18,000 workers beat the heat with Emal's heat stress prevention programme

As the world's largest single-site aluminium smelter complex nears completion at Al Taweelah, EMAL has embarked on an employee education and contractor compliance programme to reduce the risk of heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

Critically, it mandates the provision of electrolyte drinks and fresh fruit to workers to replace body salts and minerals lost through perspiration. Guidelines are also being enforced to ensure the provision of properly shaded lay-down areas.

Reiterating EMAL's value of 'safety first, last and always', CEO Duncan Hedditch said:

"In the searing summer months, employees need more than talk and tips to avoid succumbing to heat stress. It's about going beyond awareness and understanding towards meaningful behaviour change that protects the health and safety of our 18,000 workers on-site"

"Its pleasing that we have been able to prevent all but five cases of heat stress in the last two months", adds Hedditch. "As a mega-project it is vital that we protect the health and wellbeing of the thousands of people employed on our site. We are committed to preserving our safety record, and our productivity, as the mercury rises and we work towards start of operations in April."

According to Yousuf Bastaki, Project Director at EMAL, the health campaign has had a dramatic effect on workers' behaviour: "Today we distributed 18,500 juice drinks to workers: it is imperative that the project management team and the workforce stands side-by-side under the summer sun to remind employees that safety is our number one priority."

EMAL has issued safety bulletins to contractors which outline mandatory requirements to provide workers with rehydration fluids and supplements before they board transport to the site. Visual reminders of the rehydration programme in bus windows serve as easy-to-understand reminders to workers.

Workers and contractors have also participated in health and hygiene audits as part of the EHS campaign. Employees who demonstrate positive health and safety measures and practices on-site benefit from an EHS incentive programme which features recognition badges and phone cards.