PCFC launches "Safe Hands... Safe Repairs" Campaign to enhance Health and Safety Standards in the Ship Repair Sector

The Department of Planning and Development - Trakhees at the Ports, Customs, and Free Zone Corporation has launched the "Safe Hands...Safe Repairs" campaign to promote awareness and compliance with the highest health and environmental safety standards in the ship repair sector. The initiative includes a meeting bringing together ship industry leaders to provide essential guidance and instructions.

The campaign aims to explain best practices for ensuring the safety of workers in this vital sector and protecting the marine environment in Dubai. It features several innovative activities, including the creation of a digital platform containing all official documents and educational resources for sector workers, and strategic work sessions with ship industry leaders to discuss the latest health, safety, and environmental requirements and developments. During these sessions, attended by 200 workers, presentations highlighted crucial standards and regulations that the sector and its workforce must adhere to.

Eng. Abdulla Belhoul, CEO of the Department Planning and Development - Trakhees, stated that the "Safe Hands... Safe Repairs" campaign, launched by the Environment, Health and Safety Department at Trakhees, aligns with the UAE's National Occupational Health and Safety Management System Standard. The campaign aims to reduce risks to worker safety, ensure a safe and healthy work environment, and enhance the institution's reputation as a leader in the global maritime infrastructure sector. It is designed to safeguard approximately 20,000 workers in the ship repair sector in Dubai and around 30 specialized shipbuilding and repair companies in the emirate.

The campaign includes discussions on current and future challenges and reviews best practices to ensure worker safety. It also features a digital platform that includes all official documents and educational resources, providing detailed explanations of environmental, health, and safety requirements for ship repair workers, facilitating access to vital information, and comprehensive understanding of updated guidelines from anywhere, at any time.

The CEO of Trakhees emphasized the Department's commitment to providing best practices and guidance to ensure that the ship repair sector in Dubai meets the highest quality and safety standards. The importance of personal protective equipment, training workers on handling common hazards such as chemical exposure, and conducting regular medical examinations is stressed to reduce accident and injury rates. The ship repair sector in Dubai has seen a 95% reduction in accidents over the past five years, and the department aims to maintain a 0% accident rate in the near future with continuous monitoring and training. This effort enhances Dubai's status as a leading global maritime center that prioritizes worker safety and marine environmental protection.

Belhoul concluded that the campaign is part of the department's ongoing commitment to enhancing safety culture in the sectors it oversees. It aims to raise awareness of health and environmental safety requirements in the ship repair sector, reduce accident rates, improve compliance with international standards, minimize environmental pollution, and provide necessary training and continuous awareness for workers and companies, enabling all parties to take preventive measures. This will create a safe working environment that contributes to the growth of this vital sector in Dubai.