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The Awards recognise organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work. (Image source: RoSPA)

More than 250 industry leaders came together at the Kempinski Central Avenue Dubai for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Dubai Awards

Sponsored by NEBOSH, the event celebrated the commitment of international businesses to make workplaces safer.

Winners included passenger transport solutions company, School Transport Services LLC who received the Fleet Safety Technology Trophy, (sponsored by Tesco Dotcom), as well as the Health and Safety Team of the Year Award (International) a testament to their unyielding dedication to safety standards. Bapco Gas Company B.S.C., collected the Oil & Gas Sector award (sponsored by NEBOSH).

In the education and training sector, Gems Education was Commended in the Education & Training Services Sector, and in construction Gulf Contracting Co.W.L.L was highly commended in the Construction commercial sector, as well as attaining the International Sector Award. Bahrain’s Gulf Petrochemical Industry Company (GPIC) won the Chemical sector award. Qatar Power Company scooped the Electricity sector award, with Qatar’s Ras Girtas Power Company being highly commended, and Oman’s Phoenix Operation and Maintenance Company – LLC being commended.

Going further than the workplace, Tristar Transport LLC scooped the Health & Safety Beyond the Workplace Trophy highlighting their contribution to promoting safety excellence within the organisation’s local communities.

Matt Cryer, head of Awards at RoSPA, said, "Last night’s celebration was essential in recognising excellence in health and safety management, as well as showcasing the 2024 winners' outstanding dedication and innovative solutions. We congratulate them for setting high standards that inspire continuous improvement in our industry."

Dee Arp, chief operations officer at NEBOSH, said, “NEBOSH is delighted to again sponsor the RoSPA Awards in Dubai, celebrating excellence in health, safety, and environmental management on an international platform. We congratulate all the winners for their outstanding achievements and commitment to safeguarding lives. Their exemplary efforts set a high benchmark, inspiring us all to strive for the highest standards in our industry.”

The RoSPA Awards are considered a valuable method for gaining international acknowledgment for organisations who want to lead the way in health and safety excellence. One of the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the world, the Awards have almost 2,000 entries every year, covering nearly 60 countries and reaching millions of employees. The programme recognises organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work, looking at entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

The feasibility study could serve as a model for its other refineries. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency has signed a feasibility study grant to help the Alexandria Petroleum Company (APC) improve the health, safety, and environmental protocols of its El Max refinery in Alexandria, Egypt

The grant will fund a series of studies to identify and address the facility’s priority safety and fire protection needs, advancing APC’s priority to upgrade and expand its safety programmes and equipment, improving forecasting and emergency response capabilities, and updating protocols and trainings. By adopting cutting-edge technologies and best practices, the El Max refinery, founded in 1962, will increase safety for workers and limit greenhouse gas emissions and environmental damage in the event of a fire or other emergency. The feasibility study will also serve as a model for other refineries in Egypt.

“Egypt’s commitment to bolstering the safety and health of its workers creates new opportunities for collaboration between organisations like USTDA and APC,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s director. “This grant will help create opportunities for U.S. companies to supply the technologies and services that Egypt’s refineries will require.”

Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, H.E. Tarek El Molla said, “Health, Safety, and Environment have been key elements of the sector’s modernisation since 2016. Today, they remain strong among the sector’s core principals, along with upgrading our refineries to enhance safety and operational excellence.”

APC chairman Alaa Amin added, “Partnering with USTDA on this feasibility study marks an important step forward for APC. This study demonstrates our unwavering commitment to excellence in process safety, ensuring the highest safety standards for our operations in line with the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources strategy.”

APC is a subsidiary of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), under the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.

The project has achieved a record two million working hours without any Occupational Safety and Health recordable injuries. (Image source: Canva)

Al Habtoor Group, a leading UAE business conglomerate, has reached a significant safety milestone at its landmark Dubai project, Al Habtoor Tower.

The project has achieved a record two million working hours without any Occupational Safety and Health recordable injuries, a remarkable feat accomplished by China Railway 18th Bureau Group.

This milestone underscores the company's unwavering commitment to safety and excellence in project execution, as highlighted in a company statement.

The project's safety record over the past ten months is being hailed as a significant global achievement. Chairman Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor praised the Chinese group for their accomplishment, noting that achieving two million accident-free man-hours is a testament to the strong safety culture fostered by both Al Habtoor Group and China Railway 18th Bureau Group.

The Al Habtoor Tower project, one of the region's most significant construction endeavours, is setting a new benchmark for safe construction practices. This achievement reaffirms the group's commitment to prioritising safety, health, and well-being while delivering projects that meet the highest international standards.

