National Campaign For Safety Of Life And Property During Filling Fuel In Gas Stations Launches

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 15th Jun, 2021) The Joint Committee for Security and Safety, represented by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the General Command of Civil Defense at the Ministry of Interior, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company "ADNOC", the Emirates General Petroleum Corporation "Emarat" and the Emirates National Oil Company "ENOC", launched its national awareness campaign under the slogan "Commit...Get Protected".

The campaign is which is part of the Committee's qualitative initiatives to raise awareness of fuel stations users in UAE of the safety and security indicators and the correct methods and conduct to be followed at service stations, especially during the process of filling vehicles with fuel to protect their safety, and the safety of the service providers.

The campaign, which embodies the strategy of UAE and the vision of the leadership in raising the rate of security and safety in society, and protecting the lives of individuals who are the focus of sustainable development, aims to reduce the risks and damages that may result from the wrong practices during filling fuel such as smoking, using electronic devices or ignoring any leakage or Vehicle malfunction, opening the hood of the vehicle, or moving without making sure that the vehicle refueling process is complete.

Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for Energy and Petroleum Affairs, said: "The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure is working in cooperation with its strategic partners to consolidate the UAE’s position as one of the best safe and secure countries in the world in line with the UAE’s vision for the next fifty years, which aims to ensure the quality and safety of community members, and promoting of the sustainable development, of which the human element is one of its pillars".

He added: "The importance of the campaign lies in its main role in informing the various segments of society about the principles of safety and prevention of risks and accidents resulting from the wrong behaviors while using the filling stations, the non-compliance with the instructions and advices, as the result of the fact that these stations contain many highly flammable liquids, which requires all vehicle drivers or visitors to mini-markets located in these stations to abide by their precautionary responsibilities to reduce risks, in addition to the responsible authorities taking the strict measures and the necessary procedures to achieve this goal.

For his part, Major General Dr. Jassim Mohammed Al Marzouqi, Commander-in-Chief of Civil Defense at the Ministry of Interior, affirmed the keenness of the General Command of Civil Defence to enhance cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure to contribute to the implementation of preventive measures at gas stations to protect the lives and properties; and the need to ensure the efficiency of the safety and security equipment, the prevention and public safety at gas stations in order to deal with potential emergencies and ensure the safety of workers and customers alike and protect them from injuries resulting from risks and accidents that are expected to occur.

He stressed that the General Command of Civil Defence places the priority of "safety at gas stations" among its main campaigns in the civil defence awareness plan, with the aim of achieving the highest levels of safety and security in the setting of gas stations spread throughout the country, and by providing support for the application and observance of the general prevention measures and taking the necessary procedures to create a safe work environment, which requires strict measures to implement all the safety rules and guidelines.

He explained that the Civil Defence issued a list of conditions for security, safety and fire prevention, and the means of protection that must be provided at gas stations, including the need to ensure the presence of all firefighting devices and equipment, and to place them in easily accessible places that include foam extinguishing pumps for petroleum fire, and carbon pumps for fires of vehicles and electrical fires with periodic verification of their validity, in addition to informing gas station workers of the security and safety rules, and training them on firefighting operations in case of fires as a first responder through training courses supervised by the Civil Defense.

He also emphasised the need to stop the car engine while refueling, refraining from smoking completely inside the gas stations, and placing warning signs inside the stations in this regard.

Ensuring the health and safety of our employees, customers and facilities is our top priority, and there is no limit to our ambition in terms of safety, as we constantly work to improve current security procedures and systems.

We have paid great attention to implementing the best international standards in the field of health Safety and the environment in all our operations to protect our customers, our community and our properties." He added: "We are pleased to participate in this campaign, which aims to educate our customers about the dangers of wrong practices at gas stations, in the belief that safety at stations is a shared responsibility of all".

Engineer Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, Director General of Emirates General Petroleum Corporation Emarat, emphasised that the policy pursued by Emarat attaches the utmost importance to the safety of all individuals and the preservation of the environment according to the Emarat rules and the principles of professional practices, the Federal and international laws, and the best practices. This policy is based on the firm belief that our health, safety and environmental goals are no less important than other key business goals.

He added that Emarat is constantly and consistently striving to achieve the goals and objectives of health, safety and the environment in accordance with the latest international standards that guarantee a safe working environment for workers and customers in all our operations. These measures are taken to protect our customers, society and property. In addition, one of our obligations is to ensure that our employees receive the best training courses and seminars in the field of safety, security, and preventive measures on a regular basis. This approach is strengthened through open communication and regular coordination with the relevant government agencies in the UAE.

Engineer Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi also praised the efforts of the Joint Committee for Security and Safety in launching the " Commit...Get Protected " campaign, which would contribute significantly and effectively to raising the awareness among members of society to emphasise the danger of wrong practices inside the gas stations to the safety of individuals and properties, and to provide instructions and best practices to be followed to avoid these risks, and he confirms the Emarat's support for this campaign by harnessing all efforts and practices to educate as many segments of society as possible and maintaining safety at gas stations as a shared social responsibility between consumers and the distribution companies alike.

For his part, Saif Humaid Al Falasi, CEO of ENOC Group, said, "Safety is a top priority for the group's operations at all levels, as it has a direct impact on the group's business, its employees and on the communities in which it operates. Last year, the group recorded an impressive performance in the field of health and safety and the environment to become one of the best companies in the oil and gas sector at this level."

He added: "We thank the Joint Committee for Security and Safety for this important campaign, which contributes greatly to raising awareness among individuals about the dangers of the wrong practices at gas stations, and we affirm our support for this campaign and our harnessing of all efforts to reach all the segments of society, in our belief that safety at gas stations is a shared responsibility between oil companies and the consumers alike."