IESM Inducts 40, Declares War On Use Of Poor Tools At Work Places
Institute of Ergonomics And Safety Management (IESM) has expressed concern over the rate of injuries and deformation among Nigerian workers sometimes leading to untimely death due to use of poor tools at work places.
The Institute underscored the ugly trend during the induction of its Members, Associate members and Governing Council in Lagos. A total of 40 fellows were inducted at the event attended by professionals and experts in various fields of human endeavor who described the birth of the Institute as a practical approach to addressing the age-long problem of injuries at the work place through conditioning the worker to suit the job without conditioning the environment to suit the worker.
Registrar of the Institute, Balogun Olusegun, noted that over the years workers who ought to have retired in good health after years of working both in public and private sectors, end up retiring in poor health, with many developing serious physical deformations that should have been prevented through better work environment.
The institute according to him will go all out to ensure that all sectors are carried along adding that it explains why the governing council is made up of professionals from all sectors.
“Part of our advocacy is to make employers of labour for instance understand that the wellbeing of the man makes him more productive. We are ready to make sure that government policies are implemented because right now nobody is pushing and nobody is asking question, so IESM is not just a learning institute but out to correct the wrongs, push for government policies to be implemented by the organisations and the workers” he said
Earlier Director of the Institute Osarhiemen Iserhienrhien disabused the mind of government officials and agencies who may be seeing the Institute and its advocacy as a threat; saying that the Institute is not desirous of replacing any agency or taking anybody’s job but ensuring that the right thing is done for the benefit of all.
“It will take a whole lot of enlightenment campaign because there is so much ignorance in the society, so constant education is one thing the Institute will be doing” he added.
A look at the future strategic plan of the Institute indicate that emphasis will be on Capacity building, policy advocacy, research and innovation, public awareness and global partnership.
Highlight of the event was the administering of oath of allegiance on the inductees. The oath of allegiance was administered by Barrister Musa Bolaji Yusuf. The elated inductees were reminded however that the feather that has been added to their caps comes with a lot of responsibilities. They were urged to avoid as much as possible any act that can tarnish the image of the Institute.
“You have become a member of a prestigious group, and as such must watch what you do and with whom you associate. You must avoid anything that will portray you or the Institute in bad light” the inductees were told.
