Nenis Engineering Flags-off Safe Automotive Works for Technicians, Emphasises Skills
Funmi Ogundare
Nenis Engineering Limited, recently flagged-off the Safe Automotive Works ( SAW), in an effort aimed at enhancing the delivery of skills and education programmes that will lead to the development of engineering capacity, enhanced safety standards and safe infrastructure of technicians in the field.
The three-day programme held at Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu, is an initiative of Mrs. Osazoduwa Agboneni, who is the Project Manager and grant awardee, ‘Engineering X- Engineering Skills where they are most Needed’ .
The Chairman, Advisory Board of the organisation, Mr. Ademola Olorunfemi in his remarks, expressed delight about the initiative that will improve professionalism, safety and better management practices by technicians across the country.
The project goals and objectives, he noted, present a path to safer, cleaner and more profitable work by automobile workers.
” It also opens opportunities for our diplomas/ graduates to become involved in delivering value to the society through the training and certification of 50 fresh graduates on emerging technologies needed for zero waste management ( data collection and analysis, as well as additive manufacturing)”, he stated.
Osazoduwa noted that the grant was funded through Engineering X, an international
collaboration founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd’s Register Foundation, adding that Safe Automotive Works, is designed to reduce the risk of injury, debilitating occupational health
hazards, and associated environmental challenges automobile workers are exposed to in the course of their work.
“The project will introduce safe disposal of automotive parts while encouraging a second life at the end of their useful one; introducing concepts such as remanufacturing (if applicable) and repurposing while minimising risks and raising awareness of issues that the country has to deal with (high level of accidents, abandoned cars and cars parts and associated environmental hazards).
“The project will address the lack of systems thinking and risk associated with disregarding health, safety and environmental standards by various stakeholders while working to expand the lifespan of automobiles, equipment and infrastructures.”
Through this project, she said her organisation, would be contributing to making
the automobile sector in Lagos State safer, greener and profitable for all stakeholders.
The Deputy President, Nigeria Society of Engineers ( NSE) , Mrs. Margaret Oguntala commended Agboneni and her team for successfully securing a grant from the Royal Academy of Engineering United Kingdom, targeted towards engineering development.
The initiative, she noted, is one that the society is proud to identify with, adding that SAW is an active response to the challenges the nation faces in the automotive sector.
“The challenge of enforcing codes and standards has created a huge public health and safety problem for those in the automobile sector. Uncontrolled exposure to unsafe environment, hazardous substances and other occupational health hazards including mental health challenges has left many stakeholders broke, broken and many women and children vulnerable once their fathers are no longer able to work or in some cases, dead,”she said.
The project’s focus on introducing safe disposal of automotive parts and encouraging the concept of remanufacturing and repurposing where applicable, Oguntala stated, will go a long way in minimising the risks as well as raise awareness of issues that the country has to deal with such as high incidents of accidents, abandoned cars and car parts and the associated environmental hazards.
“The project will also address the lack of systems thinking, and risk in relations to health, safety and environmental standards and help expand the lifespan of automobiles, equipment, and infrastructures. Through this project, the automobile sector in Lagos State will become safer, greener, and profitable for all stakeholders.”
