The Lagos State Government has said it would ensure that hotels in the state comply with safety practices.
The Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Lanre Mojola, stated this during a stakeholders’ forum on hotel safety, held on Victoria Island.
He said, “Hotels don’t close, they are places one visits to have an experience one cannot have at home, hence there is need to sensitise stakeholders on safe hotels practices.
He stated the need to ensure collaboration and proper coordination of work activities within the hotel and hospitality sectors and provide stakeholders with relevant information devoid of risks to health and safety of lives.
According to him, “As safety professionals our eyes are meant to be trained to identify and manage these hazards. This involves carrying out risk assessments such as monitoring wires that are hanging, fuses coming into the building, chair that is broken or the ambience that is not right.”
The Head of Faculty, OSHversity, Mr Ehi Iden, disclosed that many accidents in hotels can be prevented by taking audits of hotels and equipment in them.
“Accidents commonly associated with hotels include musculoskeletal disorders, food poisoning, drowning, electrocution and fire incidents.
He declared that audit and inspection should be carried out on hotels in the state, particularly as Lagos has the highest number of hotels.
“There needs to be regular auditing and inspections of equipment such as sneeze guards, elevator signs, smoke detectors, wheel chairs and swimming pool signs. There should also be safety trainings and relevant certification for employees in collaboration with emergency service providers for prompt emergency response and event centres within the hotel facility must be registered,”.
The Executive Director, Vic Lawrence Associates, Mrs Ifeyinwa Osineme, in her remarks said hoteliers should be more innovative in hotel management in terms of safety, security, comfort and cleaningness to achieve the desired safer hotels in Lagos.
Technical Adviser, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr Seun Awojobi, appealed for collaboration from stakeholders to achieve desired results adding that all hands should be on deck to achieve a more robust and safer hotels in Lagos.
He advised events in hotels should be registered and ensure working closely with the Commission to have a safer hotels in the state.
