Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund
OSH (Occupational Safety and Health) audit and inspection are essential tools used to evaluate and improve workplace safety and health practices.
Accident investigation is a systematic process used to determine the root causes of workplace accidents, incidents, or near misses to prevent future occurrences and improve safety measures.
In accordance to the ECA 2010 Act, the core mandate of NSITF to any employee, whether or not in a workplace, who suffers any disabling injury arising out of or in the course of employment shall be entitled to payment of compensation
What is ECS all about?
This is a Social Insurance Scheme designed for serving employees to ensure that they are adequately protected with regard to compensation whenever they suffer
What is unique about ECS as a Social Insurance Scheme?
Most Social Insurance Schemes are funded through tripartite (government + employer + employees) or bipartite (employers + employees) contributions. This Scheme (ECS) is to be funded through only employers’ contributions as purely social responsibility. Government is only contributing as an employer of labour, while no contribution is expected from the employees.
Employees’ Compensation Act 2010established the Compensation Fundwhich provides forcompensation to employees in the event of death, injury,disability or disease arising out of or in the course of employment; and for relatedmatters. It also provides compensation to the dependants ofan employee who diesin the course of work.
The objectives of ECA, 2010 include:
i)To provide a fair, guaranteed and adequate compensation for all insured employees in case of any injury, disease, disability or death arising out of, or in the course of employment.
ii)To rehabilitate employees who suffer work–related injuries, disabilities, or occupational diseases.
iii)To establish and maintain a solvent compensation fund which will be managed in the interest of both employees and employers.
iv)To provide for a fair and adequate assessment of employers’ risk rating and ensure appropriate contribution is paid.
v)To provide a claims procedure that is simple, fast and less cumbersome for the injured persons, or their dependants in case of death.
vi)To promote the enforcement of occupational safety and health standards in the workplace.
An Employer is any person/individual, body corporate, Federal, State or LocalGovernment or any of the government agencies.
The ECA 2010 provides for cash and non-cash benefit components such as:
(i) Compensation payable in cash periodically for permanent, temporary, total, orpartial disability where he/she is eligible.
(ii) Counselling services to the affected employee in addition to cashcompensation to which he/she may be eligible.
(iii) Provision of medical, surgical, nursing and other healthcare which may berequired.
(iv) Payment of daily subsistence allowance where applicable, to the injuredemployee whilst undergoing treatment.
(v) Provision, replacement and repair of appliances and prosthesis to the injuredemployee, where applicable.
(vi) Vocational rehabilitation.
i. Periodic compensation to employees or their dependants for any death, disability,injury or disease arising out of or in the course of employment.
ii. Medical expense refund for injury arising out of or in the course of employment.
iii. Provides counselling and rehabilitationiv.In the case of permanentinjury,provides prosthetic support for disabled employee.v.A simple claims processvi.It isa “no fault scheme.’’
vii. Solventfunds available for the payment of compensation regardless of the financialposition of the employer at the time of claim.
viii. Coverage is universal for all employees except members of the Armed Forces.
Yes, there are. They each cover different contingencies.i)The Employees’ Compensation Act, 2010 covers workplace injury, occupationaldisease or death arising out of or in the course of employment.ii)ThePension Reform Act 2004 covers the employee after retirement.
An employer isobliged to report an injury, occupational disease or death occurringto an employee in the form and manner prescribed by the Board. The notice of injury,death or occupational disease must be received by the Fund within 21 days of theoccurrence.The date of diagnosis of the occupational disease is deemed to be the date ofoccurrence of the occupational disease, for the purposes of filing a claim application.The appropriate forms are available on www.nsitf.gov.ng
Yes. Any employer who fails to make a report as required by the Act is liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment or both.
