Workplace safety Bill scales first reading in Senate

Concerned with the poor state of environmental safety standards in the country, most especially at workplaces, a bill to regulate and control the training, basic skills development, registration and practice of environment and safety management in Nigeria, passed the first reading at the Senate.

The bill which was sponsored by the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, titled; “Environmental and safety management institute Bill, 2022 (SB. 1015)”, seeks to provide an effective legal and institutional framework for the training and regulation of the practice of environment and safety management across the nation.

In order to achieve its objective, a Chartered Institute of Environment and Safety Management is proposed to be established, the institute according to its sponsor “will be charged with the duty educating, training, examining and setting standards for training in the field of environment and safety management. The proposed Institute will also compel the practitioner in the industry to be sufficiently equipped to cope with the dynamics of the environment and safety management world.”

Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Ajayi Boroffice presented the bill during Tuesday’s plenary.

Following a voice vote in favour of the bill, the Senate president, Senator Ahmad Lawan, who presided over the plenary referred the bill for second reading.

The explanatory memorandum of the bill also revealed that, “a governing council shall be established to oversee the operation of the institute and its functions shall include; to provide physical and or online full-time and part-time courses of instruction, professional, technical and specialised training in environmental assessment; environmental planning and management; environmental economics and security, environmental sustainability and protection; environmental health, occupational health and environmental safety.

“And would include food and water safety, industrial security, school safety management, forestry and agricultural safety, terrestrial and atmospheric safety, environmental emergency and disaster management, as well as community and home safety.”