Environmental training in Abu Dhabi

Australian company delivers the workshops

An Australian environmental management consultancy is playing an integral role in a major overhaul of the Abu Dhabi tourism, construction and transport industries.

Newcastle-based Graham A Brown & Associates (GABA) is helping companies in the Middle Eastern country to implement environment, health and safety management systems (EHSMS).

A training workshop in early July attracted representatives from the hotel, tourism and leisure, building and construction, and transport industries. The training focuses on improving environment, health and safety management by addressing issues such as environmental auditing, risk management, waste and hazardous materials.

The training is an integral part of a new Environmental Health and Safety Decree by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Executive Council, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The EHS Decree 42, issued on 16 June 2009, aims to protect the environment and human health as well as improve safety in the workplace.

GABA is working with Dubai-based sustainability advisory company 7th Sense to deliver the workshops. Topics include environmental legislation, government requirements, guidelines for quality and environmental management systems, environmental audits, environmental risk assessment and ecosystem principles.

GABA comprises a team of consultants with extensive industrial and commercial experience in the environmental industry, who are certified auditors in Australia, the UK and the US. As well as being experienced facilitators and trainers, the company has completed more than 200 environmental audits internationally.

The company will return to Abu Dhabi in November for a second round of sessions, and will also run sessions in early 2011. GABA director Graham Brown said 25 key industry representatives were part of the first five-day training workshop in early July.

7th Sense managing director Ibrahim Awad, who is based in Dubai, said the tourism industry had been a stand-out in embracing the EHSMS. The tourism industry, through the Abu Dhabi Green Hotels Program, aims to position Abu Dhabi as a world leader in sustainability. The program covers 116 hotels and hotel apartments in Abu Dhabi and sets 10% energy, 20% water and 20% waste reduction targets for 2010. It aims to reduce Abu Dhabi hotels’ energy, water and waste in line with the world’s greenest hotels.