The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced plans to strengthen workplace safety measures to protect corps members, staff, visitors and government properties across its formations nationwide.
The scheme said it would prioritise the identification of occupational hazards, risk assessment, prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses, environmental protection and compliance with relevant safety standards.
The Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this at the maiden edition of the Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Schedule Officers Workshop held in Abuja.
In a statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, Nafiu said the workshop’s theme, “Preventing Workplace Hazards and Creating a Safe Environment in All NYSC Formations,” underscored the importance of occupational health, workplace safety and environmental sustainability to effective administration and service delivery.
Speaking through the Director of Human Resource Management, Mr Nura Umar, the director-general urged all NYSC formations to prioritise regular workplace inspections, risk assessments, proper maintenance of safety equipment, fire drills, first-aid preparedness and emergency response procedures.
“We must therefore move beyond reacting to incidents and embrace a proactive safety culture,” he said.
Nafiu tasked participants with applying the knowledge acquired at the workshop to identify workplace hazards, assess risks and promote continuous safety awareness across their respective formations.
He also urged the officers to develop clear action plans and demonstrate renewed commitment to ensuring safer and healthier working environments throughout the scheme.
The director-general stressed the need for a preventive approach to safety management, noting that effective implementation of safety standards would help protect personnel, corps members and other stakeholders.
Earlier, the Director of the General Services Department, Mrs Yetunde Baderinwa, described the workshop as an important step towards establishing a coordinated and sustainable approach to occupational health, safety and environmental management across NYSC formations.
She said the safety of NYSC officials, visitors, service providers and other stakeholders remained a collective responsibility requiring the commitment of all concerned.
Participants at the workshop included Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Schedule Officers from the 36 state NYSC secretariats and the Federal Capital Territory.
