International safety accolades for Galfar, including British Safety Council’s Best in Country Award

Galfar Al Misnad and its 'Roads and Infrastructure in Al Wajba East (Package 01)' project, currently being executed for the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), was declared the Best in Country Winner - Qatar at the British Safety Council’s International Safety Awards 2021.

Galfar Al Misnad is one of the 32 distinguished organisations from across the world to be awarded the Best in Country award in the International Safety Awards 2021, in recognition of its commitment to keeping its workers and workplaces healthy and safe during the 2020 calendar year in Qatar, according to a press statement.

“The winners have gone above and beyond in dedicating additional time, resources and commitment to ensuring their work, teams and workplaces remained healthy and safe during 2020 amid a global pandemic,” said Mike Robinson, chief executive of British Safety Council, as he congratulated the Best in Country Winner - Qatar at the International Safety Awards 2021.

This prestigious award comes on the heels of Galfar Al Misnad’s recent receipt of two International Safety Awards in 2021 from the British Safety Council, for the company’s overall safety performance, as well as one with Distinction for the 'Roads and Infrastructure in Al Wajba East Project', being executed for Ashghal.

This is the fifth consecutive year in which Galfar Al Misnad is winning the International Safety Award, and the seventh time overall. Notably, the company has received the award in the Merit category three times, and two times in the Distinction category. In addition, two of Galfar Al Misnad projects have received the award in the Distinction category, the statement notes.

In 2021, 387 organisations won an International Safety Award. They span all sectors and are drawn from the UK, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Some 85 organisations were awarded a Distinction and 155 organisations a Merit, while 147 organisations achieved a Pass. However, only a select number are crowned Best in Country winners.

Galfar Al Misnad recently also won the RoSPA Health & Safety – Silver Award 2021 for their safety performance and HSE initiatives taken during the year 2020 from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), which is a non-profit organisation based in the UK that recognises organisations worldwide for their efforts in health and safety.

“RoSPA is very proud of the achievements of its entrants, and with this award we recognise the best of the best, those organisations that have gone the extra mile, raising the bar for the delivery of safety in the workplace. Employees, wherever they may be should be able to go to work safe in the knowledge that they will return home unharmed and healthy at the end of every day,” explained Julia Small, RoSPA’s achievements director.

This is the first RoSPA award for Galfar Al Misnad. Every year, nearly 2,000 entrants vie to achieve the highest possible accolade in what is the UK’s longest-running H&S industry awards.

“We are very proud of our exemplary performances both at the International Safety Awards and at the RoSPA Awards. These achievements highlight Galfar Al Misnad’s commitment towards our motto: Safety First, Quality Plus, Reliability Ever; and give us even more resolve to live up to the responsibility to maintain and continuously improve our HSE standards in all our operations’’ said Satish G Pillai, executive director of Galfar Al Misnad.

"Galfar Al Misnad has been operating in Qatar for more than 25 years and attributes its consistent performance in global safety awards to the diligent implementation of its comprehensive Health and Safety Management System, which includes a Health & Safety plan and strategy; management programmes to achieve HSE goals; compliance to all applicable legal requirements; welfare compliance programmes; behaviour safety programmes; Health and Safety awareness campaigns and training programmes, including the annual Safe Driving campaign and the recent awareness session on 'Mental Health and Resilience'; regular inspection and audits; and an active Health and Safety review programme. Rewards and recognition are regularly presented to those who uphold HSE values at the organisation; to encourage and motivate employees to imbibe optimal health and safety practices at the workplace," the statement adds.