Lagos State Safety Commission must come up with “proper guidelines” to further strengthen safety and health at workplaces.

According to Deputy Governor, Doctor Obafemi Hamzat, it had become imperative to share such guidelines with the stakeholders for people to know what was right and what was wrong at workplaces.

Hamzat made the call when he played host to the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, IOSH, United Kingdom, led by Head of Global Engagement and Partnership, Alan Steven in his office at Alausa, Ikeja.

According to him, the safety commission came into being to ensure standard and wellbeing of people across board in everything and to prevent accidents.

He said this included the construction sites, rehabilitations as well as provision of insurance and taking care of people in case of accident.

“Our job is to protect our people. People must do their businesses, but in safe and secure environment. Our developmental projects must be in a safe environment,” the deputy governor said.

Hamzat also urged the commission to ensure safety standard across board to protect lives and property of residents.

He decried poor storage of fuel and management of accidents by some people.

On the safety training organised by IOSH in partnership with the state safety commission for workers, Hamzat said that the state would domesticate the tips.

In his remarks, Stevens, said the institute was poised about people having the right skills in workplaces, especially safety and health professionals.

Stevens, who noted that safety and health remained everybody’s responsibility, commended the passion of Lagos residents to work.

According to him, safety and health does not depend on where people live, but how much knowledge they have.

“We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support people of Lagos State,” Stevens said.

He decried the number of workers that were harmed or died in their work places.

Stevens said the victims of occupational hazards were parents, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, sons and daughters of some people.

He said so many of the work risks and hazards were preventable.

The the meeting had in attendance the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties, Dr Yusuph Jimoh, and the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Yetunde Odejayi.