LSMTL Solicits Woman's Support As First Line Of Defence For Construction Safety At COWLSO Conference

The Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL) has intensified its campaign against building collapse by enlisting the active participation of women as key partners in ensuring construction safety across the state. This strategic move was unveiled during a plenary session at the COWLSO 2025 National Women’s Conference, themed “Women as Partners in Ensuring Safe and Secure Communities through Construction Materials Testing.” The agency emphasized the vital role women play as first responders, caregivers, and community sentinels capable of identifying and reporting potential structural risks in their surroundings.

Addressing the session, the General Manager of LSMTL, Engr. Olayinka Abdul, made a passionate appeal to the women of Lagos to see themselves as the first line of defense in the fight against building collapse. She noted that the safety of the built environment extends beyond engineering to affect every home and family. “Every building collapse is a profound tragedy where lives are lost, families are shattered, and communities are devastated,” she said, stressing that the root causes often lie in the use of substandard materials. She added that Lagos cannot build a Greater Lagos on weak foundations but must prioritize quality, standards, and structural integrity.

Engr. Abdul’s presentation highlighted the “invisible enemies” of construction safety  weak concrete, brittle steel, poor soil, and saline water  which gradually corrode and weaken buildings over time. She noted that these silent threats often go unnoticed until disaster strikes. The LSMTL, she said, remains the state’s scientific guardian, responsible for testing, certifying, and enforcing material standards to ensure public safety.

In her remarks, Engr. Abdul encouraged participants to be more observant and proactive in identifying visible warning signs such as spalling, wall cracks, and dampness indicators of potential structural failure. She emphasized that women, as homemakers and community influencers, are uniquely positioned to observe these details and raise early alerts. “The Agency cannot be everywhere at once,” she noted, “but you can be our eyes and ears in your communities, helping us safeguard lives and property.

The LSMTL boss concluded by urging women to ask vital questions about the quality of ongoing construction in their neighborhoods. She encouraged them to engage contractors, request proof of materials testing, and report suspected violations through the agency’s official channels. By taking on these roles, she affirmed, women can help build safer communities and ensure that Lagos’ urban growth stands firmly on strong, tested, and certified foundations.