ILO Urges FG To Integrate Climate Factors Into Workplace Safety

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has called upon the federal government to actively mainstream climate considerations into national Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) strategies.
The director of ILO country office for Nigeria and West African nations, Vanessa Phala gave the advice yesterday in Abuja at a symposium on the 2024 World Day for Safety and Health at Work organised by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Phala urged the Nigerian government to also enhance resilience planning, improve health surveillance, and invest in education and infrastructure to reduce vulnerability to climate impacts.
She called for decisive action to adapt workplaces, protect workers, and build a resilient future, where she stressed the power of international cooperation to ensure that OSH standards evolve to meet the challenges of a changing climate.

The ILO boss lauded Nigeria’s comprehensive approach to safety and health at work, including the ratification of ILO Convention 155 on OSH and C187, the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 which she said has demonstrated Nigeria’s strong resolve to prioritise worker safety and health.

She reiterated the ILO’s commitment to working with the government, workers, and employers to design and implement effective policies to improve OSH in Nigeria.

Earlier, the permanent secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ismaila Abubakar who spoke on this year’s theme, ” The Impact of Climate Change on Workers’ Health and Safety”, urged stakeholders to actively contribute to the development of a comprehensive workplace intervention action guide on climate change, to serve as a framework for effective preventative measures mitigating the effects of ecological shifts in the workplace.

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The director, Occupational Safety and Health Department, Adogu Lauretta noted that the ministry recognised the critical need to address these issues by providing workplace intervention towards Emerging Occupational Safety and Health issues.