Career options for Health and Safety Professionals

In every speaking or training opportunities related to Health and Safety that I am invited, I often asked the participants what picture appears in their mind when they hear the word safety officer. Majority of their answers are those persons wearing high visibility clothing, helmets, safety shoes and those who are manning the constructions sites.

Well it’s quite understandable to hear those answers because we often associate that safety officers are only needed during construction projects. That safety officer exists in construction sites because it is the most hazardous place to work and it’s where the greatest potentials for injuries are present.

While it is true that serious accidents and fatalities mostly occurred in construction sites but a significant number of accidents and ill health occurs in the workplace and industries where you and I are working.

In short, being in the health and safety profession, we are not only limited to construction sites and related activities. Following are some career options of a Health and Safety Professional.

OTHER CAREER OPTIONS

1. Health and Safety Professional in the Manufacturing and allied Industries – some of the world’s largest manufacturing industries and food manufacturing companies also need highly trained and highly qualified health and safety professionals. Even heavy industries, automotive industries etc.;

2. HSE Specialists in Oil and Gas and Shipbuilding Industries – another specialized field of health and safety professionals are in the oil and gas and/or shipbuilding industries – from offshore to onshore and even logistics;

3. HSE Professionals in the Consultancy and/or Government sector – there’s also a demand for high caliber and highly experienced HSE professionals in these fields. They are the ones who are responsible for the strategic planning and programs implementation in certain sectors where they worked for;

4. HSE Training and Teaching – training centers are in itself a highly profitable business because more and more people are interested in shifting their careers to Health, Safety and Environment. So there’s a demand for HSE trainers.

5. HSE and IMS Auditors – ISO and/or OHSAS certifications are also slowly becoming a pre-requisite for some major projects such that you cannot enter into a bidding process if the company is not ISO 9001 or an OHSAS 18001 certified. With such trend, an HSE professional can also be a lead auditor either internally hired by the company or again from a consultant or 3rd party company;

6. Industrial or Occupational Hygienist – industrial hygiene is the science of anticipating, recognizing, evaluating and controlling workplace conditions that may cause workers injury or ill health. The industrial hygienists use environmental monitoring and analytical methods to detect and determine workers exposure and then they employ or recommend engineering controls to eliminate if not control the hazards.

7. Fire safety officers – this is also another branch where you can be employed especially if you have a good engineering background on structural & mechanical design plus a sound knowledge on fire safety codes and other relevant laws

Lastly, I knew that still a number of career options can be added to this list but my point is just to give our current league of HSE professionals as well as those who are planning for a career shift a picture that HSE is not only about construction. An HSE professional can wear not only those helmets, safety shoes and vest but they can also wear corporate attires and can also sit as a top executive in a corporate world.

The 10 Commandments of Workplace Safety

Just shared it from other source and I know some of you will want to make this Health and Safety list up to 1000 but there can only be 10 in the 10 Commandments of Workplace Health and Safety.

Others would say that they have been to enough trouble complying with all of the “other commandments”!

You may come up with your own list but have a look at this recent list put together by certain George Robotham and Rob Long to inspire us to come up with our own list suitable and appropriate for our organization. This is 10 Commandment of Workplace Health and Safety is good to display on a workplace noticeboards or any place that can be easily seen by the workers and NOT just on the Safety Person’s office wall or at the company entrance.

Here's the list:

1. Always be responsible for the health and safety of yourself and others.

2. Always remember all accidents are preventable.

3. Always follow company rules, regulations and procedures.

4. Always assess the risks; Stop and Think.

5. Always be proactive about safety.

6. Always avoid from situations (operations) you’re not trained to handle.

7. Always manage the lift.

8. Always Be prepared.

9. Always practice good housekeeping.

10. Always take the safest path, never take shortcuts.

Lastly, as i've said you may come up with your own Health and Safety commandments for your organization - the challenge is on you now.

Health and Safety Signs: Lost in Translation

I've come across these signs whose message & intentions are good but when translated - it comes out hilariously funny. Enjoy and share.

1. Who is being executed?

2. I can relate to the tiny grasses

3. Beware - be very aware!

4. Please be careful when you slip

5. Be informed - special for deformed only

6. New anti-terrorist weapon

7. Touching is not allowed - seek some help

8. Soup cheap, fast & easy

CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING: Know the Danger !!!

