Businesses advised to be wary of physical, material safety to avoid undue losses

 The importance of maintaining safety codes and procedures even for small businesses so as to safeguard against needless losses in the depressing economy has been emphasised during a public awareness rally by the Lagos state safety commission.

Members of the advocacy group on a rally in Lagos reiterated the need for physical health to be maintained on one hand, while also saying that it is important to pay attention to little details which are ordinarily overlooked such as fire blankets, fire extinguishers, and fire alarm systems even for small businesses which can afford any of those items.

The rationale according to them, is that it is better to safeguard against needless losses so as not to compound the intensity of the economic depression.

Akin Bashir, a member of the advocacy group told BusinessDay that the rally being held in Lagos is an awareness creation programme that has to do with safety of the citizenry, safety of individuals; physically and that of their environment, and in every facet of life. It was also emphasised that now more than ever, individuals needs to keep fit to shake off the weights of a depressed economy.

“We believe that the basic element of fitness can be derived just from walking. If everyone is encouraged to do some walking on a regular basis, the tendency for them to become fit is there, and when you are fit, it means you’re able to carry out any endeavour which you’re involved in, invariably, every fit person leads to a fit citizenry,” said Bashir.

In emphasising the need for safety in businesses, Bashir also noted that “the way you arrange your shop goes a long way to determine the level of safety that can be guaranteed in that shop. Take for example now where you have a seat that is close to a socket, when there is any fire disaster, the first thing to be caught up is the seat. And you can imagine the in flammability of such a thing so what we are saying now is that in every environment whether home or work, there is need for safety protection and the basic way to do that is to ensure having maybe a fire extinguisher, however minimal, in that environment.”

Ajimotokun Ismail Adeola, program director of the Lagos state safety commission awareness also reiterated the position earlier stated, that emphasis is on people becoming more safety conscious.

“If you’re safety conscious, every other thing comes in place. When you talk about the safety gadgets such as fire extinguishers, it is for their own benefit. It is when they are alive that they can talk of safety, when they are no longer alive, safety isn’t important anymore. We are out because we realize that continuous advocacy on health, safety, and the environment is very important,” said Ajimotokun.

The program raised curiosity on the possibility of punitive measures in a near future for business owners who fail to own some of the listed (basic) safety gadgets but organisers of the sensitisation program insists that the first emphasis is to educate people and let them see it from the angle of their own safety… they assert that it is when businesses are not destroyed that people can still earn a living. It was however also stated that, ultimately there will be sanctions from government in line with its mandate to regulate but for now, emphasis is on awareness creation and ensuring attitudinal changes.