The Lagos State Government has shut a Chinese firm, Mingy Trading Company Ltd., for violating safety precautionary measures, which led to the death of a 17-Year-old new employee.
The action by the state government follows a media report on May 20 tagged, ‘Lagos teenage factory worker killed in an industrial accident on resumption day.’
The sealing of the company was led by the Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola, on Thursday, May 27, 2021, in Lagos.
Mojola emphasized the state government’s commitment to safety of lives and property of its citizens which led to another sealing of Mingy Trading Company Ltd. at 11, Ila Orangun Street, Ijegun-Egba, Satellite Town.
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What the Director-General of Lagos State Safety Commission is saying
Mojola said the fatality occurred due to a violation of safety precautionary measures, adding that the victim, one Babatunde AbdulRahmon, 17, was employed on the said day.
He said, “The 17-year-old was immediately exposed to a mechanical and electrical manufacturing equipment without training and provision for personal protective equipment.
In the process of operating the equipment, he lost his life. There was also very clear evidence of poor housekeeping, lack of safety signage, poor factory layout for emergency management, very poor recruitment process with no documented training records, poorly installed electric cables and poor record keeping.
On no account should any company employ an underage person to operate a mixer or grinding machine without proper training and use of personal protective equipment.”
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He reiterated the importance of having a tested electrical wiring system, appropriate safety signage, good housekeeping and a clean environment devoid of infractions and hazards to the lives of its workers.
Mojola insisted that organisations must value lives above monetary gains, adopt best practice, adding that a culture of safety first should be an individual and collective responsibility.
The Lagos safety boss declared zero tolerance for safety violations and warned that punitive measures would be taken against organisations found culpable and urged members of the public to report incidents and infractions regularly to the Lagos State Safety Commission in a bid to have a safer Lagos for the citizenry.
What you should know
- This is not the first time that the Lagos State Government is shutting Chinese firms and others for some infractions.
- Over the years, the state government had sealed off some Chinese firms for offences ranging from forgery, safety breaches, engagement of under-aged children as casual workers and so on.
