Drydocks World and Maritime World, the international service providers to the shipping, offshore, oil, gas and energy sectors, has won the award of excellence in the field of health, safety and environment (HSE Project/Initiative of the year) award.

The ‘Zero Harm’ initiative championed by DDWMW aimed towards zero environmental and health harm, said a statement.

The initiative won the excellence award during the 2015 Middle East Electricity Awards which was held at Dubai World trade Centre recently.

Winning this prestigious award is a testament to Drydocks World and Maritime World’s awareness on the importance of providing a safe and secure environment, ensuring the health of employees throughout the organisation, said the statement.

The long-term visionary strategy of the group upholds the value of health and safety, providing employees with the required protection to mitigate any risks. This enables the group to develop cutting-edge innovative projects that benefit employees and key global partners, it said.

The initiative was launched in recognition of the importance of strengthening employee’s safety awareness and the benefits incurred by adhering to procedures for precautions against injury.

The message of ‘Zero Harm’ was cascaded down to every employee by introduction of innovative tools like ’12 Life Saving Golden Rules.’

Each of the rules was explained in detail using actual workplace scenarios for better understanding. ‘Take-5’ was introduced in the form of a pocket cards which helped as a last minute reference of the risk assessment thereby leaving no room for human error. New employees were identified as ‘Short Service Employees’ so that they stand out at site.

Training needs analysis was carried out when the organisation decided to focus on the Oil and Gas sector. Innovative methods of communication like translation of HSE key information into 13 foreign languages, poster and banner competitions were adopted.

This led to raising the level of the group’s commitment to implementing the highest possible standards in health and safety and using such standards as a benchmark for judging the performance of other companies.   

The organisation follows a system of hazard identification, intervention and reporting that aims to involve every employee as a new pair of vigilant eyes on the site. The system was built to monitor all activities leading to potential risk throughout daily activities. Walkabouts and inspections are conducted on a regular basis to assess the actions and measure of health and safety.

The results are presented to relevant departments and paired with recommendations in the required areas which need more improvement. The state-of-the-art medical centre monitors occupational health and responds to emergencies when required.

Khamis Juma Buamim, chairman of Drydocks World and Maritime World reaffirmed that the occupational health and safety management system adopted by the group have helped to scale new heights of excellence and instill a strong culture that supports actions in health, safety and environmental areas.

"We are committed to implementing a culture of ‘Zero Harm’ throughout the group and its subsidiaries, consistently encouraging innovative new methods and techniques which contribute to the reduction of existing and potential threats,” said Buamim.

“By firming the spirit of participation among employees in the quick reporting on the harmful incidents and accidents, or the likelihood of their occurrence, this promotes a learning environment where we may ensure that our organisation clearly comprehends the objectives and messages of safety. This commitment reflects the high standards we value in maintaining safety,” he said. - TradeArabia News Service