Health Authority Abu Dhabi Occupational and Environmental Health Section & The Safety in the Heat Programme Darren Joubert Occupational and Environmental Health Public Health & Research Dept.
Health Authority Abu Dhabi 1
OEH - Mission and Vision Mission To promote and protect the health and safety of the people in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in workplaces and other environments, e.g. home, school, on the roads Vision To reduce the burden of occupational and environmental related diseases, injuries, disabilities and deaths in AD Emirate to a level ALARP. 7/7/2011 2
OEH Section Strategy Strategy and objectives Increasing the quality and relevance of OEH data and surveillance systems Increase awareness, knowledge, skills and capacities for OEHS issues through targeted health promotion and awareness campaigns and programs Development of OEHS policies, standards, guidelines and protocols Support of relevant scientific applied research Building partnerships and collaborating with all relevant stakeholders 7/7/2011 3
OEH Section Existing Org Chart HAAD HQ Manager PHR Section Head OEH Sr. Officer OEH Sr. Officer OEH Sr. Officer OEH (IPC) OEH Regional Team Sr. Rg. Officer OEH Rg. Officer OEH IMR Rg. Officer OEH EMR Rg. Officer OEH WMR 4
HAAD OEH Target Groups AD Community at large Companies, students, road users, individuals at risk,.. External stakeholders Health Sector HCFs: Hospitals, clinics, centers, etc. Health care workers, patients, visitors, contractors HAAD Management, staff, visitors, contractors Abu Dhabi Emirate Health Sector HAAD 7/7/2011 5
Abu Dhabi Emirate Key OEH Activities on Emirate level (examples) Area 1: Data, Epidemiology & Research Activity - Scientific evaluation of TWL as a new index for heat stress, to be used for management of heat-related illness - In-Depth Crash Investigation Research Project (RTTSRC UAE University) Status Done, reports available Started 4/2008, on track, annual reports - KAPB road safety survey Done (12/2008), report available - Fatal injury statistics Ongoing, since 2007 - Hospital-based injury surveillance system Draft electronic system developed and pilot tested 6
Abu Dhabi Emirate Key OEH Activities on Emirate level Area 2: OEHS Health Promotion, Education & Awareness Activity Safety In The Heat program Prevention of Falls and Falling Objects program Status Introduced 2009, repeated annually, to be written into new EHSMS CoPs for 2011 Development currently underway OHS booklet for small and medium companies DRIVE SAFE SAFE LIVES Road Safety Awareness campaign Final draft developed looking for sponsorship for printing and distribution 2009 focus: Seat belt use, speeding 2010 focus: Childhood traffic safety, car seats 7/7/2011 7
Injury Deaths 2010, Abu Dhabi Emirate Suicide 8% Occupational RTI, 5% Drowning 2% Home 4% Other 4% Fatal Injuries, Abu Dhabi, 2010 Road Traffic Injury (RTI) Occupational Injury Occupational RTI Occupational Injury 14% Road Traffic Injury (RTI), 63% Suicide Home Drowning Other = 96.3 Fatal Occupational Injuries per Year (4 year average) 2010 2009 2008 2007 Road Traffic Injury (RTI) 350 430 422 427 Occupational Injury 75 82 68 66 Occupational RTI 26 26 8 34 Suicide 42 51 66 39 Home Injury 21 57 34 10 Drowning 14 13 13 22 Other 23 21 12 23 Total 551 680 623 621 8
Causes of Fatal Occupational Injuries Abu Dhabi Emirate Suffocation, 3% Poisoning, 0% Fire/flame, hot substance, 5% Drowning, 3% Machinery, 1% Electricity, 4% Other, 4% 2008-2010 Falls & Falling Objects, 50% Road Traffic & other transport 29% Cause Of Fatal Occupational Injury 2010 2009 2008 Falls & Falling Objects 51 47 41 Road Traffic & other transport 29 29 12 Electricity 4 12 6 Machinery 1 6 1 Drowning/Submersion 3 4 1 Fire/flame or hot substance 5 3 2 Suffocation 3 3 3 Poisoning 0 1 1 Natural Environment (e.g. Heat 1 0 0 Stress) Other 4 2 9 Total 101 107 9 76
HAAD Height Aware Programme Currently under development Proposed launch last quarter 2011 Based on Buildsafe UAE Best practice guidelines for working at heights (2009)and Abu Dhabi draft EHSMS CoPs for WAH, Scaffolding, Ladders, Barricading etc (2011) Will be multilingual and targeted at HSE Personnel, Supervisors and workers who work at heights Multi-resource including posters, pamphlets, videos, website etc
Non-Fatal Injury Surveillance One of HAAD Public Health s top 10 PH priorities To prevent and control/reduce injuries in Abu Dhabi Emirate Why Injury Surveillance? Enables definition of the extent and nature of the problem (burden of disease/epidemiology) Incidence, geographic & demographic characteristics, risk factors, patterns/trends, PPV, Provides rationale for support from funders/stakeholders Provides information that facilitates development and implementation of (public health) interventions July 7, 2011 Injury Surveillance enables measurement of success (KPI) in reducing/preventing injuries Baseline and follow-up information, trends over time 11
Statistics for Prevention
Health Sector Key OEH Activities on Health Sector Level (examples) Activity Status Health Sector EHS Management System - EHSMS Policy and Standards (n=20) Completed and Approved - Creation of HAAD EHSMS Unit/Center: Planning phase - Notification and registration of HCFs Electronic registration system currently under development - Awareness, education and training sessions for HCF HSE staff and management Underway and Planned - EHSMS audit/inspection of HCFs Planned 14
