Industrial Insights
Industrial Insights
- Details
- Louise Waters
- Industrial Insights
- Topic: PPE
- Date: 9th November 2026
- Year: 2026
MSA Safety explains why fall protection retrofit should be a transmission priority
Power transmission networks are under growing pressure. Operators must maintain ageing infrastructure, respond to increasing electricity demand and support grid modernisation and expansion, all while protecting the people who inspect, maintain and upgrade thousands of towers.
At the same time, an ageing workforce and shortage of experienced workers are increasing the need for safe, consistent working practices across employees and contractors. Yet while investment often focuses on electrical capacity and structural integrity, tower access can receive less attention. Structures may remain operational for decades, while the methods used to climb them may no longer reflect the practical needs of today’s workforce.
In some cases, towers may still rely on climbing methods based around repeated double-lanyard transitions, even as the wider network around them is being modernised. Fall protection retrofit should therefore be viewed not simply as an equipment upgrade, but as part of a wider asset integrity and risk management strategy.
The risks within existing assets
Transmission networks rarely consist of uniform structures. They often include several generations of towers with different heights, geometries, climbing routes and access arrangements. Some may have permanent fall protection systems, while others rely on double-hook lanyards, individual anchorage points or older equipment. The presence of fall protection equipment does not necessarily mean it remains suitable.
Components may deteriorate, replacement parts can become difficult to source, and older systems may no longer provide the usability expected by modern climbing teams. Traditional double-lanyard methods also require workers to repeatedly disconnect and reconnect while climbing. This can increase physical effort and create opportunities for inconsistent technique, snagging, entanglement or excess slack.
The distinction is therefore not simply between different pieces of equipment, but between a method that relies on repeated worker actions and one where fall protection is integrated into the access route.
Creating consistency across the network
Consistency is a significant challenge for transmission operators managing thousands of structures and a mixture of employees, contractors and subcontractors. Workers may encounter several access systems within the same programme of work, each with different equipment and connection processes. This can add complexity to training, supervision and competence management.
A more standardised fall protection philosophy can help reduce that variation. This does not mean every installation must be identical. Transmission towers may be too varied for a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, operators can establish a consistent method of protection that is engineered around each structure.
Flexible vertical lifelines can support this. Cable routes, brackets and attachment arrangements can be adapted to individual towers while allowing workers to use the same fundamental climbing method and personal attachment device.
Adapting to existing infrastructure
Retrofit also needs to account for the physical diversity of transmission towers. Climbing routes may change direction, pass around projecting steelwork or follow tapered tower legs, while ladders and access points may not follow a perfectly vertical route.
MSA’s Latchways vertical lifeline systems can be engineered to follow different tower contours, with intermediate brackets used to guide the cable around changes in direction. Designed for both new and retrofit applications, the systems can be configured around different tower shapes and climbing geometries. They can also make use of existing tower step bolts, ladder rungs or suitable structural connections, helping to limit intrusive alterations. Every installation must still be individually assessed and engineered.
Building retrofit into wider programmes
Operational disruption is another important consideration. Access upgrades may need to take place during planned maintenance windows or alongside wider grid modernisation and refurbishment programmes.
A phased approach can make retrofit more manageable. Operators may prioritise frequently climbed towers, structures already scheduled for refurbishment, assets without permanent fall protection or locations where existing access methods present the greatest concern.
Cost can be considered over the life of the system, rather than through purchase price alone. Service life, inspection requirements, installation time, component availability, maintenance and the operational impact of future repairs can all influence long-term value.
MSA’s Latchways vertical cable system uses corrosion-resistant stainless-steel components and incorporates an energy-absorbing mechanism designed to manage forces transferred to the user, anchor point and structure in the event of a fall.
A proactive approach to safer access
Waiting until fall protection equipment fails or becomes obsolete leaves operators responding asset by asset. A structured retrofit programme offers the opportunity to take a more proactive approach. That could begin by reviewing where legacy climbing methods remain in use, where access arrangements vary across the network and where permanent fall protection could be incorporated into upcoming maintenance, refurbishment or transmission expansion projects.
Ageing transmission infrastructure may continue serving the network for decades. But as the network evolves, the systems used to protect the people maintaining it should evolve too. Assessing tower access as part of a wider modernisation strategy can help operators identify retrofit priorities and establish a more consistent long-term approach to working at height.
