A foremost Architect, based
in Port Harcourt, Mr. Ebiwene Bozimo, has charged property owners and developers to include adequate safety measures in the design of their buildings in order to prevent fatalities.
Bozimo, who is also the Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), Rivers Chapter, gave this charge in a chat with our correspondent, in Port Harcourt on Monday.
He pointed out that neglecting safety measures in the design of a building was as bad as using substandard materials while building.
The foremost architect said neglect of safety could cause preventable and unnecessary injuries and fatalities in both residential and commercial buildings.
Bozimo, who is also the project manager to rainbow town project, said for places like bathrooms and kitchens where tiles are to be used, the texture and placing of the tiles were important in preventing slips and falls.
According to him, “if you were to use tiles in bathrooms and kitchens where you would certainly have water on the floor, shinny tiles should be avoided to provide grip so that even when one slips you don’t fall easily”.
He stated that most property developers use some materials “for their aesthetics not the safety they would provide for the users of the building.
Furthermore, he noted that “staircases should be built in a way that the steps are not steep and should be even, while the banisters or rails should be positioned such that the spaces in between are not too wide and not too low to prevent anyone  from falling over”.
“In general, property developers should at every point as a matter of utmost importance include safety measures in the design of the property”, he added.