FAQ

Education and training provide employers, managers, supervisors, and workers with: Knowledge and skills needed to do their work safely and avoid creating hazards that could place themselves or others at risk. Awareness and understanding of workplace hazards and how to identify, report, and control them.

From the point of view of the individual employee, there are three main aims of training: Improve the individual’s level of safety awareness. Increase an individual’s skill in one or more areas of expertise. Increase an individual’s motivation to perform their job well.

Employers are legally required by law (The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005) to provide information, instruction and training to employees about fire precautions in the workplace.

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 requires you to provide whatever information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of your employees.

Occupational safety and health (OSH) is a discipline. with a broad scope involving many specialized fields. In its broadest sense, it aims at:  the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social.

Herbert William Heinrich

Herbert William Heinrich (Bennington, Vermont, October 6, 1886 – June 22, 1962) was an American industrial safety pioneer from the 1930s.

• Elimination: Physically remove the hazard.
• Substitution: Replace the hazard.
• Engineering controls: Isolate people from the hazard.
• Administrative controls: Change the way people work.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE): Protect the worker.

• Reduce Employee Turnover.
• Reduce Layoffs.
• Improve Employee Engagement.
• Gain a Recruitment Tool.
• Increase Productivity.
• Improve Team Functionality.

1. Reduce Workplace Stress.
2. Use Tools and Machines Properly.
3. Use Mechanical Aids When Possible.
4. Wear Protective Equipment.
5. Stay Sober.
6. Be Aware of Your Surroundings.
7. Correct Posture Protects Your Back.
8. Be Alert and Awake.
9. Follow Correct Procedure, Don’t Take Shortcuts.
10. Take Regular Breaks.

Identifying the hazards.

Assessing the risk.

Analysing the risk.

Controlling the risk.

The National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (“NCEMA”) has launched the National Standard for Occupational Safety and Health Management System in the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) to reduce risks to staff safety. This standard is a model for preventing accidents in the workplace and has been compiled in compliance with the best international standards by a specialized team of UAE nationals.

The National Standard for Occupational Safety and Health Management System (OSHMS) aims to assist institutions in developing occupational safety and health management systems according to their scope and context of operations. Furthermore, this standard can be a leadership and management tool to boost compliance with the relevant laws and regulations and ensure that occupational safety and health objectives are met at any institution. This standard also aims to continuously improve the performance of occupational safety and health, and ensure that Occupational Safety and Health risks are addressed in an organized and structured manner, as the occupational safety and health management must be institutionalized and embedded into all operations of an institution.

• To determine the occupational safety and health strategy and policy that must be implemented by institutions operating in the UAE.
• To provide guidance to institutions with regard to the development of an occupational safety and health management system, distributing roles and responsibilities according to specific procedures.
• Provide an occupational safety and health risk management methodology in order to identify, assess and monitor such risks, as well as procedures to prevent workplace accidents, and how to deal with them as and when they occur.

• Governance
• Occupational safety and health culture
• Staff management
• Occupational safety and health management
• Occupational safety and health performance management
• Document control

• Employing specialized staff (occupational safety and health officer) or delegating a replacement
• Allocation of necessary resources
• Forming a committee or action team to oversee the implementation of the system
• Issuing the occupational safety and health system policy
• Review and audit

Define the occupational safety and health policy of the institution

• Taking into consideration the nature and extent of occupational safety and health risks of the institution in the workplace environment
• Commitment by the management to manage occupational safety and health risks and to take necessary actions
• Compliance with applicable legal requirements
• Define the objectives of the organization’s safety and health management system

The policy should be:

• Documented, implemented and sustained
• Known to all persons employed by the institution
• Made available to the parties concerned
• Reviewed periodically to remain appropriate for the institution

The Occupational Safety and Health Management System standard defines the requirements of the occupational safety and health management system at the organizational level.

The scope and applicability of this standard shall be as follows:

• It is applicable to governmental and private institutions, as well as international organizations operating in the UAE.
•  It is applicable to all organizations operating in the UAE, except for those located in free zones
• The requirements specified therein shall apply to all organizations operating in the UAE of various fields, sizes, geographical locations and cultures.
• It can be used as a guide in the development of an occupational safety and health management system of an organization and may be a mandatory requirement. For example, this standard may be included in contracts made with subcontractors as a contract clause.
• Whenever the term “must” is used in this standard, it shall refer to mandatory procedures, whereas the term “should” refers to non-mandatory procedures.
• This standard promotes compliance with federal and local laws and regulations, ministerial decrees and other regulations and laws in accordance with Articles 21 and 22 of the Decree Law No. (2) of 2011.
• It guides an organization’s staff, contractors and sub-contractors to follow the occupational safety and health management system developed by the organization.
• Occupational safety and health system requirements vary depending on the extent of risk that the institution may be subject to in occupational safety and health. Hazards range from low-risk to high-risk. An organization should comply with the specific requirements of the concerned authority in its sector in order to protect its employees and the public from any adverse effects that may result from its activities. 
• For high-risk industries, reference should be made to specific rules of practice for guidance in relation to the management of specific damage risks.Therefore, the application of the national standard for occupational safety and health management system in the UAE by any institution operating in the UAE, shall provide

