Thursday 28 / November / 2024
Muscat -- Nama Water Services signed a cooperation program agreement with the Institute of Occupational Training in the field of occupational safety and health. The agreement was mutually signed by Taqi bin Mohammed Al Lawati, Chief Human Resources and Culture Officer at Nama Water Services, and Ali bin Abbas Al Ajmi, Director of the Institute of Occupational Training.
The agreement translates Nama Water Services' endeavor to maintain the safety of employees and workers at the company's work sites. It reflects the company's dedication to a systematic, safe approach to project implementation, operation, and maintenance activities. The agreement aims to achieve this through enhanced safety awareness by elevating employee and contractor understanding of safety concepts, adherence to all relevant safety and occupational health regulations, implementation of best practices to reduce safety and occupational health risks, and regular inspections to ensure adherence to the "ISO 45001" standard for safety and occupational health.
Highlighting the significance of the program, Hanan Yousef Al Balushi, Learning and Development Manager at Nama Water Services, noted: “This program significantly contributes to the efforts of Nama Water Services to cultivate a culture of occupational safety and health, particularly for projects involving excavations. It achieves this by building capacity and developing skills through a combination of theoretical and practical training, including workshops, seminars, and other educational activities, facilitating the exchange of experiences and best practices among participants, and providing support and guidance in the areas of safety and security.”
“The program actively seeks to enhance occupational safety and health practices by offering comprehensive training opportunities to the company's contractors. This initiative includes reserving seats for practical training sessions, providing ongoing support and guidance, and incorporating on-the-job training elements. The collaborative approach fosters a culture of safety amongst contractors and supporting companies dealing with Nama Water Services. By equipping them with the best safety practices and upskilling their workforce, the program ultimately aims to reduce workplace accidents and create a safer and healthier work environment for all. This initiative aligns with the company's unwavering commitment to upholding occupational safety and health standards and fostering a robust safety-first culture across its contractor network.” She added.
Hanan elaborated saying: “This year's safety and security programs will include the implementation of 13 specialized safety programs targeting more than 1000 employees. The programs will focus on risk identification and assessment, health and safety for CEOs and managers, defensive driving (light and heavy vehicles), entry procedures for confined spaces, handling of chemicals, gas testing, work permit procedures, firefighting (basic level), awareness and mitigation of the flammability of hydrogen sulfide gas, first aid (basic level). These programs will be implemented by several of the company's partners in this field.”
She concluded her speech by emphasizing that the signing of the program includes many topics related to this vital field, which will contribute to achieving the desired goals and benefit the participants. It also confirms the interest of the parties concerned with occupational health and safety, in addition to involving the private sector in supporting the efforts of government companies and institutions aimed at serving the community and improving the quality of work.
She concluded by highlighting the program's comprehensive scope, encompassing a wide range of occupational health and safety topics. This strategic partnership is expected to significantly contribute to achieving the program's goals and delivering tangible benefits to participants. The signing further underscores the unwavering commitment of all parties involved to advancing occupational health and safety, while fostering the private sector's crucial role in supporting government initiatives aimed at serving the community and enhancing workplace quality.
Poonam Sonakia, General Manager at Institute of Occupational Training applauded the signing of the program. She emphasized that it demonstrates Nama Water Services' dedication to equipping its employees, contractors, and collaborating companies with the knowledge of occupational health and safety and its practical application. She stressed that the Institute of Occupational Training will contribute to reducing workplace accidents and injuries. She further highlighted the institute's vital role in serving various community sectors by providing top-tier training programs.