To learn more about MSA’s Latchways vertical lifeline systems and how they can support new and retrofit tower applications, visit MSAsafety.com
.
- Details
- Louise Waters
- Industrial Insights
- Topic: Industrial, Security
- Region: Middle East
- Date: 2nd November 2026
- Year: 2026
The shortlist of finalists for the Intersec Global Awards 2027 has been announced, recognising the organisations and individuals whose work is raising standards across the global safety, security, and resilience industries
Now in its sixth edition, the prestigious awards programme features 17 categories spread across three specialist sections: Technology & Product Excellence, Project & Implementation, and People & Talent.
The awards will be presented at a gala ceremony taking place on 12 January 2027 in Dubai.
Celebrating the next generation of safety and security professionals
Among the most anticipated accolades of the evening is the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Emirati Rising Star Award, celebrating the next generation of UAE safety and security professionals who are contributing to the UAE’s vision for sustainable growth and innovation.
The shortlist comprises Sultan AlDahmani and Ali Al Blooshi from Dubai Municipality, Khalifa Almeer of Binghatti, Shamsa Alghaithi from the Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Centre of Abu Dhabi, and Maryam Alharmoodi of the Telecommunications & Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
Axis Communications and Dubai Municipality lead the 95 shortlisted finalists with four nominations each. Axis has three individual nominations within the Best Surveillance & Physical Security Solution category, while its AXIS D6310 Air Quality Sensor is up for Best Health & Safety Solution.
Dubai Municipality’s Security Systems Control Centre Development Project, meanwhile, is shortlisted in the Best Systems Integration & Installation Project category and Hamad Shaker, director of Public Beaches and Waterways at Dubai Municipality, is shortlisted for Pioneer of Tomorrow, a new category that celebrates individuals who demonstrate initiative, innovation, leadership potential and a commitment to shaping the future of their profession.
The Woman Changemaker recognises the exceptional female leaders driving transformation in their fields. Bonnie Butlin of Security Partners’ Forum and Christina Alexander Alexandropoulou of Philip Morris International join Naela Afifi from PwC Middle East, Lucy Macleod of London Fire Brigade, and Salma Al Ali from the General Command of Dubai Civil Defence on the five-woman shortlist.
Honouring visionary individuals whose contributions have elevated global standards of excellence, the Leader of the Year category includes Dr Nadeem Khan of Sharjah Maritime Academy, Ohanis Kaznijian of Binghatti, and Alex Rodriguez Aparicio of ANRACI.
Leading projects
Projects in specific sectors are also recognised. Emirates Flight Catering’s HDD Task Force is shortlisted in the Best Safety & Wellbeing Project category alongside Workers Welfare and Wellbeing from Red Sea Global and Neom’s Awlaqi Safety Culture Framework, while, in the Best Surveillance & Physical Security Project category, PETRONAS’s Project Guard joins WSP’s Zayed National Museum and Secutel Technologies’ NoKey Mobile Access Control Rollout.
Nathan Waugh, portfolio director, Security, Technology and Production, Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said, “The Intersec Global Awards play an important role in recognising the progress being made across industries, while showcasing innovations that address complex challenges. This year’s finalists demonstrate how the safety, security and resilience sectors continue to evolve. As these industries adapt to changing risks and demands, recognising the organisations and individuals driving that progress is more important than ever.”
The Intersec Global Awards 2027 are part of the 28th edition of Intersec Global, the world’s platform for safety, security, and resilience, taking place from 12–14 January 2027 at Dubai World Trade Centre.
- Details
- Louise Waters
- Industrial Insights
- Date: 21st October 2026
Applications are now open for the British Safety Council's International Safety Awards 2027, which recognise an organisation’s commitment to excellent standards of health, safety and wellbeing management at a specific site or business unit
The prestigious International Safety Awards are recognised internationally as a benchmark in workplace health, safety and wellbeing management, helping winners to strengthen reputation, engage employees and showcase their commitment to best practice.
New for 2027 are the Safety Progress Awards, which will recognise organisations that are making measurable progress in improving health, safety and wellbeing performance, while a new Individual award category will celebrate outstanding personal achievement among International Safety Awards applicants.