  protection against workplace hazards through procedures and policies concerning the safety and health of its employees, and seek continuous improvement of procedures and safe work systems.

Essential Health and Safety Training

Everyone in your workplace is legally required to have Health and Safety Training, and this course provides the perfect introduction to Health and Safety – whether as an induction tool or refresher training.

Your employer can choose whether they provide training themselves or bring in an external company to provide the training, but either way steps must be taken to give employees all the information they need to do their job safely.

annual

The frequency training needs to be refreshed will depend on a number of factors – like the type of training. However, as a general rule, training should be re-visited on an annual basis.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to provide health and safety training for workers, when: they first start work, ie induction training. they are exposed to new or increased risks.

Highlights of safety index

Abu Dhabi has been named the world’s safest city for the sixth consecutive year. Numbeo Safety Index 2022, the 10 safest countries also include Sharjah (4) and Dubai (8). The three United Arab Emirates are ahead of cities like Zurich and Monaco

Abu Dhabi

In 2021, as per the total combined stat, Abu Dhabi (88.46) was the safest city in the world, followed by Doha (87.96)

The working week in the UAE remains at 48 hours. But, keep in mind that 48 hours is the maximum number of hours employees should work per week. Companies can reduce working hours and still be compliant with the law. It’s also worth noting that all hours worked over the maximum 48 per week should paid for as overtime.

There are 8 common workplace hazards that can kill or have the potential to result in a serious injury. They include working at heights, suspended loads, electricity, isolating equipment, hazardous materials, physical separation and barricading, fire and emergencies, and confined spaces

The aim of this guide is to help you understand the different categories of hazards, so you can confidently identify them in your workplace.

• Biological Hazards.
• Chemical Hazards.
• Physical Hazards.
• Safety Hazards.
• Ergonomic Hazards.
• Psychosocial Hazards.

When we refer to hazards in relation to occupational safety and health the most commonly used definition is ‘A Hazard is a potential source of harm or adverse health effect on a person or people.

The terms Hazard and Risk are often used interchangeably but this simple example explains the difference between the two.

If there was a spill of water in a room then that water would present a slipping hazard to persons passing through it. If access to that area was prevented by a physical barrier then the hazard would remain though the risk would be minimised.

When we refer to risk in relation to occupational safety and health the most commonly used definition is ‘risk is the likelihood that a person may be harmed or suffers adverse health effects if exposed to a hazard.’

Categorising Risk

The level of risk is often categorised upon the potential harm or adverse health effect that the hazard may cause, the number of times persons are exposed and the number of persons exposed. For example, exposure to airborne asbestos fibres will always be classified as high because a single exposure may cause potentially fatal lung disease, whereas the risk associated with using a display screen for a short period could be considered to be very low as the potential harm or adverse health effects are minimal.

Control measures include actions that can be taken to reduce the potential of exposure to the hazard, or the control measure could be to remove the hazard or to reduce the likelihood of the risk of the exposure to that hazard being realised. A simple control measure would be the secure guarding of moving parts of machinery eliminating the potential for contact. When we look at control measures, we often refer to the hierarchy of control measures.

Control measures include actions that can be taken to reduce the potential of exposure to the hazard, or the control measure could be to remove the hazard or to reduce the likelihood of the risk of the exposure to that hazard being realised. A simple control measure would be the secure guarding of moving parts of machinery eliminating the potential for contact. When we look at control measures we often refer to the hierarchy of control measures.