Carbon Monoxide poisoning recently grabbed the headlines when an Indonesian housemaid was found dead and the other is still in critical condition undergoing treatment at a local hospital. This happened when they lit a coal fire inside their room to keep them warm. As a Health and Safety Professional, i am sharing this information to you so you may share and reach out to as many friends - to keep them safe from this deadly unseen hazard.

What is carbon monoxide?

How much space am I entitled to at work?

What is the standard or minimum office space requirements per individual especially for person working in the office?

I was thrown this question when a drawing of a new office was submitted to our section for comments related to Health and Safety. So i browse and found this article from Health Safety and Environment - UK and found it interesting to share to all practicing or aspiring Health and Safety Professionals out there.

Regulation 10 of the Workplace, Health Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992 (of UK) states the following with regards to room dimensions and space requirements:

Every room where persons work shall have sufficient floor area, height and unoccupied space for purposes of health, safety and welfare.

The associated Approved Code of Practice and Guidance goes on to state:

Workrooms should have enough free space to allow people to get to and from workstations and to move within the room, with ease. The number of people who may work in any particular room at any one time will depend not only on the size of the room, but on the space taken up by furniture, fittings, equipment, and on the layout of the room. Workrooms, except those where people only work for short periods, should be of sufficient height (from floor to ceiling) over most of the room to enable safe access to workstations. In older buildings with obstructions such as low beams the obstruction should be clearly marked.

The total volume of the room, when empty, divided by the number of people normally working in it should be at least 11 cubic metres. In making this calculation a room or part of a room which is more than 3.0m high should be counted as 3.0m high. The figure of 11 cubic metres per person is a minimum and may be insufficient if, for example, much of the room is taken up by furniture etc.

The figure of 11 cubic metres does not apply to:

a.retail sales kiosks, attendants' shelters, machine control cabs or similar small structures, where space is necessarily limited; or

b.rooms being used for lectures, meetings and similar purposes.

In a typical room, where the ceiling is 2.4m high, a floor area of 4.6m2 (for example 2.0 x 2.3m) will be needed to provide a space of 11 cubic metres. Where the ceiling is 3.0m high or higher the minimum floor area will be 3.7m2 (for example 2.0 x 1.85m). (These floor areas are only for illustrative purposes and are approximate).

The floor space per person indicated above will not always give sufficient unoccupied space, as required by the Regulation. Rooms may need to be larger, or to have fewer people working in them, than indicated in those paragraphs, depending on such factors as the contents and layout of the room and the nature of the work. Where space is limited careful planning of the workplace is particularly important.

Top Twelve (12) Causes of Traffic Accidents in Dubai and How You can Avoid

Have you ever wondered what causes the major traffic accidents in Dubai in 2013? This dirty dozen or i call it deadly dozen list could also be true in other parts of the world. This 2014, we hope we can learn a lesson or two from these so we can live a healthy and safe year whether on the road and or in the workplace. This article was sourced from the data provided by Dubai Roads and Traffic Administration.

Sudden swerving of vehicles tops the list of causes of traffic accidents and was responsible for the death of 38 people in Dubai during the first 11 months of 2013, accounting for 25 per cent of total deaths in traffic accidents this year.

These are among a host of other deadly statistics that were shared by the Dubai Traffic Department with Emirates 24|7. According to the statistics, the sudden veering of vehicles led to the injury of 155 other people, with such injuries ranging from simple to medium and serious.

Overall, there were 148 deaths on Dubai roads due to traffic accidents in the first 11 months of the year, according to the statistics.

Meanwhile, the number of traffic accidents caused by sudden swerving or sharp turns by vehicles during the mentioned period rose by almost a quarter (24.1 per cent), to 635 incidents until the end of November 2013.

According to the statistics, the second deadliest mistake on Dubai roads in 2013 was that lack of alertness among road users, causing the death of 35 people and leading to the injury of another 277 people in the same period. A total of 295 such incidents were reported where the cause of the accident was motorists’ absent-mindedness or carelessness.

The third deadliest mistake that motorists made on Dubai roads in 2013 was of not leaving enough space between vehicles, causing 483 accidents that resulted in the deaths of 26 people and injury to another 104 individuals.

At No. 4 was driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol, causing 324 incidents, resulting in 11 deaths and causing injury to another 84 persons.

Following DUI was jumping the red signal, which caused 158 traffic accidents, resulting in 6 deaths and injury to 232 people.

Entering a traffic junction before ensuring free exit was deadliest mistake number 6, causing 197 traffic accidents which resulted in 5 deaths and the injury of 224 people.

At No. 7 was non-compliance with the route, causing 183 traffic accidents, resulting in the death of 5 and injury to 107 people.

Surprisingly, excessive speeding came it No. 8, causing 42 traffic accidents and resulting in the deaths of 5 people and injuring another 35.

At No. 9 was neglect and inattention to vehicle maintenance, causing 38 traffic accidents which resulted in 4 deaths and caused injury to 68 people.

Impulsive driving caused 3 accidents, resulting in 4 deaths (no injuries reported from these three accidents).

At no. 11 - Bursting of tires also caused 8 traffic accidents, resulting in 2 deaths and 9 injuries.

Lastly, driving the vehicle in the wrong direction caused 25 accidents, resulting in 2 deaths and an injury to 27 people.

So there you are fellow drivers, lets ask ourselves - which wrong practice/s we are guilty of committing when we drive? this 2014, may we amend our ways and be a model of a highly defensive and responsible driver. How to avoid accidents? simply do not commit these practices mentioned above and always have the proper courtesy on the road.

Have a Healthy and Safe New Year and all through-out the year.

Health and Safety Tips for the New Year

Another year is almost here – and New Year’s resolutions are well-worn and familiar: quit smoking, lose weight, travel, start saving/investing, and the list goes on and on. New year is the time of year that people take inventory and (wish to) make changes in their habits. It’s also the time of the year that people face a greater threat of house fires because of the use of firecrackers, stray bullets and even cooking in their homes. So as we celebrate the new year, wherever we are in the world, as health and safety professionals there are few things we should watch out for

Here are some tips we can use to practice health and safety in our homes:

1. Holiday lights, decorated trees and candles can cause fires. If possible use nonflammable decorations, including artificial trees, and place them away from heat sources.

2. Inspect electric decorations, installations for frayed wires and other hazards. Do not link more than three strands of lights. Do not leave holiday lights on unattended; turn them off before going to bed. Never put lit candles on a tree and/or near the gifts. Do not overload electrical outlets.

3. Never leave the kitchen while cooking or your stove turned “ON” unattended; monitor flammable items. Don’t wear loose-sleeved clothes at a stove; turn pot handles away from the flame.

4. Don’t be tempted to buy cheap electrical appliances – most likely they were not tested for standard quality and safety. Plug electrical appliances into UL-rated surge protectors and turn them off at night if they do not need to operate all night long.

5. If you have smoke alarms in your home, make sure it’s working by changing the batteries. Conduct monthly smoke alarm tests and change alarm batteries twice a year. Ten-year batteries for alarms are also a good idea.

6. Store a properly maintained fire extinguisher in the kitchen or where is a big probability of starting fire. Extinguishers should only be used for very small fires. When a fire occurs, it’s usually best to immediately leave the house and ensure that all family members are accounted for. You may call the fire department from a neighbor’s home or through your mobile.

7. It’s also good if you can practice fire drills, you should have a home escape plan and safe meeting place in cases of emergency. When you move to a new home, make sure you know the emergency contact numbers such as local fire department, police, ambulance or hospital.

8. Never smoke in bed or in a setting where you might fall asleep with a lit cigarette. Make sure ashes and butts are fully extinguished before disposing them off.

Outside the house:

9. Be wary and stay alert for stray bullets and fire crackers – this is especially applicable when such practices are allowed in the locality

10. Never try to pick up and re-ignite any fire crackers you see on the streets even if looks it did not yet explode.

11. Avoid using powder enabled fire crackers – they don’t only create noise and possible injuries, they are also a great source of ground air pollution and the leftovers are toxic and hazardous

12. If you’re near or on the road – watch out for speeding vehicles and errant (drunk) drivers.

13. If you have health (breathing) problems – avoid the thick smoke emitted from the firecrackers, it might aggravate your health condition.

