UK institute partners stakeholders to strengthen workplace safety in Africa

By Adewale Sanyaolu

Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI), United Kingdom, has unveiled plans to partner relevant stakeholders in Nigeria to strengthen workplace safety in Africa.

A statement by OSHRI, UK, lamented that in Africa, many women and children in the informal sector are exposed to work hazards without legislation or any form of coverage, including lack of access to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) services.

Also, the institute disclosed that the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) have often displayed the lack of capacity and incentive to manage OSH risks while there are inadequacies in the organisation of OSH services, including a lack of competent OSH practitioners and a disregard for workers’ rights.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), Africa lacks an up to date data on work hazards, adding that the need to strengthen the field of occupational hazard prevention and control in Africa is urgent, as the current neglect carries a heavy burden of disease and disability risk.

To tackle these shortcomings, OSHRI, UK with critical stakeholders in Nigeria will host the International Research Conference on Occupational Safety and Health (IRCOSH) 2025.

The conference will bring together relevant government agencies, NGOs, civil societies, safety professionals, academics, student researchers and the private sector to discuss awareness strategies to deploy cutting-edge research methodologies to unearth the seriousness of workplace hazards and sustainable strategies to build a safer future for all. 

The conference theme tagged, “Building a Safer Future for All: Importance of Localised QHSE Research to the Development of Sustainable Workplace Safety Culture in Africa” will hold on March 27,, 2025 at the Faculty of Education Hall, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos.