background image
Health & safety certification
|
i9
51
Following its work on a companywide Health and
Safety Management System in 2012, the Project
Management and Contracts (PMC) department at Dar
has secured the highlycoveted OHSAS 18001:2007
certification.
An internationallyrecognized standard, OHSAS
18001:2007
will refine PMC's health and safety
management ability, thereby improving the quality of
services that Dar AlHandasah delivers to our clients.
The certification process, which commenced in
January 2015, was made possible by the rigorous
efforts of all PMC employees. It comes after a
long process of integrating health and safety into
designated Dar projects.
Importance of the new certification
The new certification is an achievement the whole
company can be proud of, because it:
·
Bolsters our health and safety performances
·
Implements policies and procedures which can
help projects' teams
·
Fulfills Dar's commitment to keeping employees
safe through information and training
·
Provides a system that identifies hazards and
reduces health and safety risks
·
Improves employees' awareness of risks
·
Implements clear processes for everyone to
understand and follow.
Benefits of OHSAS 18001:2007
·
Enhances employee motivation and acceptance
towards health and safety
·
Lowers risk of potential accidents, incidents and
absenteeism
·
Reduces health and safety related hazards
·
Enhances legal compliance
·
Improves firm's reputation within professional
community and with clients, increasing future
tenders and opportunities
Next steps
In preparation for retaining the certification,
the PMC HSE team will be undertaking regular
audits and inspections across designated projects.
The goal is to ensure that Dar AlHandasah continues
to comply with the accredited standards. Furthermore,
the PMC team will be training project teams who
require support in fulfilling their health and safety
responsibilities.
The PMC staff will be looking for the same support
they have already received, as they seek to sustain a
safetypositive culture in the business and beyond it.
Yearonyear improvements in safety performance
are expected, as the company progresses towards the
ultimate goal of Target Zero.
PMC Department Secures International
Health and Safety Certification
By Martin Wood, Dar AlHandasah