Lastly, some of these health and safety tips are still or will be applicable all throughout the year and not just on new year. So it will not hurt us if we are cautious when it comes to safety in our homes and safety to the people.

Have an injury free new year and may all your new year’s resolutions come true – this time.

Health and Safety Rules and Regulations in Dubai

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE AND MAY GOD BLESS US ALL IN THE COMING YEAR !!!

As promised in my previous post, here's the link of the different Technical Guidelines issued by Dubai Municipality. These guidelines cover all Health and Safety related issues within the Emirate of Dubai.

Link: Health and Safety Technical Guidelines of Dubai

As a brief background, the Public Health and Safety Department of Dubai Municipality is composed of four (4) sections namely:

1. Public Safety Section - this section is in-charge of all Public areas in Dubai including safety of small appliances, hotels, commercial establishments, playgrounds and swimming pools.

2. Public Health Section - this section is in-charge in monitoring labor accommodations including saloons, barbershops and the like

3. Consumer Products Section - they are in-charge in ensuring that all consumer products such as cosmetics, detergents, etc. passed the regulatory standards

4. Occupational Health and Safety Section - finally, this section is in-charge to monitor and inspect all private and industrial facilities in Dubai - including mechanical workshops, carpentry and furniture shops up to multinational companies such as Dubai Aluminum, Nestle Dubai, Unilever, Dubai Petroleum etc.

Aside from these, the Department also approves permit applications for Occupational Health and Safety Training, Safety and Fire Consultancies and new installations.

So, if you want to be employed as a Health and Safety Officer, it's always good to know the different legal requirements applicable to the country where you work or intend to work.

This is also good for your preparation for the Dubai Expo 2020 - and during the job interview, your prospect employer will be impressed with your knowledge of the Health ans Safety Technical Guidelines of the Emirate of Dubai.

Mega Projects for Dubai Expo 2020 - Mega Opportunities for Health and Safety Professionals

Here it is folks - Dubai based and International developers are getting ready to start their multi-bilion mega projects here in Dubai in preparation for the Dubai Expo 2020.

Again, i do not own the copyright of the pictures appearing here but my purpose is to give you some glimpse of these never before seen but soon to be realized magnificent landmarks of the world. And with these mega construction projects, hundreds if not thousands of Health and Safety Professionals would be required from the construction up to the operation stage of these projects.

Here are some of the mega projects in the pipeline - photo courtesy of Emirates247.com:

1. Mohammad Bin Rashid (MBR) City. Comprising of four key components, the new city will focus on family tourism, retail, arts and entrepreneurship. The first component focuses on family leisure and entertainment to be set up in partnership with with Universal Studios. The second component, focusing on retail, will feature the largest shopping mall in the world, “Mall of the World - bigger than the current holder, the Dubai Mall”

2. Bluewaters Island - is set to be one of the largest tourist hotspots in the world. It will be the site of the "Dubai Eye", the world’s largest Ferris wheel.

3. The Dh7.34 billion Dubai Water Canal will connect the Business Bay with the Arabian Gulf passing through the heart of Dubai.

4. District One (@Mohammed Bin Rashid City) - it will have a 350,000 square meter water park and the largest crystal lagoon body of water in the world with seven kilometers of lagoons and man-made beaches, retail zones, leisure and sports attractions.

5. Taj Arabia - a replica of India's Taj Mahal, will be a 350-room hotel and serviced apartments and will be located in the Falcon City of Wonders in Dubailand.

So there you are - so many opportunities waiting for Health and Safety Professionals and all those who want to try their luck here in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Be ready for Dubai and Expo 2020.

Dubai Expo Live and Expo 2020 - a Bright prospect for careers in Health and Safety

Disclaimer:
I do not own the copyright of the video but my only purpose is to share that as early as now, the different steering committee and relevant government agencies have finalized the blueprint for the Dubai Expo 2020.

Dubai Expo Live Video

For the aspiring Health and Safety Professionals, we can look forward to a promising career here in UAE as soon as these projects will be implemented soon.

As I've said, now is the time to enhance our skills, competence and qualification and for sure, we will have our own share of career progression as far as Health and Safety profession is concern.

Be ready for Dubai Expo 2020.

