Qatar’s project management centre of excellence, the Tafawoq programme, has delivered a high-level safety workshop for engineers who recently joined the Public Works Authority (Ashghal).
The three-day workshop, titled ‘HSSE Leadership,’ brought together 25 engineers to discuss best practices in the field of safety. The workshop emphasised the importance of embracing a safety culture, and touched on the roles and responsibilities of engineers in this regard.
Others topics on the agenda included the impact of internal and external factors on safety performance, and the use of safety tools and observation systems.
Ashghal President Saad bin Ahmad al-Muhannadi noted that the workshop’s objectives fall in line with the institution’s commitment to the development of Qatar.
“Promoting a culture of safety and employee welfare will bolster productivity, which will ultimately fast track the development of major infrastructure projects in Qatar in line with our national vision,” al-Muhannadi said. The workshop comes at an important time for Ashghal, the highest authority in charge of managing Qatar’s major infrastructure projects, as the country undertakes key developments in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Delivered by consultancy firm, JMJ Associates Middle East, the workshop also introduced participants to behaviour-based safety and the benefits of adopting an integral safety model.
Sabu Joseph, managing consultant at JMJ Associates, and Sandy Schreiber, a senior consultant, led the workshop in the presence of Alan Palmer, a partner at the firm.
Tafawoq, which is Arabic for “excellence,” is a partnership initiative between Qatar Shell, Qatar Petroleum, and Hamad Bin Khalifa University.
In addition to providing project management training courses, Tafawoq also hosts custom-tailored workshops to address specific organisational needs. Since its inception in 2012, Tafawoq has graduated close to 1,000 professional students.