The Lagos State government has sanctioned Julius Berger firm over the death of Oloruntoba Olalekan, a worker, who passed away while operating a crane at an Ijora Yard facility.
While the details of the sanctions were not disclosed, the commission’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lanre Mojola, through the Director of Public Affairs, Mrs Adewunmi Okoh, revealed that the construction firm had been instructed to fulfil certain regulatory requirements following Oloruntoba’s death.
While eyewitnesses initially told PUNCH that Oloruntoba, an engineer at Julius Berger Nigeria, died when a loaded crane he was operating collapsed on him on September 23, 2024, the Lagos State Safety Commission’s investigation report, revealed that the cause of the incident was the impact of the contents of a container.
News and photographs of the deceased had surfaced in late September, showing Oloruntoba lying lifeless, his face and head covered in blood.
The report stated that the deceased “received serious injuries from which he did not recover.”
According to reports, Oloruntoba, was overseeing the unloading of a 40-foot freight container when the “contents that were being offloaded with a forklift truck shifted as they came out of the container, causing them to topple from the forklift and strike the engineer.
“Immediate actions were taken following the incident. The local authorities were notified, and the relevant details were reported to the police on the same day. Additionally, the National Social Insurance Trust Fund has been informed by regulatory requirements.”
“Julius Berger was mandated to conduct a comprehensive review of their risk assessment analysis. The job hazard analysis will also undergo a thorough evaluation, along with work procedures related to loading and offloading activities.”
“A training programme will be implemented for all Julius Berger staff, particularly those involved in the loading and offloading activities, to reinforce safety protocols and practices,” it was noted.
