More than 200 staff members of Cylingas, a subsidiary of Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), attended a ‘Heat Stress Awareness Campaign’ organised by ENOC’s Occupational Health Clinic and led by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) Public Health & Safety Department at the Cylingas premises in Dubai.

Organised annually by ENOC’s Occupational Health Clinic, the campaign aims to strengthen awareness among staff members on the adverse impact of the harsh outdoor working environment during summer, and measures to avoid and overcome heat stress.

Dr. Wasif M. Alam, Managing Director, Public Health & Safety Department of DHA conducted the special training session that recommended various steps to combat heat stress including wearing cotton clothing, wearing hats and applying sunscreen lotion, in addition to maintaining proper hydration by drinking small amounts of water frequently.

Raed Ali El Sheikh, General Manager, Cylingas, said: “One of the key concerns faced by people who are engaged in outdoor work during summer months is the adverse effect of the summer heat. With a systematic heat stress management plan in place, Cylingas has recorded no heat stress cases in the past three years, since ENOC acquired its operations.

“Cylingas is committed to the health, safety and welfare of its employees, partner companies and clients, and we are thankful to Dubai Health Authority and the ENOC Occupancy Health Clinic for organising the awareness campaign, which further strengthens our focus on addressing heat stress effectively.”

Waddah Ghanem, Director of EHSQ, ENOC, said: “ENOC’s heat stress awareness campaign is one of several initiatives we conduct annually in our overall approach to promoting the health and safety of our staff members. The campaign led by DHA covered all pertinent points related to heat stress management, and presented a total overview on how to avoid and minimise the effect of heat stress. We will continue to focus on initiatives that will enhance the welfare of our employees.”

Over the past three years, Cylingas has undertaken several prestigious projects with a commendable safety track-record. The heat stress awareness campaign is part of concerted safety initiatives that the company undertakes with the support of ENOC GEHSQ.

The UAE has enforced mandatory summer breaks to promote the welfare of workers involved in outdoor projects. ENOC’s campaign supports the nation’s focus on introducing best practices in the work environment.