The
International Labour organisation (ILO), marks today, April 28 as the World Day
for Safety and Health at Work with the theme ‘‘The Prevention of Occupational
Diseases’’. In its document to support
this years’ observation, the organisation defines an occupational disease as
‘‘a disease contracted as a result of an exposure to risk factors arising from
work’’. To buttress, the Wikipedia free
encyclopaedia describe an occupational disease as ‘‘any chronic ailment that occurs as a result of work or occupational activity……typically
identified when it is shown that it is more prevalent in a given body of
workers than in the general population, or in other worker populations’’.
The
2013 ILO document on this years’ day declares that ‘‘occupational diseases
cause huge suffering and loss in the world of work. Yet, occupational or work-related diseases
remain largely invisible in comparison to industrial accidents, even though
they kill six times as many people each year’’.
It is against this backdrop that the organisation has aptly chosen this
years’ theme.
Pneumoconioses
is a deadly and globally well-known occupational diseases; this is a chronic
lung disease resulting from widespread exposures to silica, coal, asbestos and
various mineral dusts in mining, quarrying, construction and other manufacturing
processes. Others of concern include
skin diseases (eczema, urticaria, sunburn and skin cancer); mental and
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) - conditions affecting the body’s muscles,
joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves.
The ILO notes that while Pneumoconioses is well known/reported and
widespread, mental and MSDs are relatively new and on the rise across
occupations in countries of the world.
Other emerging risks include poor ergonomic conditions (poorly designed
workplaces/workstations, bereft of basic tools and comfort); exposure to
electromagnetic radiation and psychosocial risks. These conditions among others are being
exacerbated by technological and social changes as well as global economic
conditions.
In
2012, under the theme ‘‘Promoting Safety and Health in a Green Economy’’, the
ILO made a case for closely linking safer and healthier work places and
‘‘decent’’ work for all to the worlds shift towards a greener and more
sustainable economy. In other words,
green economies should produce green (decent) jobs – jobs that not only
empowers financially, but assures wellbeing, preservation of life and
longevity.
This
years’ theme focuses on prevention, which would mean tackling the root causes
of occupational diseases. Most
importantly, emphasis is again placed on the ‘’decent work’’ paradigm. In the words of the ILO ‘’prevention is key
since it not only protects the lives and livelihoods of workers and their
families but also contributes to ensuring economic and social development. Continuing, the organisation maintains that
‘’concerted efforts are needed at international and national levels to raise
awareness about occupational diseases and to tackle once and for all the Decent Work deficits that are their
root causes’’.
‘’Decent
Work’’ is at the heart of the ‘‘prevention paradigm’’ being advocated by the
ILO. It is about good jobs which apart
from offering adequate wages, job security, reasonable
career prospects, and worker rights; is carried out under safe working
conditions – conditions that guarantees that the worker will live long enough
to savor in retirement, his/her days of active and honest labor. The fact of the matter is that occupational
diseases/illnesses develop over time and are caused either by the work itself or by the employees’ working environment. In Nigeria
today, the majority of available jobs – in both public and private sectors –
are carried out under conditions that are very far from decent. The conditions in most offices/work locations
in the country are so un-dignifying, short of saying horrifying. This is true (with
limited exceptions though) for the private and public sectors - educational
institutions, manufacturing, construction, quarrying, the media,
transportation, etc. The armed forces
and police as well as private security and paramilitary organisations/agencies are
not left out. The absence of data will
not allow us to appreciate the enormity of occupational afflictions that
workers in Nigeria have suffered and are still suffering. The ILO notes that
‘‘globally, more than half of all countries still do not collect adequate
statistics for occupational diseases’’.
Where available, the data ‘‘concern mainly injuries and fatalities’’.
In a study
on the ‘‘Epidemiology of occupational disease among bricklayers in Nigeria’’,
Soyinka, F. (1977), reported that ‘‘clinical and epidemiological investigations
on 240 bricklayers in Nigeria show an incidence of 2,3% of cement-eczema, 2,0%
of wear and tear dermatosis, and 2,8% of sensitivity against chrome’’. Continuing, the report noted that ‘‘the
workers with longest professional contact with cement showed the highest
incidence of cement-eczema, and sensitivity against chrome’’. In another study on the ‘‘Pulmonary functions
of wheat flour mill workers and controls in Ibadan, Nigeria’’, Ijadunola and
others (2005), concluded that ‘‘wheat flour-mill workers in Nigeria are at an
increased risk of developing abnormalities of lung functions…..., and the
dominant pattern of respiratory disease among them is airway obstruction. Ijadunola and his team had noted in their
abstract that ‘’the impact of grain dust exposure on lung functions of grain
handlers in Nigeria has remained largely undocumented’’. This lack of documentation as the ILO had
noted, may not have changed much today.
As Nigeria grapples with the numerous socio-economic
and political challenges confronting her as a developing economy, and with
vision 20-2020 in focus, it is expedient that she does not neglect to the
background the serious issue of occupational diseases and the push to address
its root causes which is linked to ‘‘decent work’’. The ILO reports that ‘‘many
governments and employers’ and workers’ organisations are placing now greater
emphasis on the prevention of occupational diseases’’ albeit, ‘’prevention is
not receiving the priority warranted by the scale and severity of the
occupational disease epidemic’’. As is
the case in several instances and sadly
too, the developed economies are far ahead in this push, leaving countries like
Nigeria at the stage of either having not given this the serious consideration
it deserves or are yet to have an articulated policy document with clear road
map for implementation.
True, job creation is top on the agenda of our
government at all levels and this is good – part of the fundamental
responsibilities of the state to her citizenry.
We have read about hundreds and thousands of jobs that have either been
created or are being created at both federal and state levels. The questions will be what are the nature of
these jobs, under what environments are (or will) employees (be) fulfilling
their job roles and responsibilities, what minimum improvements will these jobs
bring to their lives. It may not be so
much about big remuneration, equitable remuneration as I will love to call it,
but rather about the other elements of a ’’decent work’’ – ergonomics, safety,
health and general wellbeing. These
minimum elements bring real value and dignity into any job and in a way
compensates for small pay package of today.
They assure that the worker does not pass away through occupational
disease/illness before he or she has the opportunity to enjoy his or her first
pay cheque.
Nigeria must join the ‘prevention paradigm’’ move,
at the heart of which is tackling the ‘‘Decent Work deficits’’ – the chief root causes of
occupational diseases/illnesses. I strongly believe that
a strong ‘‘Decent Work’’ culture will help reduce and may be eliminate
corruption, engender patriotism, diligence, hard-work, commitment and
patriotism as well as strengthen the value of ‘‘dignity in labour’’.
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