Oluwakemi Arumosoye has been appointed Chair of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health West Africa Community, taking on a key role in shaping professional practice and engagement across the region.
The appointment places her at the centre of IOSH activities in West Africa, where attention remains on improving workplace standards and strengthening the safety profession across industries.
Arumosoye is an Occupational Health, Safety, Security, and Environment professional with over 15 years of experience across marine, oil and gas, and infrastructure operations. A Chartered Member of IOSH, she also holds a Master’s degree in Safety, Health, and Environment.
Her work has focused on developing and managing systems that meet international safety standards. She has led audits, incident reviews, and risk assessments, while also driving improvements in safety performance within organisations. Her experience includes working with both management teams and field operations to ensure compliance and improve day to day safety practices.
She has also contributed to training and mentoring within the profession, supporting capacity development and knowledge transfer. Her research work has addressed safety performance, risk management, and sustainability.
Arumosoye’s appointment comes at a time when attention on safety performance is increasing across sectors, with organisations under pressure to improve compliance and reduce incidents.
IOSH West Africa Executives
Chair: Oluwakemi Arumosoye
Vice Chair: Gabriel Bolatito
Secretary: Samuel Kwamena Eyson
Committee Member: Abanum Isakpa
Committee Member: Alfred Ajao
Committee Member: Angela Ukponmwan
Committee Member: Diseye Oba Okhumode
Committee Member: Christian Eshemogie
Committee Member: Fatiu Mohammed Abdullahi
Committee Member: Julius Akpong
Committee Member: Justice Nkrumah
Committee Member: Ubong Ufford
Committee Member: Yetunde Moyosola Adeola
IOSH continues to run training programmes and professional certifications across Africa, with a focus on raising standards and supporting practitioners. In West Africa, its activities include professional development sessions, industry engagement, and collaboration among safety practitioners.
The West Africa Community serves as a platform for knowledge sharing and coordination, helping organisations align with recognised safety practices while responding to local challenges. As industries expand and risks evolve, the role of structured professional bodies has become more visible in shaping workplace safety outcomes.
West Africa holds a critical place in the conversation around occupational health and safety, largely due to its rapidly growing population and expanding workforce. The region is home to over 400 million people, with a significant percentage engaged in high-risk sectors such as construction, agriculture, mining, and informal trade. This demographic pressure, combined with urbanisation and industrial growth, has increased exposure to workplace hazards, making safety standards and enforcement more urgent than ever.
The wider African picture further highlights the urgency. The continent records an estimated 16.6 fatalities per 100,000 workers, one of the highest occupational death rates globally. In addition, global data shows that over 2.9 million workers die annually from work-related causes, with the burden falling heavily on low and middle-income regions such as West Africa.
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