Through safety policy which covers 5 m's of accident viz: MAN, MACHINE MISSION, and MEDIUM and MANAGEMENT.
MAN- accident through stress and fatigue.
MACHINE- proper maintenance.
MISSION - Indoctrinate for optimum skill.
MEDIUM - environmental hazards and accident cases to be highlighted. MANAGEMENT - proper and efficient management of personnel and resources are essential for safety awareness.
He contented that monitoring of operations is therefore much more difficult and demands a more flexible and extensive control by site managers and foremen; stating that organization is concerned principally with people, their knowledge, training and responsibility in ensuring that work is done safely and without risks to health.
2.3.3.1 Komolafe F, Babalola E, (2009 May 21): Reported on the employees’ compensation bill being sponsored by the federal government. The report in its opening statement stated thus: “last week the federal executive council approved for legislation the Employees compensation Bill. The bill is a review of the workmen's compensation Act, which in reality offers no realistic. Compensation to injured workers. So why does safety in the work place mean so much to the federal government? The answer is in this edition of labour vanguard - (2009 may 21)
2.3.3.2 At this point, it is pertinent to glean out all critical information from this report that richly support the import of this study:
• World day for safety and health at work was marked on April 28 with activities in the Ilo's (International Labour Organization) 180 members countries.
• Labour and productivity minister, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode at a progamme to mark the world day for safety and health at work 2009 remarked that a report of the international labour organization indicated that 270 million work- related accidents occur annually out of which 1.2 million result in death.
• That the economic consequences of the accidents which approximate to four percent of global domestic product (GDP) challenge all stake holders to arise to initiate actions that would help to mitigate work -related accidents, injuries and death.
• That this government cannot fold its arms and allow work places that are unsafe for employees.
• That the present government frowns at the present situation where employers and workers take safety at work for granted.
• That his ministry which has the mandate to protect the lives of all workers in their work environment, has initiated actions to drastically reduce the high accident rate in work places across the country.
• That when the labour safety and health Bill is passed into law; it would go a long way to improve the standard of safety and health delivery in all work places in the country.
• He solicitated the co-operation of other stakeholders, workers, employers and all Nigerians to join hands with government towards achieving a safe and healthy work place agenda for Nigeria, where work related accidents will be a thing of the past.
• That the government ratified Ilo convention No155 on occupational Safety, Health and the working environment in 1994 realizing that safety and health working conditions are critical to the attainment of social justice and economic growth.
• That this is further strengthened by the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria section 17.3c, which states as follows: "The state shall direct its policy toward ensuring that the health, safety and welfare of all persons in employment is safeguarded and not endangered or abused."
• That government appreciate that human beings constitute the catalytic agent in the development process and therefore has vital interest in the protection of workers against the adverse effects of work and work conditions.
• That unsafe work is human tragedy, much of this tragedy, involving millions of workers each year plays out unseen and unheard, never making the headlines, yet so much can be prevented.
• That the current economic crisis could have a significant impact on safety and health at work.
• That the number of work place accidents and diseases and ill health due to unemployment will rise in the light of the present economic crisis That decrease in public spending will also compromise the capacities of labour inspectorates and other occupational safety and health services.
• Precarious working conditions will increase, adding to the risk of accident and ill-health.
• That ILO has addressed safety and health at work since it was founded in 1919, and international labour standard on occupational safety and health were among the first adopted by the organization.
• That the call to protect workers against sickness, diseases and injury arising out of employment has been at the heart if the ILO’s agenda, a major focus of standard -setting and other plans of action.
• That occupational safety and health is a human right and an integral part of a people-centered agenda for development.
