During the month of May, Sohar Aluminium (SA) launched its annual Heat Stress Management Campaign in line with its continuous efforts to build and maintain a culture of high safety standards among its employees and contractors, while sharing its values and initiatives with the community. This yearly campaign focuses on raising awareness among SA’s employees and the general public on heat stress and heat illnesses and ways to prevent Heat illnesses during the peak summer season which stretches from May to September.

The campaign started off with a ‘Meet and Greet’ activity that was led by SA’s Executive Committee and Management team in various departments. They greeted all employees and contractors coming and leaving the site, offering them fruits, water and information leaflets to remind them to stay hydrated. Regular reminders and attractive visuals across the plant ensure all personnel at SA are continually informed and encouraged to avoid Heat Stress. One of the unique aspects of this campaign is a specially branded van known as the ‘Quench Squad’ that travels to different Operation areas distributing nutritious snacks and hydration fluids to SA employees and contractors. SA Medical Team conducts a robust physiological and environmental monitoring in the field every summer to raise awareness of employees and contractors and alert them on possible impending heat illnesses. The Medical Team makes use of advanced technology that includes heart rate monitoring and core body temperature monitoring.

Thanks to the success of this campaign, SA did not record any serious heat related illnesses in 2014 and 2015. This is the result of the commitment, understanding and obligation of the employees and contractors to follow set measures such as proper hydration, adequate rest and nutritious diet.

In order to maximize the positive impact of this campaign, this year, SA also broadcast awareness messages through the local Radio channels both in Arabic and English. This initiative, supported by the Ministry of Health, consisted of giving general Heat Stress advice to the general public on a daily basis with the intention to contribute in reducing heat illnesses during summer season across the Sultanate.

Going a step further, SA’s Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility teams organised visits to local schools in Al Batinah to share their knowledge about Heat Management with the young students. A number of SA employees volunteered for this activity, and presented to the students the dangers of heat stress and ways to prevent it in a fun and entertaining way. SA believes that educating young children will help influence the wider community to stay safe and enhance the culture of healthy behaviour and attitudes.

Through these initiatives, the Company focuses on engaging its employees in various activities that aim at enriching a culture of a safe and healthy lifestyle and spreading its knowledge and good practices among the local community.

Sohar Aluminium was formed in September 2004 to undertake a landmark Greenfield aluminium smelter project in the Sultanate of Oman. It is jointly owned by Oman Oil Company, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC - TAQA and Rio Tinto.