In addition, a new award has been introduced in the free-to-enter category; the Innovation of a Decade Award recognises an outstanding project or initiative introduced during the past 10 years that has delivered a significant, sustained and measurable improvement in workplace health, safety or wellbeing. This award celebrates innovation with lasting impact and the potential to inspire good practice across other organisations and industries.
All entrants will be invited to celebrate their achievements at the International Safety Awards 2027 dinner in London or Mumbai.
Strong Middle East representation in 2026 Awards
The Middle East had strong representation in the 2026 International Safety Awards. Country winners In the Middle East included Kuwait National Petroleum Company – Projects Directorate; China State Construction Engineering Corp Ltd (EGYPT) and China State Construction Overseas Development Co Ltd – The Cairo New Administrative Central Business District Project (Package 8&11); Qatar Free Zone Authority; ENGIE (Fadhili Operations & Maintenance Company), Saudi Arabia; and Roads and Transport Authority – Dubai.
Sector winners in the Middle East included Roads & Transport Authority Dubai (local government); ENGIE (Fadhili Operations & Maintenance Company) (power and utilities); Ecolog International, Dubai (hospitality & catering); and Dubai Duty Free (retail).
Health Safety and Wellbeing Ambassador of the Year Award went to Mayasa, Dubai Municipality - Health & Safety Department, while Rising Female Star Award in collaboration with SOWSHE was won by Dr. Hessa Al Jawi, Dubai Municipality - Health & Safety Department. Bashar Al Malik, Saudi Arabia Railways won the CEO Award, while Wellbeing Initiative Award went to WSP Middle East.
Mike Robinson, chief executive of British Safety Council, said, "Creating safe, healthy and supportive workplaces requires commitment, leadership and continuous effort. The International Safety Awards recognise organisations and individuals that are making a real difference and setting high standards for others to follow.
"As applications open for the 2027 awards, and as we celebrate our 70th anniversary, we encourage organisations from around the world to showcase their achievements and share the progress they are making in protecting and improving the wellbeing of their people. The recognition achieved through the International Safety Awards demonstrates a genuine commitment to excellence and helps inspire improvement across industries globally."
For more information and to apply, visit https://www.britsafe.org/awards-and-events/awards/international-safety-awards
- Details
- shivani dhruv
- Industrial Insights
- Topic: Industrial
- Date: 16th October 2026
- Year: 2026
The Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) Africa and Middle East, in partnership with Union-to-Union (UtoU) and SBTF, organised a three-day workshop in Ghana to improve trade unions’ ability to strengthen occupational safety and health (OSH) standards in workplaces.
The event, held from 29 September to 1 October 2026, brought together 25 union members, including nine women. The programme focused on equipping unions to organise workers, recognise workplace hazards and prevent risks. Participants also explored ways to engage employers and authorities, negotiate improved OSH protections and lead trade union campaigns promoting safer working environments.
The opening session was conducted by BWI affiliate the Public Utilities Workers’ Union (PUWU), which highlighted the need for practical measures to improve occupational safety and health at work.
OSH expert Chris Abokah outlined the state of workplace safety in Ghana and discussed practical approaches to addressing challenges faced by workers. He stressed that OSH must remain a trade union priority, explaining the importance of identifying hazards that may not appear in official reports and ensuring workers’ concerns inform safety measures.
Enoch Cudjoe from the International Labour Organization (ILO) Ghana discussed occupational safety and health as a fundamental workers’ right. His presentation examined how trade unions can promote safer workplaces and covered relevant international standards, including ILO Conventions 155 and 187.
Linnea Wikström, BWI Global Director for Construction and Health & Safety, explained how international standards can be translated into workplace demands, collective bargaining claims and union-led campaigns.
Practical sessions helped participants develop skills in hazard identification, risk assessment, prevention and workplace incident investigation. The training emphasised the use of evidence, workers’ testimonies and appropriate documentation when examining incidents.
Participants also examined ILO Convention No. 167 and the revised ILO Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Construction. Other topics included risks associated with working at height, excavation, machinery, lifting operations, temporary structures and subcontracted work.
On the second day, participants visited a construction site in Accra to observe safety practices directly and engage with site managers. The visit provided an opportunity to assess workplace conditions and identify areas where safety standards could be improved.
