LHF to focus on safety in building construction
Paying attention to safety as it relates to the housing sector will be the focus of the 14th Lagos Housing Fair, the organisers have said.
According to the organisers, Beachland Resources Limited and Radio Lagos/Eko FM, there is a need to direct the nation’s attention to consideration for safety in all aspects of housing, from conception to design and construction; with special focus on policy matters, building designs, material usage and applications, construction methodologies, as well as building and planning laws.
At a press conference to herald the fair, the Chairman, Lagos Housing Fair Committee, Mr. Moses Ogunleye, said the country had recorded lots of mishaps arising from poor designs, unsafe or inappropriate construction and weak enforcement machineries.
He said, “The spate of collapse of buildings across the nation, particularly in major cities, is indicative of the need to refocus matters of safety in housing development.
“It is even more worrisome to note that a large number of buildings that collapsed in the country were residential with the attendant loss of lives.
“At the 14th Lagos Housing Fair, we are looking beyond building collapse, as we shall be examining issues of safe designs and the extent to which interaction within premises are promoted as well as provision for critical elements like escape exits and so on.”
The fair, with the theme, ‘Safety in Housing Delivery’, is scheduled to hold from April 28 to May 3.
Ogunleye said it had become worrisome that despite safety being one of the key elements of the National Building Code, many stakeholders in the industry had continued to carry out construction activities without due regard for matters of safety, even for the construction workers.
He said, “It will be recalled that the National Construction Policy has as part of its goals to ensure that all buildings, infrastructure and other facilities are designed and constructed with adequate safety considerations.
“The question is to what extent has governments at the federal, state and local levels facilitated the achievements of the broad goal of the policy in regards to safety in housing development?
“What is puzzling is that most of those who are involved in construction of buildings, particularly residential structures, are non-professionals, and if that is allowed to continue, the nation may witness more calamities.”
According to him, key professionals in the industry have been invited to discuss the issue with the intention of proffering solutions.
A member of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Mrs. Iyabo Bolarinwa, said there was the need to sign the National Building Code into law.
According to her, professionals in the built environment are worried that the industry is without proper regulation with the attendant overlap of functions among the different professionals.
Source: PUNCH newspaper.
According to the organisers, Beachland Resources Limited and Radio Lagos/Eko FM, there is a need to direct the nation’s attention to consideration for safety in all aspects of housing, from conception to design and construction; with special focus on policy matters, building designs, material usage and applications, construction methodologies, as well as building and planning laws.
At a press conference to herald the fair, the Chairman, Lagos Housing Fair Committee, Mr. Moses Ogunleye, said the country had recorded lots of mishaps arising from poor designs, unsafe or inappropriate construction and weak enforcement machineries.
He said, “The spate of collapse of buildings across the nation, particularly in major cities, is indicative of the need to refocus matters of safety in housing development.
“It is even more worrisome to note that a large number of buildings that collapsed in the country were residential with the attendant loss of lives.
“At the 14th Lagos Housing Fair, we are looking beyond building collapse, as we shall be examining issues of safe designs and the extent to which interaction within premises are promoted as well as provision for critical elements like escape exits and so on.”
The fair, with the theme, ‘Safety in Housing Delivery’, is scheduled to hold from April 28 to May 3.
Ogunleye said it had become worrisome that despite safety being one of the key elements of the National Building Code, many stakeholders in the industry had continued to carry out construction activities without due regard for matters of safety, even for the construction workers.
He said, “It will be recalled that the National Construction Policy has as part of its goals to ensure that all buildings, infrastructure and other facilities are designed and constructed with adequate safety considerations.
“The question is to what extent has governments at the federal, state and local levels facilitated the achievements of the broad goal of the policy in regards to safety in housing development?
“What is puzzling is that most of those who are involved in construction of buildings, particularly residential structures, are non-professionals, and if that is allowed to continue, the nation may witness more calamities.”
According to him, key professionals in the industry have been invited to discuss the issue with the intention of proffering solutions.
A member of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Mrs. Iyabo Bolarinwa, said there was the need to sign the National Building Code into law.
According to her, professionals in the built environment are worried that the industry is without proper regulation with the attendant overlap of functions among the different professionals.
“We have the building code, but when will it give us the roles we should play? The bill is still where it is and I think we professionals should be more concerned about safety and not about individual selfish interests,” Bolarinwa said.
Source: PUNCH newspaper.
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