From Left: Jaber Al Marri from MADLSA, Shaik Hammad Al Shaikh, Director-General of Islamic Dawah Organisation, Dr Ali Al Mulla, Assistant Secretary-General of GOIC, Fahad Al Ghanim from MADLSA and Babiker Osman, Hawkama, at a conference yesterday. Pic: Sa
Under the patronage of HE Dr Issa bin Saad Al Jafali Al Nuaimi, Minister of Administrative Development, Labour, and Social Affairs (MADLSA), the conference on Health and Occupational Safety will kick off on April 29.
The opening session will be addressed by the Minister highlighting his ministry’s strategy and upcoming programmes, in addition to Director-General of the Arab Labor Organization (ALO) Fayez Ali Al Mutairi.
In a press conference yesterday, both Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC), and the Hawkama Public Relation Center announced that the conference will highlight achievements and challenges facing government institutions and private sector.
GOIC preferred to organise its first conference on health and occupational safety in Qatar because Qatar has taken significant steps in this regard and the MADLSA with other Qatari entities have sponsored the conference, said Dr Ali Hamid Al Mulla, Assistant Secretary General of GOIC Industrial Projects Sector. Al Mulla highlighted that the occupational safety is not a mere rules and regulations or procedures appear on boards of companies and factories but has become science taught in universities.
The conference will focus on legal aspects, safety measures, practices and exchanging experiences.
Al Mulla expressed his hope that the conference will encourage other GCC States to pay more attention to issue of health and occupational safety, adding that the conference will provide with opportunity for having fruitful discussions between government officials, experts and representatives of companies.
The conference falls within the framework of the consultative role played by the organisation to promote the culture of occupational safety and health in the industrial projects implemented in the GCC states.
The press conference was also attended by officials from the MADLSA including Jaber Al Marri, Fahad Al Ghanim presented speech on behalf of Mohammed Ali Al Meer, Director of the Inspection Department, and representatives of several companies.
MADLSA gives health and occupational safety on top of its priority and the law requires implementation of all protections measures in works places and provide with healthy work environment, said Al Meer. These includes light, ventilation, portable water, dust, smoke, clean housing and necessary precautions measures against fire.
Al Marri said that there are several measures taken by the ministry to enhance law enforcement including increasing the number of health inspectors, specialised engineers who conduct regular and surprising visits to factories and work places to ensure that all companies are complying with rule and regulations.
The ministry will highlight the current situation of health and occupational safety in Qatar, achievements of the concerned department along future plans, said Al Marri.
Sponsors of the conference include Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar Petrochemical Company, GAPCO, as (Golden Sponsor), the Islamic Da’wa Organization (Silver Sponsor), and Aspire Logistics (Silver Sponsor).
Qatar has realised significant achievements on labour care and concerned authorities are looking into deep details to realise the highest level of safety workers at work places, said Shaik Hammad Al Shaikh, Director General, Islamic Dawah Organisation in Qatar. "As an organisation operating in Qatar, we allocate part of our incomes for labour force services and better living conditions, and health and safety matters are humanitarian issue," he added.
On his part, Babakr Osman, Managing Partner of Hawkama Center, said that the conference consist of three sessions in addition to the opening session which will host top officials as key note speakers.
He added that the conference attracts speakers from a number of countries, including the United States, Britain, the UAE, and Qatar along representatives of World Health and Safety Institute, the Arab Labor Organization and the International Organization for Standardization, ISO, as well as speakers from the ministries of Public Health, Ministry of Interior, Qatar Foundation, and a number of Qatari companies.
Osman highlighted that “the conference will allow opportunities for the participants to exchange expertise and information on occupational safety and health for workers in the State of Qatar.” He added a book titled “National Record on Occupational Safety and Health” will be launched during the event.
The book includes government reports and reports of private companies about occupational safety and health, in addition to legislative and procedural developments in the State of Qatar. He highlighted that an accompanying exhibition will be organized on the sidelines of the conference to showcase achievements of the Qatari companies in the area of occupational safety and health.