EHSMS HAAD s Roles and Responsibilities Abu Dhabi Executive Council HAAD Chairman is member of Executive Council EHS Higher Committee HAAD CEO is member of EHS Higher Committee Competent Authority (Abu Dhabi EHS Center) HAAD is SRA for the Health Sector Sector Regulatory Authorities ( SRAs ) Nominated Government Entities (24) plus other identified Entities Energy (ADWEA) Transport (DOT) Tourism (ADTA) Constructio n (DMA) Nominated Entities Industry (ZonesCorp) Health (HAAD) Waste (WMC AD) Including HAAD For the Health Sector these are the Nominated Healthcare Providers, i.e. initially 33 Public and Private Hospitals 15
HAAD HSE Dept. New Org Chart DirPHP Manager HSE Dept. Admin Assist. Section Head OEH Section Head Health Sector EHSMS Sr. Officer OEH (OH) Sr. Officer OEH (EH) Sr. Officer OEH (IP) Sr. Officer HAAD EHS Sr. Officer EHSMS Sr. Auditor EHSMS Sr. Lab Technician Sr. Rg. Officer IMR Rg. Officer IMR Sr. Rg. Officer EMR Rg. Officer EMR Sr. Rg. Officer WMR OEH Team Sr. Officer EHSMS Sr. Auditor EHSMS Sr. Auditor EHSMS Sr. Lab Technician EHSMS Unit Existing positions New positions N=20 positions 16
HAAD Key OEH Activities on HAAD Level (examples) Activity Status HAAD Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety Task Force HAAD Fire Safety and Emergency Evacuation Procedures (audit, plans & procedures, drills, fire marshals, exit gates, etc.) Internal incident and injury reporting system HAAD EHSMS Policy and Standards Healthy HAAD initiative HAAD OEHS Management System accreditation (ISO 14001, BS OSHAS 18001) Established and meets regularly Underway (partnering with AD Police, Fire Brigade, Civil Defense, Quick Intervention & Technical Rescue) Procedures and forms drafted, to be implemented Developed and approved Supporting PHPr initiative Planned 17
Health Authority Abu Dhabi The Safety in the Heat Programme Overview
From Research to Public Health Practice Example: Heat Related Illness Rationale Outdoor workers in Abu Dhabi are exposed to significant heat stress in the summer months Lack of practical awareness among employers, supervisors and HSE personnel of risk factors and precautions Resulting in heat illness, heat stroke and sometimes fatalities Phased Approach Initial two year research phase Refinement and validation of TWL heat stress index Development of Media and Health Promotion materials Based on research conducted in the UAE Pilot phase Full implementation across relevant industries Final Program Evaluation (online survey) 19
Aim of the programme: To raise awareness of the dangers of heat exposure amongst the target groups and prevention and; provide support and health promotion materials to raise awareness of the issue, increase education and training Support the EHSMS Sector Regulatory Authorities and Entities and the Ministry of Labour summer initiatives
The programme so far. Launched on the 20 th May 2009 in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour Was evaluated in 2010 and some amendments to the graphics and style were made and additional resources added such as different language materials and Ramadan posters Has been re-launched for summer 2011 Is to become part of the Abu Dhabi EHSMS regulatory framework
Target groups Primary target audience: Health and Safety Personnel in all Industrial sectors Secondary target audiences: Employers, CEO s, Business Owners, Supervisors ; Heat exposed workers from different language groups Large and small companies
Programme Reach in 2009 Programme Reach 2009 465 Companies, employing: 815,000 Heat-exposed workers 4,500 worksites 1,800 labor residences Health Promotion Materials Distributed > 600 Mailings to employers 13,000 Posters 36,000 Illustrated pamphlets 27,000 Supervisors pamphlets 640 Technical information packs Procedure & Training Manual Technical information sheets CD and awareness Video (DVD) 100 Roll-Up banners 92 Branded coolers Web-site 23
Reduction in Heat Illness - examples Company Percentage decrease Rate 2008 vs. 2009 A n = 1371 workers 79.5% decrease in heat related treatment and emergency cases 15.3 vs. 1.16 cases/1000 workers over two months in summer B 51 million man hours worked in 2009 50% reduction in serious heat illness cases 0.08 to 0.04 cases/100,000 work hours
What is available? All registered companies from anywhere can download all materials free of charge of the website and print their own copies All Abu Dhabi companies are able to collect free materials from HAAD in hardcopy Materials includes information for HSE professionals, supervisors and workers including posters and pamphlets
Wide range of resources available.
TWL A new Heat Stress Index Input Dry Bulb/ambient air Temperatur ( C) Wet Bulb Temp. (humidity/evaporation rate, C) Globe Temp. (radiant heat) Wind speed (m/s) Output Thermal Work Limit (TWL, W/m 2 ) = Maximum rate at which heat can be lost to the environment in the given conditions 27
Measurement
Online TWL calculator
HAAD Safety in the Heat Program 2009 Am J Public Health, March 2011 30
More Information www.haad-safe.ae www.ar.haad-safe.ae
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Other Free Resources Available
3,017+ cases of heat-related illness seen at HCFs in Abu Dhabi Emirate, 2010 3500 3000 Heat Related Illness Cases 3017 2500 2000 2025 1500 Heat Related Illness 1000 829 500 122 88 0 HEAT HEAT STROKE EXHAUSTION HEAT SYNCOPE PRICKLY HEAT TOTAL
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