Health and Safety Legislation, Regulations and Standards
The framework you must be able to navigate
Candidates should understand the hierarchy of Nigerian OSH law: the Constitution, statutes such as the Factories Act and the Labour Act, subsidiary regulations, and the standards and codes that fill gaps (e.g., NIS, ISO 45001). Know the duties of employer and employee, the concept of "so far as is reasonably practicable" (risk weighed against time, cost and trouble), and the role of the regulator and inspectorate. Understand how international instruments (ILO Conventions) influence national practice and how standards differ from law: standards are not statutes unless incorporated by reference.
Traps that catch candidates
- Confusing a duty (legal obligation) with guidance (advisory).
- Treating "reasonably practicable" as a defence for doing nothing; it requires a documented risk/cost balance.
- Assuming a written policy alone satisfies the law; implementation and communication are required.
- Mixing up the roles of employer, employee, contractor and self-employed person.
- Forgetting that employees also have duties: to take reasonable care, cooperate and report hazards.
Worked example / rule of thumb
A company wants a new chemical process. The question asks what the law requires. Rule of thumb: identify the statutory duty first, then the risk control, then the evidence of implementation. So: the duty is to protect health and safety so far as reasonably practicable; the control is an assessment and exposure controls; the evidence is records, training and monitoring. If a question offers "do a risk assessment" versus "write a policy", the assessment is the operational step that demonstrates the duty is being discharged.
How to answer scenario questions
State the legal principle, apply it to the facts, and name the evidence you would expect an inspector to see. That three-step structure scores reliably.