Beyound Maintenance, Protecting Lives

Kenny Akintola

It is one thing to acknowledge that something is broken. It is another to take responsibility for fixing it.
For too long, health within facility management has been treated as an afterthought something implied, but rarely defined; assumed, but not enforced. Yet the realities we face today demand more than passive concern. They demand structure, intention, and action.

If facility management is truly about safeguarding the environments where people live and work, then health must move from the margins to the centre of everything we do.

But this is not just about facility managers. It is also about employers of labour because responsibility does not end with a contract; it extends to how people are treated daily.
This is not a philosophical shift. It is a practical one.

First, mandatory workplace health checks must become the standard, not the exception. Preventive healthcare must be institutionalised. Annual or even bi-annual
basic medical checks should be part of workplace culture across offices, estates, and managed facilities. These are simple interventions that can detect serious conditions early. Too many lives are lost not because treatment is impossible, but because detection comes too late.

Second, wellness must be embedded into facility management contracts. As long as wellness remains informal, it will always be ignored. Contracts should include measurable wellness initiatives health awareness programmes, screenings, and consistent engagement with staff and residents. What is written down is far more likely to be implemented.

Third, the scope of HSE must be expanded to reflect its full meaning. “Health” cannot continue to be the forgotten component. It must include preventive care, indoor air quality, stress management, and overall well-being. A building can be safe and still be unhealthy and that contradiction is one the industry must urgently address.

Fourth, developers must be encouraged and compelled to design healthier spaces. Ventilation, natural lighting, and green spaces are not luxuries. They are essential. The quality of a building should not only be measured by its finishing, but by how well it supports the health of the people inside it.
Fifth, access to affordable healthcare through Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) must become a non-negotiable standard. Healthcare should not be a privilege for a few. It should be accessible across all levels of staff especially domestic and support staff who are often the most vulnerable. HMOs provide a structured pathway to preventive care, early diagnosis, and treatment without the burden of sudden financial strain.

But beyond systems and policies, there is a deeper responsibility the human one.
Employers must be intentional about kindness. Not as a soft idea, but as a leadership duty.
Many staff members cannot afford gym memberships or structured wellness programmes. But promoting health does not always require expensive solutions. Encouraging daily movement, sharing simple fitness routines, and promoting better eating habits can go a long way.
More importantly, many people lack awareness. Out of fear, misinformation, or financial pressure, they delay seeking medical help sometimes until it is too late. Employers must step in not just to manage work, but to guide, educate, and support.

Then there is the reality we often ignore.
The rising cost of living has pushed many domestic and support staff to the outskirts of Lagos areas like Abule Egba, Igando, Badagry, Ikotun Egbe, and Sango Ota.

Every day, they endure long, exhausting commutes leaving home before dawn and returning late at night yet many are not provided accommodation. And still, we expect optimal performance.
Then we wonder why health declines.

We question why stress levels are high.

We ask why life expectancy continues to drop.

But the answers are in the systems we have created and the ones we have refused to improve.
The responsibility is shared. Facility managers must advocate. Employers must act with empathy. Property owners must demand higher standards. Developers must build with health in mind. And organisations must prioritise access to care.

Because the truth is simple: the environments we create and the conditions we impose shape how people live, and ultimately, how long they live.
This is the moment to do better.

Because this work is not just about maintaining buildings.
It is about protecting lives.

Dedication
This piece is dedicated to everyone who has lost their life to cancer, and to those who continue to fight quietly and courageously.
I also dedicate this write up to Simon Abah Idokoson, a valued member of our Director’s teamhardworking, kind, diligent, and always present to lend a helping hand. He passed on the 23rd of April, 2026, after a brief battle with cancer.
Simon, you left a void in our lives. You are gone, but never forgotten.
Rest well, my brother.
Till next time, stay safe and please, do your health checks early. Early detection saves lives.

Kenny Akintola
Chief facility officer
Express business support (EBS)