Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) recently trained 200 people in defensive driving techniques, through an e-Learning programme from MiX Telematics, a leading global provider of fleet and mobile asset management solutions.

The final 20 trained in December were from Bapco’s Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) Committee – the group responsible for initiating the implementation of the program to reduce the number of accidents at Bapco.

The EHS committee sessions were run by Bapco’s senior management development specialist, Neil Porter, in the new learning suites at Bapco’s Learning and Development Centre.

“Participants began by completing MiX Telematics’s 30-minute interactive session that put them behind the virtual wheel of a vehicle and captured the dynamics of driving in the Middle East,” said Porter.

Ebrahim Talib, Bapco’s deputy chief executive (Refining & Marketing) & chairman of the EHS Committee said: “Bapco is delighted with the training experience offered by MiX Telematics. The interactive methods have resulted in a highly useful course for participants."

The course consisted of 20 real-life driving scenarios and 28 theory-based multiple-choice questions, and after the successful completion of the Hazard Perception Program, participants progressed to complete additional targeted training modules, each of which is quick and easy to follow. “The program was of high value to our employees and I am glad that they could benefit from it,” concluded Talib.

“It’s great that our combined efforts have translated into increased road safety. We look forward to continuing our training efforts in order to aid Bapco in minimising their accident rate,” said Brodie Von Berg, sales and marketing director at MiX Telematics (Middle East).

Bapco has purchased a licence to use MiX Telematics’s e-Learning system for the next three years. A critical facet of the program is that each of the 200 participants will have to complete another Hazard Perception Program, and associated training modules, on an annual basis.

“The safety solution for Bapco is structured in a way that ensures skills are reinforced regularly, changing driver behaviour for the long-term. Participants will also be able to undertake future e-Learning sessions from their desk,” concluded Von Berg. – TradeArabia News Service