RIYADH: The importance of meeting security and safety challenges in key industries, including oil and gas, have been highlighted by Saudi High Commission for Industrial Security Secretary General Col. Adel Zayed Al-Otaibi at the opening of a global forum in Riyadh.
The four-day Saudi International Conference for Industrial Safety and loss prevention, being held under the patronage of Interior Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Saud bin Naif, chairman of the HCIS, opened on Sunday at the Ritz Carlton Riyadh.
Al-Otaibi said that the SICIS is being held in line with the important strategic role of the HCIS and its responsibility in supervising petroleum, industrial and service facilities in order to enhance the application of regulations and instructions to preserve the integrity of facilities and prevent loss.
The conference will cover important aspects of industrial safety and loss prevention, especially those relating to key industries such as oil, gas, minerals, petrochemicals and chemicals.
It will also allow organizations to share experiences and help shape perspectives on these important topics in the Kingdom, he added.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Aali Al-Zahrani, VP safety and industrial security at Saudi Aramco, said that the oil giant is proud to be the success partner and co-organizer with the HCIS for the forum, which will give delegates the chance to hear from leaders and professionals about how safety challenges are being met in order to improve the overall performance of their organizations.
Aramco has focused on industrial safety and loss prevention since its founding, he said.
“We hired our first safety engineer in 1940, just two years after oil was discovered. A high level of safety and security has always been a priority.”
Al-Zahrani expressed hopes that the conference will make a significant contribution in industrial safety and loss prevention.
An exhibition organized together with the forum has brought together local and international safety leaders and experts from industry, professional and academic institutions, as well as government organizations.
Programs include keynote speeches, training workshops and panel discussions to discuss the latest trends in industrial safety.
The conference will include sessions on Oct. 4, and technical workshops on Oct. 5 -6.
Post-conference workshops will deal with equipment inspection, health and safety leadership excellence, introduction to incident investigation, contractor safety management, industrial hygiene, and incident response and crisis management.
On successful completion of the course and assessment, candidates will be awarded with certificates.
Along with Saudi Aramco as co-organizer for the event, strategic partners include Saudi Electricity Company, SABIC, SWCC, platinum partners Maaden, and diamond partners Tasnee, GASCO, Sipchem, Advanced and Petromin.
Speaking to Arab News, Khaled Sulaiman, director safety at Maaden, said: “This is a very important conference which reflects how the Kingdom’s leadership is working to improve safety and prevent accidents.”
He added: “At Maaden, we believe that taking part in the conference reflects our commitment to safety and loss prevention, as well as sharing knowledge and exchange of expertise.”
