COVID-19 Fall Out: Burning of Tyres - Actions and Consequences

Written by Ife Adeniji – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ifeoluwa-adeniji-90230046/

Reviewed by Dapo Omolade – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dapo-omolade-3757856/

Introduction

One of the consequences of #StayAtHome is the unbelievable increase in threat and attack on people and property. This has also led to the need for Self Help by various communities. You see community men stay awake to protect the lives of families and property in the community.  In the midst of this, it is strategic to have the place lighted up and as it is peculiar to our nation is the unassured availability of electricity from national grid. Burning of tire has then the final resort. These tyres are burnt all night for visibility and awareness.

I will share some documented effects of burning of tyres to the place, people and property. Added also will some recommended control measures.

1. The study carried out in Nigeria as published by Research gate on the assessment of environmental impact of open burning of tyre by L. A. Jimonda et al has significantly established that gaseous pollutants (CO, NO2, and SO2) are present at varying concentrations in all categories of tyres when burnt.

(https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319137745_Assessment_of_environmental_impact_of_open_burning_of_scrap_tyres_on_ambient_air_quality#pf8)

2. Open tire fire emissions include “criteria” pollutants, such as particulates, carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur oxides (SOx) etc. They also include “non-criteria” hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), Both criteria and non-criteria pollutants can cause significant short- and long-term health effects.  Depending on the length and degree of exposure, these health effects could include irritation of the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, respiratory effects, central nervous system depression, and cancer.

(https://www.ecomena.org/tire-burning-kilns/)

3. Especially troubling is the exposure that children living within these communities are inadvertently being subjected to. Children, foetuses, nursing babies, elderly, asthmatics, and immune suppressed individuals are all much more vulnerable to the pollutants released burning tires. Even a nursing woman can transfer the pollutions she inhales to a baby through the fat in her breast milk.  During breast-feeding, infants are exposed to higher concentrations of organic pollutants than at any subsequent time in their lives. Burning tires only adds to that toxic burden. (https://www.ecomena.org/tire-burning-kilns/).

4. Black carbon was also found as a major pollutant from open burning of scarp tyres (Bond et al. 2004). Most of these pollutants, especially dioxins, are carried over long distances from emission sources, and they persist in the atmosphere for decades without breaking down into less harmless compounds and accumulate in solid, water and food sources (Lee et al, 2003, 2005)

5. Various health challenges such as nervous system disorder, dermal and eye irritations, respiratory complications among others have been linked to the length and the degree of exposure to the emissions from open burning of tyres (Anf and Emad 2014). 

Control measure to this risk of harm include:

1. Eliminate the hazard- Do not burn tyres.

2. Substitution- If you must burn for visibility, do not burn tyres because of the health and environmental effect.

3. Isolation- While this is only reducing the risk, you can take the tyre far from people’s exposure especially from home where resident will be asleep.

What should you do to mitigate the effect of the burnt tyre?

1. Dust off the surfaces around the house because the particles from the smoke would have settled all night.

2. Avoid direct air during the burning of tyre

3. Use window blinds and curtain if the window has to be wide open.

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FGN to Issue Safety Certificate to Workplaces

https://twitter.com/Dapoomolade/status/687983192138199041

The Federal Government will soon begin to issue certificate of safety to factories and workplaces, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr  Chris Ngige, has said.

The minister stated this on Monday while paying on-the-spot visit to the Inter Corp Limited gas plant owned by Chicason Group in Nnewi, Anambra State.

The minister said petrol stations and gas plants would also require a certificate of safety from the Department of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment alongside the licence by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

“The DPR issuing licences for the building of petrol stations and gas plants is not enough. The department should also be issuing a safety certificate from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

“From now on, no DPR licence will be valid unless there is a certification from the ministry’s OSH department. The ministry is also planning monthly inspection of factories to ensure compliance. We can do that because we have offices in all the 36 states of the federation including Abuja,” he said.

The minister said the OSH department needed to be strengthened for it to ensure occupational safety in the workplace, assuring that the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and OSH would embark on aggressive factory inspection from the second quarter of the year.

“From the second quarter of 2016, the ministry would embark on aggressive factory regulation activities aimed at ensuring that factories are up to date on their responsibilities in terms of safety of workers. Both the NSITF and occupational safety and health department will enforce the laws guiding safety in the workplace,” he said.

The Managing Director of NSITF, Abubakar Munir, said every company that has workers on its payroll is expected to register such workers on the ECS.

“All firms and companies operating in Nigeria are expected to register its workers on the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS). Those who are registering now will have to pay in arrears starting from July 2011 when the scheme started except new companies that started operation after that date,” he added.

In a related event, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi has called on Resident Doctors to support the Federal Government’s efforts at ensuring industrial peace and harmony in the health sector.

The minister spoke when he received an award of ‘Ambassador of Conscience and Notary Personality’ from the Association of Resident Doctors, FCT chapter, in his office.

Ocholi reiterated the commitment of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to the promotion of decent employment and enhancement of welfare of the Nigerian workers.

Earlier, the President, Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria, FCT chapter, Dr. Isaac Olubanjo Akere, urged him to use his legal background to discharge his responsibility as minister.

