and injuries would have staggered the imagination (Singleton, 1983). The fact that the startling total of persons incapacitated by industry is in large parts needless has been emphasized over and over again. The cost of industrial accidents and workplace injuries cannot be underestimated. Throughout the history of industry, hardly does any day passes without a reported case of accident or workplace injuries. The financial cost of workplace accidents and injuries includes compensation payment, reduced production due to damaged equipments, man-day loss, loss of wages, medical care and loss of property among others. The non-financial/ social cost of workplace accident are made up of loss of limb/life, loss of breadwinner, human suffering and widowed spouses and children and loss of skilled workers whilst off injured. Occupational Safety and Health Administration activities represent a major public intervention to reduce the incidence of occupational injuries and fatalities at the workplace. Although Occupational Safety and Health Administration have other tools, its chief instrument is a program of inspections geared to achieve compliance with its set of safety and health standards. Industrial safety has become the prime responsibility of the management in the modern industrial set up. Industrial and labour legislations have made it obligatory on the part of captains of industry to take necessary steps to ensure industrial safety. Safety measures do not only reduce the frequency of industrial accidents but also increase the productivity. According to Bittel (2005), accident reduction and prevention depends on the three
E’s –
Engineering, Education and Enforcement:
job should be engineered for safety, employees should be educated in safe procedures and safety rules should be enforced