A survey of leaders in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has revealed that an overwhelming amount believe that identifying worker protection against injury and ill health is crucial in safeuarding a businesses reputation and maintain success
Nine out of ten senior managers that are currently operating with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) believe that investment in health and safety is critical to business success. This is according to a survey conducted on behalf of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
The survey asked 250 decision-makers in the GCC how much value they place on health and safety in the workplace. 85 per cent of these interviewees see health and safety as a top priority at board level. Furthermore, 88 per cent of these decision-makers believe that all emplyees have a arole to play in preventing workplace accidents and ill health, not just health and safety specialists.
Ahmed El Hadidi, Chair of IOSH’s UAE Branch, said: “When people go to work, they should do so in the knowledge they will return home without their safety or health being put at risk. With that in mind, it is very encouraging that the IOSH survey has shown the majority of organisations view health and safety as an important business function.”
“It is also good to see they recognise health and safety as everyone’s responsibility. Employees play a vital role. If they see something which is unsafe, they have a responsibility to rectify it, provided it is safe to do so, and they are knowledgeable and competent enough to make that decision. Otherwise, they should report it”, added El Hadidi.
The survey questioned senior managers in nine industries: construction, oil and gas, education, sport, healthcare, finance, transport, technology and hospitality. The managers were based in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
