Safety and Health Agenda

Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher, CEO | IOSH

What if, no matter where you worked in the world, there were minimum standards for workplace safety and health to protect you? What if agreed principles focused on reducing harm as a priority? This presentation looks at the challenges and opportunities the future world of work holds and what this could mean for you and the OSH profession.

Kelly Nicoll, President | IOSH

Dr. Naseem Mohammed Rafee, Acting CEO of EHS Agency | Dubai Municipality

Join us for an exciting exploration of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the construction industry. Through engaging case studies and real-world examples, you will gain a deep understanding of the tangible benefits and current challenges of integrating AI into construction.

Prakash Senghani, CEO | Navatech

Majed Abdelaziz Al Khamiri, Acting Head of Preventive Systems Section | Sharjah Prevention and Safety Authority (SPSA)

Join IOSH President Kelly Nicoll and a panel of Health and Safety leading industry experts as they explore the future of Occupational Health and Safety. This dynamic panel will explore among other things:

• What key challenges do they foresee in the OHS profession in Middle East?
• What does the future of the OSH profession look like?

Moderator:

Kelly Nicoll, President | IOSH

Panelists:

• Venkatesan Kulandaivelu, Lead HSE Compliance |Saudi Aramco & Chair | IOSH Qatar Branch
• Ahmed Elidrisy, Chief Sustainability & HSE Officer | Qatar Freezones Authority
• Devya Ashok, Former Health & Safety Specialist | Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy
• Muhammad Aamir, Group Head of QHSE | Gulf Cryo LLC

• A strategic approach to enhancing workplace safety through stakeholder engagement, clear communication, and teamwork.
• Discover practical methods and tools to integrate the 3 Cs, creating a holistic safety culture that reduces risks and improves overall safety performance.
• Learn actionable steps to overcome common challenges and implement effective safety strategies in your organization.

Neelesh Sogani, Chair | IOSH Oman Branch, RoSPA Regional Ambassador-Oman, General Manager-HSE Angel Investor

With sustainability becoming more of a priority, we will delve into the human, social, economic and environmental pillars of sustainable development for an organisation.

Dr Saleh will look at identifying and monitoring sustainability initiatives while integrating sustainable development into core planning and business management.

• Human, Social, Economic & Environment pillar for Sustainable Development of an Organization.
• Identification of Sustainability initiatives on each pillar and setting objectives to monitor the performance of the initiatives.
• Ensuring sustainability whilst making business decisions and during the operations.
• Integration of sustainable development into core planning and business management process.

Dr. Saleh Ali Albalushi, Vice President Health, Safety and Environment | Dry Docks World

Join IOSH President Kelly Nicoll as we explore mental health and wellbeing in the middle east. We will be joined by a panel of leading experts drawn from corporate, Association (organisation) and medical sectors. We will address among other things:

• What are the challenges in terms of the mental health and wellbeing in the Middle East?
• Are there any initiatives created by Governments and governing bodies in terms of dealing with mental health and wellbeing?
• What are the expectations from individual organisations in developing a specific action, plan or roadmap to deal with these mental health challenges?

Moderator:

Kelly Nicoll, President | IOSH

Panellists:

• Humaid Mohamed Yousuf Al Bulushi, General Manager Health, Safety, Environment, and Standardization | Oman Energy Association (OPAL)
• Dr Farah Ahmed, Founder and Clinical Lead | Noor Corporate Health Solutions, Non-resident Fellow MBR School of Government, GP/Corporate Wellness Consultant Medi Sense Clinic
• Tina Balachandran, Co-Founder & Clinical Director | Flourishing Minds Clinic
• Dr. Zuleykha Rasulova, Manager, Occupational Health & Environment | ADNOC Onshore (Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations)  

This session will explore how defining professional competence in the changing world of work can provide a quality assured framework for recognition, professional development and accreditation.

Dr. Veera Kumar Mohan, Internal Quality Assurance Specialist – HSE | Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute

• Discuss the importance of the safety culture and why it is crucial
• The challenges facing having a Safety Culture in the power sector
• The leadership and employees' responsibilities to achieve a safety culture

Ahmed Al-Mamari, Operational Safety Expert | Oman Electrical Transmission Company

Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher, CEO | IOSH

Michail Kandarakis, Technical Specialist for Labour Inspection | ILO

• What is safety leadership based on cutting-edge research
• How to operationalize safety leadership to drive HSE & business improvements
• Case studies of leaders that have leveraged safety leadership

Islam Adra, Vice President – HSE | DP World

Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher, CEO | IOSH

Dee Arp, Chief Quality Officer | NEBOSH

Getting leadership buy in and commitment to health and safety initiatives is a common challenge for many safety professionals. In this session Andy will explore the importance of strong communication skills and how to connect with the CEO and other C-suite leaders. Preparation, understanding their perspective, and being aware of common mistakes so you can avoid them will all contribute to speaking the right language and getting everyone on the same page.

Andy Shenstone, Chief Executive Officer | NEBOSH

In this session Dr Waddah Ghanem Al Hashmi will cover: -

• Federal Committee for Occupational Safety and Health developments since 2018
• The UAE Standard UAE/.S.5052:2022 Governance and Leadership Requirements for Occupational Safety and Health
• The roles and responsibilities of Non-Executive Directors and Executive Leadership in the context of “Top Management” – delegating responsibilities and retaining accountabilities.
• The work that has taken place so far with the WG9/TC283 responsible for the development of the ISO 45009

Dr. Waddah S Ghanem Al Hashmi, Senior Director | ENOC & Chairman | Federal Occupational Health and Safety Committee

This presentation introduces the Occupational Health and Safety Body of Knowledge (OHS BoK), a comprehensive resource designed to support OHS professionals, educators, and students. Developed through rigorous consultation and collaboration with industry experts, the OHS BoK offers evidence-based knowledge and practical frameworks for addressing workplace safety and health challenges.

