The Lagos State Safety Commission has commenced mandatory safety training for dredging and sand haulage operators across the state, following concerns over incidents associated with the sector.
The training, held at the Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Town Hall in Epe, was organised under the theme, “Navigating Safety in Dredging: Building Lagos on Solid Ground.”
Representing the Director-General of the Safety Commission, Lanre Mojola, the Head of Safety Audit II, Engr. Festus Todowede, said dredging involves heavy equipment operating in challenging environments and could expose workers, the public, equipment and the environment to serious hazards when proper safety measures are not followed.
Mojola said the Commission had received reports of incidents from workers and residents concerning dredging and sand mining activities across Lagos. He disclosed that the agency had consequently directed a comprehensive safety audit of dredging sites across the state.
He said the training was one of the recommendations from the audit and was aimed at improving safety awareness and reducing incidents linked to dredging and sand haulage operations.
A Consultant on Dredging Operations, Oluwaseyi Adejuyigbe, urged operators, supervisors and workers to make safety a daily operational priority rather than something observed only during inspections.
He advised operators to identify hazards, assess risks and implement appropriate control measures before commencing operations, while ensuring workers receive proper training and use required personal protective equipment.
Adejuyigbe also called for the reporting and investigation of incidents, near misses and unsafe conditions, stressing that no production target, financial consideration or operational deadline should take priority over human life.