The workshop concluded by reinforcing the principle that safe and healthy work is a fundamental right. It emphasised that effective prevention depends on workers’ knowledge and that workplace protections must extend to all workers, including those employed temporarily or through subcontractors.
- Details
- Louise Waters
- Industrial Insights
- Topic: Fire Safety
- Date: 9th October 2026
- Year: 2026
Fire safety standards have evolved significantly in recent years. Now there is a greater awareness of risk, stronger guidance in place, and increased emphasis on the responsibilities that sit with those managing buildings and workplaces. However, despite the progress, many common safety mistakes are often repeated time and time again, says Triton Security, which makes the case for treating fire safety as a living process
1. Treating fire safety as a paperwork exercise
One of the biggest misconceptions is that a completed fire risk assessment means the job is also completed. A fire risk assessment is only effective if it truly reflects the current condition and use of the building. Layouts can change without notice, staff members fluctuate, business aims change, and new equipment can be introduced, and bring new risks with it. Your risk assessment may have been accurate a year ago, but doesn’t reflect the risks that employees and visitors face today.
Fire safety should be treated as an ongoing process, rather than a document that is completed and filed away.
2. Escape routes are an afterthought
Fire exits and escape routes are one of the most fundamental aspects of fire safety, yet they can easily become compromised during normal day-to-day operations. Stock, furniture, deliveries, equipment and other items can gradually find their way into corridors and near exits; what begins as a temporary obstruction can quickly become part of the working environment.
It is important for those in charge of fire safety to regularly check that escape routes remain clear, accessible and appropriate for the number of people using the premises.
3. Not maintaining safety equipment
Installing fire alarms, extinguishers and other equipment is only the first step. But businesses often focus a little too heavily on whether equipment is present and visible, rather than whether it is operational and fit for purpose.
Equipment needs to not only be installed, but also appropriately positioned, accessible at all times, and regularly tested and maintained. A fire alarm that has not been properly maintained or an extinguisher that is inaccessible when it is needed provides a false sense of security - it’s no good should an emergency actually occur. Fire safety equipment should form part of a wider programme of inspection and maintenance, with responsibilities clearly understood by those managing the premises.
4. Assuming employee knowledge
A fire evacuation plan is only useful if people understand it.
You may have the clearest procedures in place, but if your staff is still unsure about where they should go, where responsibilities lie, or what they should do if they discover a fire, then those procedures are rendered useless.
This becomes even more important if you experience high staff turnover, have temporary workers or contractors in the building regularly, or different shift patterns - where the individual fire safety needs may vary depending on the time of day.
Fire safety awareness needs to be reinforced regularly; it should never be assumed that someone who has been shown the evacuation procedure once will automatically remember it months or years later.
5. Overlooking workplace changes
New machinery, electrical equipment, storage areas, building alterations, increased occupancy and changes in how a space is used can all affect the fire risk. This is one reason why fire safety should be considered whenever there is a significant change to a premises, rather than waiting until the next scheduled review. The question businesses should be asking is simple: has anything changed that could affect how a fire starts, spreads or how people escape?
6. Focusing on obvious risks over everyday ones
Fire safety conversations often focus on dramatic scenarios, but some of the most important risks are much more mundane. Overloaded electrical equipment, poor housekeeping, combustible materials being stored incorrectly or equipment being left in unsuitable locations may not appear particularly concerning in isolation. Collectively, however, they can create unnecessary risk.
Effective fire safety requires businesses to consider how ordinary working practices could contribute to a fire.
7. Failure to learn and adapt
One of the biggest opportunities for improvement is also one of the most frequently overlooked: learning from what has already gone wrong. A minor incident, near miss or identified issue - which can always occur no matter how careful you are - should prompt businesses to ask why it happened and whether the same conditions exist elsewhere.
The purpose of fire safety is not simply to pass an inspection; it is to reduce the likelihood of a fire occurring and ensure people can respond effectively if one does. Every incident or identified weakness provides an opportunity to strengthen the overall safety culture.
8. Assuming compliance = safety
Perhaps the most important distinction businesses need to make is between compliance and genuine fire safety. Meeting regulatory requirements is essential, but compliance should be viewed as the baseline rather than the end goal.
Having a strong fire safety culture in place means people understand their responsibilities, risks are actively managed and issues are addressed before they become serious problems.