1. Eliminate the hazard Elimination of the hazard is not always achievable though it does totally remove the hazard and thereby eliminates the risk of exposure. An example of this would be that petrol station attendants in Ireland are no longer exposed to the risk of chronic lead poisoning following the removal of lead from petrol products sold at forecourts.
2. Substitute the hazard with a lesser risk Substituting the hazard may not remove all of the hazards associated with the process or activity and may introduce different hazards but the overall harm or health effects will be lessened. In laboratory research, toluene is now often used as a substitute for benzene. The solvent-properties of the two are similar but toluene is less toxic and is not categorised as a carcinogen although toluene can cause severe neurological harm.
3. Isolate the hazard Isolating the hazard is achieved by restricting access to plant and equipment or in the case of substances locking them away under strict controls. When using certain chemicals then a fume cupboard can isolate the hazard from the person, similarly placing noisy equipment in a non-accessible enclosure or room isolates the hazard from the person(s).
4. Use engineering controls Engineering Controls involve redesigning a process to place a barrier between the person and the hazard or remove the hazard from the person, such as machinery guarding, proximity guarding, extraction systems or removing the operator to a remote location away from the hazard.
5. Use administrative controls Administrative controls include adopting standard operating procedures or safe work practices or providing appropriate training, instruction or information to reduce the potential for harm and/or adverse health effects to person(s). Isolation and permit to work procedures are examples of administrative controls.
6. Use personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) include gloves, glasses, earmuffs, aprons, safety footwear, dust masks which are designed to reduce exposure to the hazard. PPE is usually seen as the last line of defence and is usually used in conjunction with one or more of the other control measures. An example of the weakness of this control measure is that it is widely recognised that single-use dust masks cannot consistently achieve and maintain an effective facepiece-to-face seal, and cannot be adequately fit-tested and do not offer much, if any real protection against small particulates and may lead to a false sense of security and increase risk. In such instances an extraction system with fitted respirators may be preferable where the hazard may have significant health effects from low levels of exposure such as using isocyanate containing chemicals

These presentations focus on the Big Four Construction Hazards – falls, electrocution, caught-in and struck-by. All training materials will cover the four hazards seen regularly on construction sites and will focus on the methods for the recognition and the prevention of these common hazards.

accident: an event that results in injury or ill health. incident: near miss: an event not causing harm, but has the potential to cause injury or ill health (in this guidance, the term near miss will include dangerous occurrences)

Definition. Physical Risks are typically defined as risks which arise from the physical effects of climate change and environmental degradation.

Hazard: something that could potentially cause harm. Risk: the degree of likelihood that harm will be caused.

Fix the problem

1. 1 Eliminate the hazard. Remove it completely from your workplace.
2. 2 Substitute the hazard. Replace it with a safer alternative.
3. 3 Isolate the hazard. Keep it away from workers as much as possible.
4. 4 Use engineering controls.
5. 5 Use administrative controls.
6. 6 Use personal protective equipment (PPE)

Timing risk is the speculation that an investor enters into when trying to buy or sell a stock based on future price predictions. Timing risk explains the potential for missing out on beneficial movements in price due to an error in timing.

Effective controls protect workers from workplace hazards; help avoid injuries, illnesses, and incidents; minimize or eliminate safety and health risks; and help employers provide workers with safe and healthful working conditions.

• The right to know about health and safety matters.
• The right to participate in decisions that could affect their health and safety.
• The right to refuse work that could affect their health and safety and that of others.

Health is described as the level of efficiency of the functioning of an individual’s body. A good state of health implies a lack of illness, pain, or injury. Safety, on the other hand, refers to a state of being safe, that is, a condition whereby one is protected against physical, social, emotional, etc.

An unsafe act is when an individual who has both knowledge and control of an existing unsafe condition or action, but choses to perform the action or ignore the condition. Workers generally perform unsafe acts in an effort to save time and/or effort.

Examples of Unsafe Conditions

• Defective tools, equipment or supplies.
• Inadequate supports or guards.
• Congestion in the workplace.
• Inadequate warning systems.
• Fire and explosion hazards.
• Poor housekeeping.
• Hazardous atmospheric conditions.

The study found that lack of adequate knowledge on safety and health, violation of safety rules, work pressure, stress and non-use of protective equipment were the main factors of unsafe behaviours.

The working week in the UAE remains at 48 hours. But, keep in mind that 48 hours is the maximum number of hours employees should work per week. Companies can reduce working hours and still be compliant with the law. It’s also worth noting that all hours worked over the maximum 48 per week should paid for as overtime.

Employers must provide training to employees if there is an agreement between the parties; if there is an applicable statutory provision on the development of skills of an employee and the training of an employee (for example in terms of the Skills Development Act and the Employment Equity Act).

Employees who have not been trained properly will produce less work and at a lower quality. Less knowledge and training lead to a lower level of performance, resulting in less profit. This type of work often leads to errors, quality issues, time lost repeating activities.

All workers have a right to work in places where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Health and safety is about stopping you getting hurt at work or ill through work. Your employer is responsible for health and safety, but you must help.