Health and Safety career prospects for Dubai Expo 2020

Shortly before the country celebrated its 42nd founding anniversary last December 1-2, people all over UAE, most especially here Dubai were ecstatic when it was finally announced and confirmed that the World Expo 2020 will be hosted by the country. With so much preparation and awareness campaigns initiated by the Government, and Dubai being the financial and economic hub in this part of the world - there was no doubt that Dubai is a worthy host of one if not the biggest expo in the world that we can expect.

What is world expo?

It is actually like a trade exhibition that originated in France. However, the best known ‘first’ World Expo was held in London in 1851 and it was considered as the first international exhibition of manufactured products.
From then on, the host countries used the world exposition as a platform to improve their national image. It is also a fact that this will boost tourism as well as positive economic impact. There will product innovations and showcase of technological advancements. It also facilitates cultural exchange - and for the host city, region or country – it is used as a vehicle for ‘nation branding’.

Where does ‘Safety’ come in the picture?

Just like in the early 2000 and before the economic recession in 2008, it is expected that massive projects and economic activities are coming to UAE in general and Dubai in particular. In fact, as early as this year, the Ruler of Dubai has announced and approved a number of ‘multi-billion’ infrastructure projects to rise in Dubai. Projects like the Dubai Frame (see below), Dubai Eye, etc. are now on its early project implementation phase.

This also means that a lot of manpower resources will be needed during the construction and operation stage, and in parallel more ‘safety professionals’ are also needed. Why? Because hiring Safety Professionals in every construction projects or during it operation is a minimum requirement by the government.

The Next Big Question

If there’s a need for more Safety Professionals, where do you see yourself as far your safety profession and your career is concerned? Are you ready for such great opportunities? Are you prepared to compete with other nationalities? Or do you have the necessary qualifications and competence to be hired as a Safety Professional?

I would say it’s not yet too late – in fact, this is the right time for all those who are aspiring to become Safety Professionals to chart their career in Health and Safety by attending or getting additional qualifications (e.g. NEBOSH, OSHA, OHSAS Auditor, etc). Networking with similar professions is also ideal but most of all, you have to decide first and put your heart and mind to improve yourself and become a competent safety professional.

Remember, it’s not a one sided game – if you prepare or have started now, other nationalities are also there to compete with you and some even have prepared way ahead of you. In the end, just like in expo – you need to ‘brand yourself’ and be the best of what you can be.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter even when you’re not in the safety profession, or whether you are the architect, the engineer, or the skilled worker – what matters is, you will have a job that can sustain you and your family back home.

Be prepared, be ready – for the World Expo 2020.

Famous Jobsites in UAE for Health and Safety Careers

Here are the most common job sites here in UAE that posts job openings for Health and Safety Officers position. Just click each link below and type health and/or safety officer.

1. www.gulftalent.com

2. www.bayt.com

3. www.naukrigulf.com

4. www.monstergulf.com


You should try to visit the site and see or list down the necessary qualifications or minimum requirements needed to be employed as a Health and Safety Officer here in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman or any Middles East countries.

Goodluck.

Health and Safety Summer Campaign

The 2013 Safe and Healthy Summer campaign was launched recently by Dubai Municipality through the Public Health and Safety Department. Now on its 7th year, this program is aimed to increase the awareness level of all affected workers and employers especially those directly exposed to the heat of the sun and to encourage them to implement safety precautions to avoid heat related illnesses such as Heat stress and Heat stroke. Also, the Safe and Healthy Summer campaign supports the Ministerial Order no. 688 of 2013 issued the Ministry of Labour, which mandates the mid-day break rule. This means that no worker is allowed to work under the direct exposure to the sun between 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM from June 15, 2013 to September 15, 2013. Failure to comply with such order may result to issuance of notice of violation or imposition of fines. Employers are required to provide the following at the worksite during summer: cold drinking water or other hydration drinks, provision of shelter or shed for resting, industrial ventilation in resting areas and first aid kit and first aider among other things. For its part, Dubai Municipality, distributes educational materials such as flyers, brochures, and posters related to Safe and Healthy Summer campaign including Fire Safety Awareness to all private companies and industrial premises and other government offices. They also conduct seminars and short sessions to identified stakeholders such as construction companies, Dubai Municipality Departments, Dubai Police, etc. to maximize the coverage of the said awareness campaign.