The businesses with the strongest approach to fire safety are not necessarily those that simply have the most comprehensive documentation. They are the ones where fire safety is considered part of everyday operations.
Why fire safety needs to remain a living process
Fire safety needs to remain a living process. Regular reviews, effective maintenance, clear responsibilities and a culture where employees feel comfortable raising concerns can all help businesses move beyond a tick-box approach.
But the ultimate measure of effective fire safety is not whether a business has a folder full of policies; it’s whether those policies translate into safer buildings, better-prepared employees and a workplace where risks are identified and addressed before they have the opportunity to become something much more serious.
Effective fire safety is about much more than paperwork and equipment; it relies on businesses identifying risks, maintaining standards and ensuring fire safety is ingrained within the day-to-day culture. It needs to be part of the way a business operates every day.
- Details
- Louise Waters
- Industrial Insights
- Topic: HSE
- Date: 23rd September 2026
- Year: 2026
Every worker should be able to return home from work safe – but around the world, around 395mn people suffer work-related injuries, with workers in low-income countries more than twice as likely to experience serious workplace harm as those in wealthier nations
That’s according to a new report from safety charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents RoSPA) with funding from Lloyd’s Register Foundation, entitled Danger on the job: How global inequality shapes workplace harm”. It suggests that national wealth is the single strongest predictor of whether workers are injured or fear for their safety at work, outweighing individual factors such as income, education or gender.
In addition, occupational injuries and illnesses account for an estimated 6% of global GDP losses, according to the report, which highlights the fact that if injury rates in lower-income countries matched those seen in wealthier nations, up to two million lives could be saved and more than US$750bn in economic losses avoided annually.
Stark differences in workplace injury rates
Drawing on data from the Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll 2023, RoSPA’s research reveals stark differences in rates of workplace harm across the World Health Organization’s (WHO) six global regions, demonstrating that as national wealth increases, the level of harm is significantly reduced:
- Western Pacific: 37% of workers (more than one in three) have experienced workplace harm or know someone who has in the last two years
- Africa: 31%
- South-East Asia: 30%
- Eastern Mediterranean: 22%
- Americas: 21%
- Europe: 21%
The report also highlights continuing weaknesses in occupational safety provision worldwide. More than six in 10 workers globally have never received occupational safety and health training, and fewer than half of International Labour Organization member states have an up-to-date occupational safety and health policy.
RoSPA believes many of the disparities could be explained by the greater prevalence of informal work in more dangerous sectors such as agriculture and mining in poorer nations, and more investment in health and safety systems in richer countries. The cost of safe work is off shored to poorer nations who do not have the safety infrastructure and legal protections of wealthier nations.
For some workers, unsafe conditions are compounded by limited bargaining power, informal employment, weak regulation, poor enforcement, or a lack of access to safety information and equipment. Workplace harm is not distributed evenly, and the people most exposed to risk are often those with the fewest resources to prevent, challenge or recover from accidents.
Recommendations
As part of a coordinated international effort to tackle workplace harm and inequality and ensure every worker can return home safely at the end of the day, RoSPA is calling for:
- stronger occupational safety systems
- improved reporting and data collection
- accountable global supply chains, and
- expanded protections for informal workers.
Becky Hickman, chief executive officer, RoSPA said, "Every worker, regardless of where they live, deserves the right to return home safe and healthy at the end of the day. These findings demonstrate that workplace safety is not simply a matter of individual behaviour or personal circumstances. Strong national systems, effective regulation and investment in occupational safety and health are critical in reducing harm and protecting workers."
Nancy Hey OBE, director of evidence and Insight, Lloyd’s Register Foundation Global Safety Evidence Centre said, “The finding that it is national wealth – rather than any individual circumstances or behaviours – that currently presents the hardest ceiling to improved workplace safety, is a compelling and important one. In lower income countries, demographic factors that might otherwise be protective hold little sway. This reinforces the importance of fundamental systemic, structural and regulatory improvements, as well as established safety leadership and governance, in reducing the global burden of workplace harm.”
- Details
- shivani dhruv
- Industrial Insights
- Date: 15th September 2026
The United Steelworkers (USW) is urging trade representatives from the United States and Canada to resume negotiations and seek an agreement that protects workers and working families amid ongoing trade tensions between the two countries
USW International President Roxanne Brown made the call at a press event attended by union leaders from both sides of the border. She said the effects of the dispute are being felt by workers, industrial facilities and communities in both countries.
