The Abu Dhabi University Knowledge Group (ADUKG), the professional training and development arm of Abu Dhabi University, has announced that it will start offering Health and Safety Risk Awareness Training’ programmes for the first time in the region.
The programmes will be offered during June by ADUKG’s Institute for Vocational Development (IVD) at the Abu Dhabi University campuses in both Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, in collaboration with the world-renowned experts in this field, the UK-based Advanced Medical Group (AMG).
"The issue of health and safety has become an increasingly important issue for governments around the world. They are introducing legislation that will reduce employee absenteeism due to illness and injury and to protect their long-term health and income. Such legislation also safeguards the reputation of employers, and avoids litigation," said Richard Firth, Director of the IVD.
As part of its commitment to corporate social responsibility, ADUKG is running a series of free health and safety risk assessment courses throughout May for organizations who want to increase their staff’s health and safety knowledge.
Capitalizing on the spreading awareness of these issues, he said, IVD will offer training programmes aimed at building the capacity of organizations in Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the rest of the region so they can be responsible for their own health and safety without reliance on external consultants.
"The course trains companies to achieve this goal by directing them to ensure proper health and safety working practices, including the correct use of equipment and the development of policies, procedures and guidance, for both employers and employees," Firth added.
The training programme is designed for supervisors responsible for the working practices of employees and their occupational health and safety. Special emphasis is on risk awareness and assessment by supervisors in their respective workplaces.
"Poor health and safety practice may cost an employee his or her health, income or in the worst case their life. This also costs the employers dearly and endangers colleagues, visitors and customers, adversely affecting employers’ reputations," Firth explained.
He said that the course promises to be a highly-interactive and evidence-based program that will allow participants to share their experiences and knowledge, and learn as much from others’ experiences as they do from their own.
The course underlines the importance of examining the causes and effects of common accidents and developing a culture of assessing risk and improving working practices, he said, noting that it will also tackle the differences between Occupational Health and Occupational Safety and the different risk awareness and risk assessment procedures.
"It will cover the importance and use of Personal Protective Equipment and Signage, as well as when and how to report and record incidents and accidents," Firth said.
Future large-scale training initiatives by the ADUKG-AMG collaboration include: first response training, and pre-hospital care training for medical professionals, paraprofessionals and professionals allied to medicine.
The training session is a result of the recent collaboration between ADUKG and AMG to develop applied research models aimed at addressing critical training requirements in the UAE medical and emergency fields.
The AMG is a leading international provider of clinical practice, research, education and training in evidence-based emergency medicine, tele-health, and pre-hospital care, including health and safety. It aims to establish itself as a centre of excellence, and an accrediting body for the health and safety field within the MENA region.