ISO 45001 is a global standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems that provides a practical solution to improve the safety and health of both employees and other personnel. This ISO 45001 standard has been designed to apply to any company regardless of its size, type and nature.

Confined space means a space that: (1) Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and. (2) Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry.

Confined space training is designed to help workers understand what a confined space is, while also increasing their awareness of the hazards they can expect to find in a confined space. By increasing a worker’s awareness of potential hazards, workers will exercise increased caution, resulting in fewer injuries.

An attendant is a worker who is trained in the hazards of confined spaces and whose primary responsibility is to monitor and assist the workers in the confined space.

A confined space is a place which is substantially enclosed (though not always entirely), and where serious injury can occur from hazardous substances or conditions within the space or nearby (e.g. lack of oxygen).

• Toxic atmospheric hazards.
• Flammable atmospheric hazards.
• Engulfment.
• Physical hazards.

What to Consider Before Entering a Confined Space

• Entry and Exit Plan. While it may seem obvious that a worker has to enter and exit the space, doing so isn’t always as easy as it seems.
• The Atmosphere.
• Lighting.
• Equipment Function.
• Confined Space Conditions.
• Rescue Plan.
• Communication.

Working at heights course helps you to comply with the Work at Height Regulation by providing employers and employees with the necessary information needed to be able to successfully deal with working at height risks and control measures. A fall protection system is a must.

The working at height e-learning course is suitable for anyone whose duties include working at height. This includes employees who supervise others working at height. Relevant professions and industries include: Construction.

As part of the Regulations, you must ensure: all work at height is properly planned and organised. those involved in work at height are competent. the risks from work at height are assessed, and appropriate work equipment is selected and used.

The Working at Height Medical involves a general health screen (vision, bmi, etc), a grip strength test, urinalysis (check for diabetes), a fitness test (Tecumshe Step Test) and a consultation with an occupational health nurse.

First assess the risks. Factors to weigh up include the height of the task, the duration and frequency, and the condition of the surface being worked on.

Who is prohibited from working at height? Workers with health problem such as heart disease, psychosis, epilepsy, etc. Correct!

Only full body harnesses must be used in a fall arrest system. A full body harness is formed of straps made of webbing, buckles, attachment elements and other elements adequately positioned and adjusted on the potential user’s body.

ensure equipment is suitable, stable and strong enough for the job, maintained and checked regularly; take precautions when working on or near fragile surfaces; provide protection from falling objects; consider emergency evacuation and rescue procedures.

There is no maximum height for using a ladder. However, where a ladder rises 9 metres or more above its base, landing areas or rest platforms should be provided at suitable intervals.

OSHA requires workers to wear a full-body harness, (one part of a Personal Fall Arrest System) when they are working on a suspended scaffold more than 10 feet above the working surface, or when they are working in bucket truck or aerial lift.

75 degrees

It’s all about the angle of the ladder against the wall. The magic number recommended by the HSE1 is 75 degrees so that the base of the ladder is set away from the wall at one-quarter of the working length of the ladder.

24 feet

Fixed ladders: fall protection must be provided for employees climbing or working on fixed ladders above 24 feet. 29 CFR 1926.1053(a)(19) states that fall protection must be provided whenever the length of climb on a fixed ladder equals or exceeds 24 feet.

Fall hazards are foreseeable.

You can identify them, eliminate exposure to them, eliminate them or control them before they result in injuries or death. Some of the factors that contribute to fall accidents and fatalities include: scaffolds; ladders; roofs; tops of equipment and other elevated work surfaces.

A 5-point harness has five attachment points designed to restrain your child at the shoulders and hips, which are the most rigid parts of their body. If there is a crash, the car seat harness transfers the forces of the crash to these rigid points of the body and into the seat.

A safety harness is a form of personal protective equipment (PPE) that is designed to catch a person in case of falling while working at height.

Components of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

•  Gloves. Gloves help protect you when directly handling potentially infectious materials or contaminated surfaces.
• Gowns.
• Shoe and Head Covers.
• Masks and Respirators.
• Other Face and Eye Protection.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) checklists are used by safety managers and supervisors to help identify tasks that require PPE, ensure staff are using the right equipment and reduce accidents or fatalities. Controlling a hazard at its source is the best way to protect employees.

Expiration Dates – PPE will typically have an expiration date set by the manufacture. Old PPE can compromise the integrity of the material used for protecting someone. OSHA Approved – OSHA does not approve equipment. PPE with an (OSHA Approved) label does not make the gear safe to use.