“This conflict is hurting jobs. It’s hurting facilities. It’s hurting communities. And it’s creating uncertainty for workers and families in both countries,” Brown said. “That’s why our message today is simple: We need both governments to get back to the table and find a constructive path forward.”
Brown highlighted the close economic ties between the United States and Canada, as well as their shared interests. She said cooperation between the two countries remains important to protecting those interests across North America.
“For generations, our nations have stood shoulder to shoulder in defense of our shared interests. We defend North America together,” Brown said.
“We are stronger when we work together.”
The union also pointed to wider challenges facing workers from global trade practices, including distorted markets, large-scale industrial subsidies and state-directed overcapacity.
“When countries flood international markets with artificially cheap steel, aluminum and manufactured goods, workers in both Canada and the United States suffer the consequences. Plants close. Investments are delayed, and jobs disappear,” said Brown.
“That’s where our joint focus should be. Our trade tools should be aimed at bad actors in the global marketplace, not at our closest ally and most important economic partner.”
Brown said the governments needed to address the dispute without further delay, given its potential implications for workers and industries in both countries.
“The relationship between our two countries is too important to be defined by division,” she said.
“Put workers first.”
The USW represents 850,000 workers across Canada and the United States. Its membership spans metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and energy-producing industries, as well as health care, public sector, higher education, technology and service occupations.
- Details
- Louise Waters
- Industrial Insights
- Date: 10th September 2026
Work-related accidents and illnesses impact millions of workers and organisations annually. In a typical year, 395 million injuries occur across the global workforce and almost three million workers suffer fatal workplace accidents, irreparably impacting the lives of millions of people
Workplace safety breaches, accidents and injuries are estimated to cost the global economy as much as US$3 trillion per year via operational disruptions and lost productivity, affecting not only the physical and mental health of skilled workers, but the stability of their organisations.
To protect employees and enable leaders to run safer, more efficient operations, more must be done to improve workplace safety. With this in mind, increasing numbers of organisations are exploring novel ways to build safer frontline operations using integrated safety solutions.
What are integrated safety technologies?
Integrated safety technologies are combinations of smart devices and digital platforms that use real-world data to inform safety operations. Stationary and wearable smart devices like AI cameras and sensors collect health, safety and environmental data pertaining to workers and workplace practices and provide insights used to proactively address risks and hazards.
Key technologies deployed in integrated safety systems include:
- Internet of Things (IoT) sensors: Motion, pressure, heat, air quality and wider IoT sensors monitor environments for signs of emerging site-specific workplace hazards.
- AI-powered cameras: Cameras equipped with AI video analytics software are used to identify anomalous events and trigger automated responses to emerging hazards.
- Wearable smart devices: IoT sensors and body cameras are worn by workers and used to collect real-time data about workers’ vital signs and workplace environments.
- Analytics platforms: Data collected by sensors and smart devices is compiled and continuously analyzed to generate insights into emerging trends and subtle hazards.
- Digital management systems: Remote-accessible management systems combine the operation of wider technologies to create an integrated workplace safety solution.
How integrated technologies build safer frontline operations
By combining the operation of smart safety devices within a unified, integrated management system, leaders can better-understand emerging hazards and develop automated responses to safety risks. Below are some examples of how integrated systems improve frontline safety.
Real-time hazard detection
Integrations between cameras, sensors and management systems enable leaders to identify and address hazards in real time. Devices can be configured to detect site-specific hazards like PPE misuse, machine failures and security breaches, then trigger automated responses.
For example, if a worker is seen entering a high-risk area without required PPE or dangerous levels of toxic gases are detected in an enclosed space, automatic responses will be enacted like alarms sounding, HVAC solutions activating and site managers receiving real-time alerts.
Environment and health monitoring
Smart sensors worn by workers continuously monitor health and environmental conditions to help action emerging hazards before impacts are felt. Systems can be used to address key risks associated with exhaustion, unsafe conditions and breaches of workplace safety rules.
Wearable sensors can trigger automatic responses to heart rate spikes, unsafe temperatures and employees surpassing working time regulations, as well as warn workers of hazards in their immediate environment via vibrations when they walk too close to dangerous machines.