The session highlights the OHS BoK’s evolution across three editions, reflecting its adaptability to emerging issues and global contexts. Key topics include its principles, target audience, and the development of supporting resources such as training programs and field guides. Special focus is given to the third edition's themes, including psychological hazards, technology, and ESG considerations, demonstrating its relevance to modern workplaces.

Participants are encouraged to explore the OHS BoK, engage in its ongoing development, and contribute to shaping its future direction as a globally relevant resource for the OHS community.

Dr. Marilyn Hubner, OHS Body of Knowledge Manager | Australian Institute of Health & Safety

Risk management is essential to the sustainability of any organisation. When we talk about sustainability at IIRSM, we mean adopting a holistic approach through which organisations can drive meaningful change, achieve sustainable growth and contribute positively to society and the environment. Learn more about the good practice driven by our members and partners and how to make holistic decisions that create value for people and society and your organisation.

Phillip Pearson, Chief Executive Officer | IIRSM

In 2025 we will be at the beginning of year 4 of the Global Plan developed by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Regional Commissions, in cooperation with partners in the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration and other stakeholders. This session will demonstrate how the plan has been used to support the implementation of the Decade of Action 2021–2030 and its objectives.

Through sharing insights into what works and the importance of taking ownership of road safety issues at a personal, organisational and societal level this session will help delegates understand the difference they can make through managing road safety related risk as any other risk to their organisation.

• A safe systems approach to road safety
• What to do? How to do it? Who to do it?
• Getting road safety right in your supply chain
• A whole country approach

Dr. Karen McDonnell, Head of Global Relations | RoSPA
Eugene Mayne, Founder & CEO | Tristar Group

Communication plays a vital role in implementing and enhancing an organization’s HSE culture. In a multicultural and multilingual society, it is not always easy to communicate HSE or other messages. Innovative approaches can help to ensure behavioral-based compliance, as demonstrated by the SmartHSE initiative.

Sabooh will explain how this initiative successfully used a range of innovative approaches including the following to communicate the requirements for a sound HSE culture: -

• Electronic Display Screens (EDS)
• HSE Walls
• HSE Point System

Sabooh Asghar, Senior HSEQ Professional

Now, and in the organisations of the future, cultural intelligence capabilities will be critical. Even the most homogenous of organisations are still diverse, formed of people with different backgrounds, experiences and beliefs, all built on their figured world. Health and safety practitioners who have high levels of cultural intelligence can influence improved outcomes and become a value-add resource to an organisation. We take a tour of discovery through the four components of the CQ® framework which are Motivation, Cognition, Meta Cognition and Behaviour. We will define 10 cultural clusters and review the associated cultural values to better understand what drives individual decision making.

Greg Dearsly, Board Member | International Network of Safety & Health Professional Organisations

The protective clothing market plays a crucial role in the textile industry, driven by its growing significance in enhancing user health and safety. As demand for higher-performance protective clothing increases, so does the focus on the sustainability of these products. The environmental impact of protective textiles is being scrutinized more closely, with growing attention on reducing their carbon footprint and improving overall sustainability.

Advancements in fiber technologies are making a significant contribution to making more durable protective clothing with lower environmental impact. An example is in dope-dyed modacrylic fibers, where color pigments are incorporated directly into the fiber before the extrusion process, drastically reducing water consumption—up to 92% less than conventional dyeing methods. This innovative approach also improves color retention, even under prolonged exposure to heat and light, resulting in more durable products with a reduced environmental impact.

Dope-dyed modacrylic fibers have more than 50 industrial washing cycle performances according to ISO 15797. By integrating these sustainable practices, the textile industry can produce protective clothing that not only meets rigorous performance standards but also contributes to minimizing the ecological footprint of its production.

Bahadır Kaya, Performance Fiber Manager | AKSA Akrilik A.Ş.

It is important for us to understand the key differentiators including core purpose and regulations but equally important is understanding their overlapping similarities. How does HSE fit into the larger picture of ESG? How vital is the role of HSE practitioners in helping organisations embrace ESG? Our Panel will discuss these questions in an interactive session.

Moderator
Dr. Waddah S Ghanem Al Hashmi, Senior Director| ENOC & Chairman | Federal Occupational Health and Safety Committee

Panelists:

• Dee Arp, Chief Quality Officer | NEBOSH & President Elect | INSHPO
• Nathan Winter, Managing Director | Nathan Winter & Associates & President | INSHPO
• Dr. Hadi Al Badi, Director, QHSE, ESG, ERM & BCM| Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company)
• Dr. Marilyn Hubner, OHS Body of Knowledge Manager | Australian Institute of Health & Safety
• Ahmad Ghamdi, VP - Health, Safety and Environment | International Maritime Industries

Human Factors and Human Performance thinking have many similarities. Both strive to reduce human error in the workplace, and both advocate a “blame free” philosophy. In this session, Larry Wilson will explore these similarities in more detail before considering where the two approaches differ. Larry will demonstrate how despite these differences, the two approaches complement each other, and when applied together can create favourable outcomes much faster because one improves the system (outside-in) and the other improves the individual (inside-out).

Larry Wilson, Author/Founder | SafeStart

Dr. Emad Elshaer, HSE Management Professional

Larry Wilson, Author/Founder | SafeStart

Dee Arp, Chief Quality Officer | NEBOSH