Culled from The Nation Newspaper

I AM HSE POSITIVE

Let's promote a positive safety culture in the workplace and the society at large...It's a joint responsibility. We can do it!

Current & Useful Info on Safety Development

Current & Useful Info on Safety Development... Visit http://jamiubadmos.com/presentations/

Safety Requires Effort!

While it may be true that safety is common sense and every one desires to be in a state of safety, happenings around us and researches have shown that there is a great deal of hard work to enjoy and experience safety. It therefore requires concerted efforts and energy to achieve safety goals and objectives at home, road and the general workplaces.

This required effort is the missing link that makes safety elusive to humans and the society. While we all desire and crave for a safe workplace and society, how many have counted the cost of achieving this? If it costs you something to achieve your goals and objectives in life, safety as a goal can only be achieved when the right commitment is provided. This cuts across all aspects of corporate and individual structures.

Safety as natural as it may sound, requires planned and strategic efforts! Structures and systems must be put in place to include all indices that will help in achieving the goals of safety. These indices include money, personnel, facilities, resources, knowledge and skills, willingness, etc. Most corporate entities understand this and consciously develop and implement systems to ensure that their operations are controlled and managed to reduce the effects on persons, environment, assets and productions.  However, individuals have not come to appreciate this, and so leave their safety and that of their families to some other factors, known and unknown including government and society.

It is an known cliche that safety is everyone responsibility. We all say it, sing it, mouth it, etc; but it does not appear we understand the meaning of the statement. Simply put, you are responsible for your safety and the of others around you. So, be responsible, and work out your own safety (and that of others) with committed effort and hard work. The anticipated gains are more than worth it.

So. let's go for it...plan and actualise your safety goals...with concerted and determined efforts. It pays!

Security/Safety Tips For The Christmas Holidays
                                     (By Mrs Dominga Odebunmi, culled from Safety Advocates Platform)

While the Christmas season is a time for giving, for thieves and burglars, it is a unique season for taking your hard-earned money, gifts and possessions. They may ultimately rob you of all the joy and sense of goodness that the holidays are all about. We must also be security conscious as there are people out there with a completely different agenda from ours. For this reason, we can never be too careful, too prepared or too aware.

Here are some security tips that can be of great value during this yuletide season.

Vehicles
• Park your cars in a well-lighted area.
• Avoid driving alone especially at night.
• Keep all car doors locked and windows closed while in or out of your car. Also ensure to set your alarm and other anti-theft devices.
• Don’t park your car too far from your destination and always take note of where your car is parked.
• Do not leave packages or valuables on the seat of your car. This creates temptation for thieves. If you must leave something in the car, lock it in the trunk or put it out of sight.
• Keep a secure hold on your purse, handbag and parcels. Do not put them down or on top of the car in order to open the door.
• If there are suspicious people in the area, ask the mall or store security for an escort before leaving your shopping location. Do not approach your car alone.
Using Automated Teller Machines (ATMs)
• Avoid using an ATM in isolated locations.
• If you must use an ATM, choose one that is located in a well-lighted location with people around.
• Do not use your date of birth as your ATM PIN.
• Protect your PIN by shielding the ATM keypad from anyone who is standing near you.
• Withdraw only the amount of cash that you need.
• Do not throw your ATM receipt away at the ATM location.
• Avoid using the ATM after dark unless it is well lit and well secured.
• Watch out for people loitering around the ATM.
• Cancel your transaction, walk away and use a different ATM if you notice suspicious behaviour.
• Have your card out and ready to use before you get to the machine.
• Don’t linger at the ATM to count your cash; leave quickly once transaction has been completed.
• Don’t disclose your card details to anyone. You can hotlist your stolen GTBank ATM card via Internet banking, GTConnect or send HOTLIST to 08076665555.
Children
• If possible, leave small children at home with a trusted babysitter.
• Teach children to stay close to you at all times while shopping.
• Never allow children to make unaccompanied trips to the restroom.
• Children should never be allowed to go to the car alone and they should never be left alone in the car.
• Teach children to immediately inform you if a stranger is bothering them.

Shopping
It is advisable to shop during the day, but if you must shop at night, ensure to go with a friend or family member. 
• Avoid wearing expensive items when shopping. 
• Do not carry a purse or wallet, if possible. 
• Even when in a rush and thinking about a thousand things, stay alert to your surroundings. 
• Avoid carrying cash as much as possible. Pay for purchases with your debit card. 
• Keep available cash in your front pocket. 
• Notify your bank immediately if your debit card is lost or stolen. 
• Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. 

Home 
• Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave the house, even for a few minutes. 
• Leave a radio or television on so the house looks and sounds occupied. 
• Increase your home security by installing solid core doors, heavy duty locks and other security devices. 

Identity Theft 
• Avoid promotional scams; fraudsters use them to get your personal information. 
• Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work and at home as well as documents containing sensitive personal information. 
• Carry only the identification information and the number of bank cards that you actually need. 
• Don’t use the same password for every transactions.........

2nd Lagos Safety Walk - 07/02/2015

Join Us for this walk and stay safe and healthy...see flyers for details. Please come with your families, friends and colleagues...'UBUNTU...I am because We are'

See you there!!!