Covid-19: FG calls for safe practices in workplace   

The Federal Government has called for the adoption of safe practices in the workplace as preventive measures against exposure to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Festus Keyamo, minister of state for labour and employment, speaking in Abuja on the occasion of the world day for safety and health at work, 2020, said adopting measures such as good hygiene and physical distancing would exposure to Covid-19 in workplace.

Keyamo said that tens of thousands of workers have died from the pandemic, while many still attend work ill-equipped and without the necessary safety measures in place.

He called on employers of labour to ensure safe and healthy working environment, including managing the risks of exposure to infectious diseases such as Covid-19.

He said workers on their part should cooperate with their employers, and adopt safe and healthy work behaviours, as part of their respective statutory responsibilities.

“The employer must ensure good hygiene and cleanliness of the workplace, implement physical distancing measures, ensure training of workers on infection prevention and control measures, and provide the required personal protective equipment, in accordance with the guidelines that have been stipulated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

In addition, necessary administrative and engineering controls must also be instituted as required, to reduce risk of transmission of infection in the workplace,” the minister said. He noted that the economic and social disruptions occasioned by the pandemic had threatened the health and livelihood of millions of workers.

“It has impacted negatively on the survival of most businesses, particularly the micro-, small- and medium-scale enterprises which constitute at least 70 percent of the nation’s workforce,” he added.

The theme for the world day for safety and health at work, 2020 is “Stop the Pandemic: Safety and health at work can save lives”, which the minister described as fitting, considering the enormous challenge which the spread of the Covid-19 has posed to governments, employers and workers.