Doha conference to focus on occupational safety and health

The Occupational Safety and Health Conference will be held at Sheraton Doha on April 29 under the patronage of HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs Dr Issa Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi. This was announced by the Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting (Goic) and Hawkama PR Centre at a press conference in Doha yesterday morning.Present on the occasion were Mohamed Ali al-Meer, director of the Inspection Department at the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA), and Dr Ali Hamid al-Mulla, assistant secretary-general for Goic, Industrial Projects Sector. Also in attendance were a number of officials from the ministry, Goic and Hawkama Centre, as well as representatives of several companies and corporations sponsoring the conference. These included the Primary Health Care Corporation — main sponsor, Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco)— golden sponsor, the Islamic Da’wa Organisation — silver sponsor, and Aspire Logistics — silver sponsor.Addressing the press meet, al-Meer stressed that the MADLSA considered the occupational safety and health of workers as part of its key agenda. He noted that the labour law obliged all establishments to implement preventive measures to ensure occupational safety and health in all workplaces and provide a healthy working environment. These measures pertained to lighting, ventilation, potable water and dust, among others, as well as necessary precautions against fire. He further said the law obliged companies and establishments to ensure suitable measures to protect workers’ health.  In order to implement these conditions, the ministry increased the number of inspectors and engineers, al-Meer said, adding that the department concerned carried out inspection tours to ensure compliance and monitor violations.Dr al-Mulla said the conference fell 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.