LASG SEEKS PUBLIC SUPPORT TO ACHIEVE ‘VISION ZERO’

Lagos State Government has called on the general public and relevant stakeholders on safety issues to key into its Vision Zero initiative, designed to reduce unsafe acts and promote wellbeing in workplaces.

 

Speaking today at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja at a Press Conference on Vision Zero, organised by the Lagos State Safety Commission, the Director-General of the Agency, Mr. Hakeem Dickson said that safety issues should not only be seen as a priority but as a value.

 

The Vision Zero, according to him, is a transformational approach to prevention that interprets safety, health and wellbeing at all levels of work.

 

“The vision is to ensure there is zero tolerance for workplace incidents. It is also to increase awareness at all levels of work to cultivate positive change mindset”, he stated.

 

The Director-General explained that various strategies have been outlined to increase awareness for the forthcoming three – day Lagos Vision Zero conference with the theme: “A Mindset Change Towards Zero Harm”, to be held from the 26th – 28th of June, 2018, at the Landmark Center, Lagos.

Dickson said that the idea of Vision Zero was not about Censorship but about Leadership, Ownership and Partnership with all the stakeholders in the State to ensure strong tripartite support; raise Vision Zero awareness and engagement through individuals, companies and stakeholder-groups on how to mitigate unsafe practices.

 

He explained that the Commission has set up Committees to work on a Seven Golden Rules approach to realize zero harm in workplaces.

 

He said, “the Seven Golden Rules are – leadership commitment, identify hazards and create protective measures, set health and safety goals, ensure a safety and health system, use safe and healthy technology, improve qualification and competence and invest in people”.

 

The DG recalled that Vision Zero was launched globally at the XXI (21st) World Safety Congress held in Singapore 2017 and it focuses on building capacities and raising awareness at all levels of work to cultivate a positive change mindset that all injuries and ill-health caused are preventable, believing that Zero Harm is possible.