AN AGE FOR SAFETY?DEATH AMONG TEENS AND YOUNG WORKERS

AN AGE FOR SAFETY?DEATH AMONG TEENS AND YOUNG WORKERS , there are typical questions and things to consider when safety industry is concerned.

Industrial hazards are never comedies. They have been a constant occurrence in manufacturing companies, and factories; with efforts seeming never to be enough to totally obliterate these incidents. The tragic loss of young lives who work with the intention to eke a living, but become unfortunate victims of safety mishaps raises puzzles on the safety competences in place for the youths. Bernard writes.

In July 2020, a 300-level student of the Department of European Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan identified as Gbadebo Richard reportedly died in an industrial accident. It was revealed by an online publication, that the student who was on a night shift, fell into one of the machines at the Oluyole factory of Henkel Nigeria Limited, producers of WAW detergent and soap. His colleagues were reportedly not aware of the accident until they saw blood on one end of the machine.

It was disheartening as a broadcast signed by President and Public Relations Officer of the faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan read; “It’s completely disheartening to announce the death of Mr Gbadebo Richard (300-level student) from the Department of European Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan.”

Reasons you should never compromise on health and safety

“Your fervor to become greater in life was cut short by your sudden death. Team Evolution uses this medium to sympathise with the family of our late Afasite who was active, effective and diligent in studies. We pray that God be with the family and wipe out similar occurrence.”

In a more recent incident in May 2021, a young teenager this time, Abdulrahmon Babatunde, had gone seeking for employment opportunities around Lagos and environs. Despite his teenage years, he knew he needed to get a job to sustain himself as a growing and responsible member of the family and society at large.

He eventually got one at a manufacturing company in Satellite Town Axis of Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State. National Media reported that the 17-year old boy secured a job at Mingyi Trading Company Limited. On seeing his readiness to work, he was instantly recruited by the manager, Uchenna Umeanna, who put him under a supervisor.

With great enthusiasm, he reported to duty on the first day without a dint of premonition of what the day held. Resuming for work on his first day, he had already began learning from the supervisor how to scrape the particles of the PVC material on the mixing machine.
However, while work was on-going in the factory, there was a sudden power outage. Hence, one of the workers went to switch on the generator in order to continue production. Unfortunately, the mixing machine began working and sucked in Abdulrahmon, who was standing close to it.

The manager, Umeanna said the deceased sustained severe internal injuries and all efforts by doctors to save his life proved abortive.
In his words, “It was an unfortunate incident. Abdulrahmon came looking for a job and I personally took him to the supervisor to teach him the job. After some hours, I suddenly heard screams and I rushed down to the factory,”
“When I got there, he was inside the mixer and we had to bring him out. What happened was that the supervisor was teaching him how to scrape the particles of the PVC material on the mixing machine,” he said.

Spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident describing the circumstances surrounding Abdulrahmon’s death as unnatural, noting that an investigation was ongoing.
Such tragic incidences still reveal that much more work that has to be done in the area of factory safety. The need to ensure that conditions of services in workplace are in tandem with required health and safety practice has not come at more crucial time than now, as it is beginning to take a toll on the youths.

A Generalist Expert in Health Safety and Environment, Mr. Fyneray Mbata, on the tragic incident of the teenager noted that the incident could have been avoided.
“As a teenager, he may have been under-aged to be exposed to hazardous operation. What did the employer do to provide him with requisite work instructions and awareness about the workplace hazards?

“Was the job hazard analysis conducted and communicated? What about job supervision? In this case, supervision may have been seen to have failed. Although we have little information about how supervision was provided.”
He recommended the need that workplaces to have a hazard management programme in place to enable occupants identify them and put control measures in place.

Health, Safety and Environment Manager, Globeleq Power Solution Nigeria Limited, Julius Akpong, noted that there are a lot of issue as regard the teenager’s loss of life which needs to be investigated.

Noting that the teenager was not too young for safety, the expert made emphasis of safety areas such as the Induction register, the need for a safety induction process and quality supervision for the young boy.
“What were the things that allowed a young boy to be in a factory? He should be under a person. CCTV footage should be checked if any. It’s against safety laws to allow a minor to be in factories. It needs to be investigated,” Akpong said.

Managing Consultant, Simply Exponential Consult Ltd, Fayo Williams, explained that previously many organizations did not perceive workplace safety as a major priority in the overall business process, but as a concern only for high-risk industries.

She  said however that, “In recent times and with the outbreak of Covid-19, more organizations are understanding the impact and relevance of workers safety within the organization. Furthermore, Lagos and other neighboring states are highly industrialized with involvement of both large and small companies.”

“Unfortunately ,the  recent cases of gas explosions and the young worker who was sucked into a concrete mixing machine, it is time for Government and other stakeholders to put their foot down on Workplace Health and Safety (WHS),” she said.