ENOC forum in Fujairah calls for collective approach in safety and emergency response

The two-day 'Oil Industry Fire Safety Forum', held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamed Bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, was organised by ENOC in association with VOPAK-Horizon Fujairah Limited (VHFL), Fujairah Civil Defence and the Fire Safety engineering College in Oman. It was opened by Sheikh Hamad bin Saif Al Sharqi, Deputy Ruler of Fujairah.

Commenting on ENOC's involvement in the conference, Saeed Abdullah Khoory, ENOC Group Chief Executive, said, "ENOC has always incorporated the most advanced practices in safety and environmental protection into every aspect of its operations. I strongly believe that this joint Fire Safety Conference, whilst promoting the setting up of a Mutual Aid organisation for Fujairah, will help deliver the message that safety is a collective responsibility that extends beyond the workforce."

Addressing the forum, Saif Humaid Al Falasi, ENOC Group General Manager, said the remarkable industrial growth in Fujairah and the UAE called for better preparedness and precaution against fire incidents.

"Fire incidents can have catastrophic consequences on people, environment, oil companies and the economy. As a leading company supporting the development of the UAE economy, ENOC is keen to actively participate in the efforts to ensure occupational health and safety and protect the environment," Al Falasi added.

The proposed technical committee will study incidents in oil facilities world over, as well as lessons learnt from such incidents. The committee will also set up a mechanism for the Fujairah Civil Defence to verify and approve the safety measures and emergency response plans in upcoming projects in Fujairah.

Other recommendations of the forum include: requesting oil companies in Fujairah to provide Civil Defence with their emergency plans and organise regular fire drills; requesting oil companies to study and evaluate operational risks against their emergency response planning; requesting oil companies and other industrial establishments to conduct joint drills; and requesting insurance companies to insist on compliance certificates from Fujairah Civil Defence for providing coverage to oil companies. Insurance companies must also provide Civil Defence with a report of their Risk Assessment Study done for oil companies, the forum suggested.

In the press conference, Major General Mohammad Bin Kardous Al Amry of Fujairah Civil Defence and Eng. Waddah Ghanem of ENOC reinforced that fire protection and prevention is a national duty. They highlighted the importance of building facilities to world-class codes and standards to prevent fires and if ever fires occur, to limit the spread and subsequent impact on people, facilities, and the environment.

"Fujairah's strategic sea port and reputation as a bunkering hub has led to various oil companies establishing storage facilities here. This has posed a big challenge to Fujairah Civil Defence and we see forums like this as a great opportunity to enhance our capabilities in providing safety and security to UAE residents," said Ali Al Taneeji, Manager, Fujairah Civil Defence.

"At VHFL we have world-class standards in systems and infrastructure. We also train our people and conduct extensive drills with the help of Civil Defence and the ENOC Group Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) department to prepare for the unexpected. But the recurrent fire incidents we saw in the past few months in the UAE tell us that all this may not be enough and that we have to be prepared for the worst. A mutual aid society in Fujairah is hence an imperative and we are delighted that this forum has proposed an outline for such a society," added Walter Moone, General Manager of VHFL.

The conference also discussed the development of facilities and training of staff to ensure quick and effective response to fire incidents. By pooling their resources into a mutual aid mechanism, industrial establishments can have better guarantees against hazards, which local or facility-based responses may not be able to contain.