Oct 27,2024

ABU DHABI, UAE

Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) has concluded its Safety in Heat campaign, aimed at measuring the compliance of all companies operating in the sector with the midday work ban during the summer period. This decision prohibits work under direct sunlight in open areas between 12:30pm and 3pm and was in effect for three months, from 15 June to 15 September 2024.

The Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Department at DoE conducted several inspection visits to work sites of sector companies in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to raise awareness among workers, employers and supervisors regarding the importance of adhering to the decision during the summer months. These visits ensured the seamless implementation of best practices to safeguard workers’ safety, comply with health, safety and environmental regulations, and provide shaded areas for workers during the ban period to protect them from the sun. Additionally, appropriate cooling tools such as fans, sufficient water supplies, hydration materials like salts, and other comfort measures and first aid equipment were made available at work sites.

Engineer Abdul Rahman Al Alawi, Director of the HSE Department at the DoE, emphasised the importance of these inspections to ensure the adherence to the safety standards, and to raise awareness about the necessary measures to reduce heat stress to protect workers from heat.

Al Alawi expressed his gratitude to all entities that cooperated in achieving the project’s objectives, appreciating the efforts made by the teams involved and their contribution to raising awareness about the importance of worker safety. Al Alawi also emphasised the importance of continued cooperation to ensure a safe work environment for everyone.  Al Alawi shared his appreciation for the commitment that contributed to the success of the campaign.

The campaign, which covered sector companies, included organising 2,139 internal workshops and 5,056 awareness visits aimed at informing workers about the initiative, with a large attendance of approximately 37,759 workers. As part of enhancing safety awareness, 7,276 informational brochures were distributed to workers at various locations. Additionally, social media platforms, videos, text messages, and emails were used to disseminate more than 3,800 awareness messages, and a total of 40,828 workers benefited from the awareness programme overall, reflecting the initiative’s success in achieving its goals.

Regarding compliance with safety standards, 3,943 inspection visits were conducted, demonstrating their adherence to the required guidelines and standards.