PEIS and CMA Organize Workshop on Security and Safety Requirements of Industrial Enterprises

The Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) has organized, in collaboration with the Capital Market Authority (CMA), a workshop  on “Security and Safety Requirements in Industrial Enterprises” under the patronage of HE Sheikh Mohana Saif Al Lamki, Governor of North Al Batinah in execution of the recommendations of the workshop held in March 2016 titled “Security and Safety Requirements of Industrial Enterprises”.

The workshop started with speech by Engineer Musalam Mohammed Al Shahri, Assistant Chief Executive Officer for Operational Affairs at PEIE in which he explained the workshop aims to unifying the effort and highlighting the importance of security and safety standards in  industrial enterprises suitable for the nature of the underlying risk in addition to spreading preventive awareness and consolidating the concepts of occupational safety of the employees of industrial enterprises, depots and stores.

He added “ The seminar is complementary to the seminars held in a number of industrial estates  to spread awareness of security and safety  as part and parcel of the preventive work from accident, to reduce accidents, save lives and properties which require setting up plans, guidelines and requirements to achieve such objects. He said adopting international standards of occupational safety and health, safety and environment standards are the main elements of development planning. PEIE, CMA, Public Authority for Civil Defence and Ambulance  and the Omani Insurance Association are keen to organize such activities regularly in more than  a governorate in the Sultanate to educate businessmen, investors and industrialists  of the role of insurance and reinsurance  companies. Hence, we decided to allow such companies to present the importance  of adopting security and safety requirements and the key requirements to be met from the point of view of the insurers so as to provide the appropriate insurance coverage.

Al Shahri added that PEIE asserts  the  point of  view of the insurers that the prevention is better than cure, therefore, we are concerned with reducing the rates of losses, work injuries and occupational diseases whereas insurance of industrial enterprise depends on various basis and rules including fixed and variable factors according to the modern technologies, accordingly, the professional performance of the employees shall cope to avoid the causes of accidents occurring due to  errors as well as the importance of spreading preventive awareness which shall be foremost in the institution’s plans and policies to save lives and properties as well as preserving the environment and keep it safe and free of any risks. The employees shall comply with the security instructions and requirements. Therefore, theoretical and practical training of the employees working in such enterprises with regard to occupational safety is key duty of the industrial enterprises to intensify the industrial safety concepts so as to be usual conduct while performing the work.

Four working papers were presented on “Requirements of Security  and Safety in Industrial Enterprises”.

The first paper was presented by Hamed Hilal Al Busaidy from the Ministry of Manpower in which he explained the requirements of sound work environment pointing out that the health risks threaten the lives of workers and might have direct impact on the worker’s body. Such risks can be divided into physical such as heat, cold, lighting, noise, humidity, ventilation and radiation. Chemical risk such as use of  and handling chemical material. Biological risks, ergonomic risk, psychological risks and social risks.

He added that work place accidents are gross accidents resulting in permanent or partial disability or death of the worker or that results in injury of more than a worker or loss in production and machinery as well as work injuries due to insured  accident during the work in addition to  occupational diseases.

The second paper was presented  by Engineer Adil Hassan Al Lawati of Orient Insurance in which he said that insurance is  protection from uncertain risk in consideration of financial obligation (the premium) which is transfer to the risk and fragmenting  the risk into small bearable risks. He added insurance grants peace of mind and ensures continuation of the business, protects the capital and protect the interests of shareholders, owners, employees and other parties as well as the national economy.

He pointed out that the risks surrounding the industrial enterprise are administrative  risk such as the level of awareness and concern of  the management, policies and systems applied at the enterprise  and risk management plan. Physical risks are the nature of the product, work environment, nature of the machinery and equipment used, nature of raw material and the nature of the manufacturing processes. Site risks are natural disasters and surrounding enterprises. Other risks relate to the human element such as personal  and psychological  factors, professional and training factors and the level of the worker’s awareness of the risks.

The third paper was presented by Engineer Ayad Jamal Abdulatif from International College of Engineering and Management in which he said that industry always uses hazardous substances of various types with different characteristics and risks and causes many damages to the body such as poisoning and burns if not used properly according to the manufactures instructions or in the event of an accident relating to  such substances.

He added that many chemical catastrophes occur during transportation and storage. The statistics suggest most chemical accidents are due to human error. To reduce such accidents the authorities must  regulate and prepare for prevention of such accidents through sound handling and reducing the impact before and after the accident, the key act is the preventive action. Indirect causes are  due to growth and expansion of industries. He added that regulations shall be  issued to take precautions while dealing and handling chemical substances (transport, handling, storage and destruction).

The fourth paper was presented by Engineer Samarah Salah, Training and Business Development Manager at Samarah Training Services in which she said that emergencies are unexpected events and require prompt  intervention. She explained the objects of emergency plans, types of emergencies and the factors impacting the level of emergency in addition to  planning the management of emergencies and the role of PEIE in this regard. She pointed out that statistics indicate taking care of safety reduces losses or increases profits and there are legal consequences for neglecting safety such as penalties, warnings, imprisonment and closure of the enterprise which have financial impact such as waste of time, production stoppage  as well as the effect on the reputation of the company or plant further to the losses of  the economy as a result of  the pressure on the health and judicial institutions and other related entities.

Discussion seminar was organized chaired by Ahmed Ali Al Mamari, Vice President, Insurance Sector, CMA and the participation of Colonel Ahmed Mohammed Al Ajmi, Director of Civil Defence and Ambulance, North Al Batinah Governorate, Engineer Samarah Salah, Engineer Adil Al Lawati, Engineer Ayad Jamal and Engineer Saif Al Busaidi.  The seminar discussed the topics of the papers such as the concept of security and safety of industrial enterprises, industrial  fires, firefighting and prevention, the importance of security and safety requirements, the needs of reinsurance companies as well as the importance of saving lives and public and private properties, facing general catastrophes , protecting the economic  wealth such as plants and public facilities from all risks.

It is noteworthy this seminar is the third in a series of seminar on “Security and Safety Requirements of Industrial Enterprises’ with the aim of spreading awareness on the requirements and measures of security and safety and identifying the points of risk in the work environment and insurance philosophy as well as providing safe environment and the importance of complying with  prevention guidelines and how to act in case of accident to protect the enterprises as vital support for the national economy.