Data-driven hazard mitigation
In addition to addressing hazards in real time, integrated technologies can help to inform long-term safety improvements. Sensor and camera data can be continuously collected and analysed within a unified management platform to generate actionable insights and reports.
AI-powered analytics software can identify subtle trends in incident reports that highlight risks and vulnerabilities in existing practices. These insights can inform practical improvements to safety rules and operational workflows designed to proactively mitigate site-specific hazards.
Practical protections in dynamic environments
For personnel in high-risk industries like manufacturing and construction, integrated safety technologies provide unparalleled protections against common risks. By using high-quality, real-time data to inform hazard responses, operators can effectively address dynamic risks.
By continuously strengthening safety rules informed by site-specific data and AI-powered insights, leaders can transition from a reactive to a proactive safety culture, enabling teams to address dynamic hazards and safeguard workers to improve business-wide efficiencies.
- Details
- shivani dhruv
- Industrial Insights
- Topic: Industrial
- Region: Middle East
- Date: 10th September 2026
- Year: 2026
Careem, in partnership with the MAJRA National CSR Fund, has launched its 2026 Captain Summer Initiatives to support delivery workers across the UAE during the summer months.
Running from June to September, the four-month programme covers major cities including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Al Ain. It aims to support more than 80,000 delivery workers, regardless of their platform affiliations.
A key feature of the initiative is the deployment of air-conditioned mobile rest areas at high-traffic locations. The facilities provide delivery workers with a secure place to take breaks, cool down and rehydrate between shifts, addressing the challenges posed by high summer temperatures for outdoor workers.
Mudassir Sheikha, CEO and co-founder of Careem, said, “Captains are the heart of Careem and the high quality of daily life that all of us enjoy across the UAE. We are grateful to MAJRA for this impactful partnership that looks after all captains, regardless of their platform. This year, we are expanding the program to four cities, running it for four months, and adding health screenings to keep every captain fresh and healthy.”
In collaboration with the Pakistan Association Dubai, Careem will also provide free health screenings throughout the summer. The programme will offer additional support through complimentary refreshments, including ice cream, fresh fruit juices and chilled water at selected delivery zones.
Sarah Shaw, chief executive officer of MAJRA National CSR Fund, said, “The UAE’s approach to social responsibility has always been about raising the bar for everyone, not just those within a single organisation’s reach. This initiative demonstrates what is possible when companies come together around a shared purpose.”
Shaw added, “We are proud to partner with Careem and PepsiCo to deliver practical support for delivery workers across the UAE, and we see this as the beginning of a broader movement. We invite other organisations across the private sector to join us in expanding this initiative so that together we can build a stronger culture of corporate responsibility and create greater social impact for the people who keep our communities moving every day.”
PepsiCo is supporting the programme as the Official Refreshment and Snack Partner, providing beverages and snacks for delivery workers during their shifts.
Wael Ismail, VP of corporate affairs for Pepsico MENAPAK, said, “We’re proud to join Careem and MAJRA in supporting delivery workers across the UAE. They are a familiar and critical part of everyday life in our communities, and by providing refreshments and snacks throughout the summer, we hope to make their well-earned breaks a little more refreshing during the warmer months.”
The 2026 Captain Summer Initiatives highlight the growing focus on delivery worker welfare in the UAE, particularly during periods of extreme summer heat. Through rest facilities, hydration, refreshments and health screenings, the programme provides practical support for workers operating outdoors across the country.
- Details
- shivani dhruv
- Industrial Insights
- Topic: Industrial
- Region: Middle East
- Date: 9th September 2026
- Year: 2026
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world's largest aluminium smelter on a single site, has achieved an unprecedented safety milestone: 50 million working hours without a Lost Time Injury (LTI), reached on 7 September 2026.
The achievement marks a new benchmark in the company's history and reflects the sustained efforts of Alba's management, employees, and contractors to strengthen safety culture and operational excellence across the organisation.
A proud moment in Alba's history
Commenting on the milestone, Alba's Chief Executive Officer, Ali Al Baqali, described it as a remarkable achievement and a proud moment for the company.