"This is truly a world-class achievement that speaks volumes about the dedication of every team member involved and reflects the commitment of our partners at China Railway 18th Bureau Group to prioritising safety in every daily task," Al Habtoor added.

Engineer Majid Al Khumairi, Head of Training Institutes and Individuals Department at the SPSA. (Image source: Sharjah 24)

Engineer Majid Al Khumairi, Head of Training Institutes and Individuals Department at the Sharjah Prevention and Safety Authority (SPSA), announced the launch of a new service called "Registration of Occupational Safety and Health Officers."

This service includes an online platform that allows applicants to obtain a registration certificate as safety and health officers in the Emirate of Sharjah.

Engineer Majid Al Khumairi stated that the authority aims to raise awareness and improve competency in occupational safety and health across the emirate. The service includes advanced training programs and specialised workshops held regularly to ensure the skills and knowledge of occupational safety and health officers in Sharjah remain current.

He emphasised that safety officers are responsible for overseeing facilities and institutions in the emirate and must comply with specific standards to ensure the highest levels of safety based on the risk and classification of the facility. The authority aims to provide full support to enable government and private entities to efficiently meet these requirements.

In conjunction with the new service, the authority has issued a guidebook for "Occupational Safety and Health Officers" that provides comprehensive information about the required qualification standards for officer registration according to the Sharjah Occupational Safety and Health System. The guide promotes compliance with local laws and guidelines to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

Engineer Majid Al Khumairi added that government entities and private facilities classified under levels 3, 4, and 5 are required to appoint a registered safety and health officer through the authority. These entities can access the new guidebook and register for the service by visiting the website of the Sharjah Prevention and Safety Authority, simplifying the compliance process and reinforcing preventive measures in the emirate.

ENOC recognised the distinguished contributions of the winners across 15 awards categories. (Image source: ENOC)

ENOC Group commemorated World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2024 by honouring 55 winners at the Group’s annual HSE Excellence Awards ceremony held at Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights, earlier this May.

Aligning with its goal of raising awareness on how to make the workplace safe and healthy, ENOC recognised the distinguished contributions of the winners across 15 awards categories. At the event, the Group also unveiled its 2023 HSE Performance, reaffirming the Group’s commitment towards excellence in occupational health and safety and promoting a sustainable and responsible working environment.

The HSE Excellence Awards were given across different categories including Best Performing Segment, Best Performing Business Unit, Best Performing Corporate Department, Partner Recognition, Best HSE Innovation/ Project, Best Education programme, Best Process Safety Initiative, Best Near Miss Reporting, Best OH /Wellness ProgramME, Best Environment Project, Best Risk Management Coordinator, Best Business Continuity Management Champion, HSE Champion and HSE Heroes.

ENOC Group’s HSE Performance data for 2023 revealed a Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) of 0.088, which is 49% lower than the target of 0.18 set for the year.

Encouraging HSE best practice

Throughout the year, the Group launched several occupational health and wellbeing campaigns. These included the Safety Day campaign, organised in partnership with the Joint Committee for Security and Safety, to raise awareness about safety and security at service stations, particularly while refuelling vehicles, to ensure the safety of customers and service providers. Another initiative, the Incident Reporting campaign under the ‘ENOC Cares’ initiative, aimed to foster a transparent work culture by empowering employees to report incidents in the workplace.

In 2023, the Group received several prestigious certifications and accolades. ENOC was awarded the GC Mark Blue certification for excellence in energy efficiency and the IWA 42:2022 for its commitment to the ‘net zero’ target. Additionally, ENOC was honoured with the Impact Seal – Platinum Tier award by Majra, the UAE’s National CSR Fund, for its leading sustainable impact practices aligned with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and national priorities.

Furthermore, the ENOC Group Emergency Response Centre (EERC) achieved certification in ISO standards 9001, 14001, and 45001 during 2023. In a notable achievement, the ENOC Fire Training Center obtained a license from Dubai Civil Defense to conduct fire-fighting training for all Dubai entities and received authorisation from Dubai Corporation Ambulance Services to provide in-house first aid training.

His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi, group CEO at ENOC, said, “Providing a safe and healthy work environment for our employees, customers and partners has fostered a thriving work environment at ENOC. HSE is a key pillar of our organisational culture, and we believe that practising safe and healthy behaviours will contribute to enhanced productivity and boost employee wellbeing. With climate change beginning to impact occupational safety and health, we remain committed to accelerating global climate action and improving energy efficiencies to promote best practices in HSE, which is also aligned with the long-term vision of Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.”

“On World Day for Safety and Health at Work, we are proud to recognise the efforts of our employees in creating a safe working environment and contributing to a strong energy infrastructure for the nation.” Al Falasi added.

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