He said the milestone reflects Alba's unwavering commitment to embedding safety into every activity, decision, and behaviour across the organisation. Al Baqali extended his appreciation to Alba's employees and contractor workforce for upholding the highest safety standards every day, adding that the company will continue working together to raise the bar and set new benchmarks in safety excellence.
The milestone builds on Alba's long-standing investment in safety leadership, workforce engagement, capability building, and robust safety management systems.
- Details
- Louise Waters
- Industrial Insights
- Date: 7th September 2026
Inmarsat Maritime has launched a new Maritime Safety Data Hub, providing the maritime industry with information and analysis of global shipping risks, and thereby helping crews to take preemptive action to address any threats
Drawing on a unique dataset combining three years of Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) data with analysis of 106,975 maritime safety broadcasts transmitted in 2025, the new platform not only reports individual incidents but also identifies patterns, trends, and the evolving impact of environmental hazards, operational pressures, and geopolitical instability on safety at sea.
Analysis of the 106,975 maritime safety broadcasts found that weather accounted for 84.6% of all urgent messages, with storms representing 75% of identified weather hazards. By linking safety broadcasts to GMDSS distress calls, the study identified several instances where distress calls came from areas where a weather warning had been delivered. This highlights the importance of safety broadcasts in helping vessels anticipate weather hazards and thereby avoid needing to make distress calls.
Inmarsat’s findings, carried out in partnership with the data analysts at supply chain consultancy SeaFocus, are particularly significant as shipping faces increasing exposure to extreme weather, longer voyages, evolving trade routes, growing geopolitical instability and operational complexity.
Continued disruption
In 2025, continued disruption in the Red Sea, sanctions affecting global tanker operations, and heightened tensions around the Persian Gulf and Black Sea altered traditional shipping routes and increased operational complexity. Electronic interference also emerged as a significant threat to commercial shipping, as GPS spoofing, signal jamming, and other navigational disruptions increased in strategically important trade corridors – particularly in the Middle East. This year, operational complexity has increased significantly with the disruption in shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as a result of the current hostilities.
As in the previous two years, tankers made the highest number of GMDSS calls (203) – almost twice as many as bulk carriers in second place (105). Alongside traditional concerns such as weather, machinery failure, and navigational incidents, the tanker segment faced an evolving threat landscape characterised by sanctions regimes, electronic interference, and the rise of shadow fleets operating outside of established regulatory frameworks.
Container ships, responsible for the fifth-highest number of distress calls among vessel types (54), were also subject to GPS spoofing. In addition, to avoid the risk of physical attacks in the Red Sea, major operators diverted their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, adding up to two weeks to voyages and thereby increasing fuel consumption, crew workload, and vessel exposure.
John Dodd, director of Maritime Safety, Inmarsat Maritime, commented, “By bringing weather information together with distress data, the Inmarsat Maritime Safety Data Hub introduces a powerful new layer of maritime intelligence. The unique insights made available through this research will help the industry better understand the factors shaping maritime safety – and move from simply reacting to incidents to exploring the conditions, patterns, and emerging risks that surround them.
“The value of maritime safety information lies in giving ships and shipping operators the time to make informed decisions. Whether the threat is extreme weather or geopolitical instability, early awareness enables crews to take action that protects lives, vessels, and cargo.”
- Details
- madhurima sengupta
- HSE
- Topic: HSE
- Region: Middle East
- Date: 7th September 2026
- Year: 2026
Health, Safety & Environment, in association with SafeStart, is set to present on 15 September The Neuroscience Behind Human Error -- an insightful webinar capable of questioning the conventional approach to safety
SafeStart is a globally renowned safety programme that helps organisations reduce workplace incidents by addressing human factors, critical errors, and decision-making risks. The programme enables driving long-term cultural change and boost performance.
In this session, participants will learn four critical error reduction techniques to help deal with these problems
In addition, participants will also learn ways to deliver and sustain this training to create increased engagement and a positive change in safety culture.
The webinar will highlight:
- Understand the four human factors responsible for the majority of critical errors
- Learn practical error reduction techniques to manage risk in real-time situations
- Gain insights on sustaining behavioral change and improving safety culture
Expert speakers:
Larry Wilson
Co-founder and author, SafeStart International
Mitchell Wilson
Project manager - Middle East, SafeStart International
To attend the webinar, register here for free.