ADEC initiates EHS inspection programme

The Environment, Health and Safety Section at the Abu Dhabi Education Council, ADEC, has started an EHS inspection programme and field training targeting public and private schools, KGs, and nurseries. This comes in line with ADEC's strategies and polices to maintain students' health and safety as well as promote a healthy and safe educational environment, and achieve EHS Management System requirements approved by Abu Dhabi EHS Centre. The programme aims to ensure implementing EHS requirements throughout Abu Dhabi's 536 public and private educational facilities. ADEC's School Services Division Manager, Khaled Al Ansari, said that ADEC is keen to ensure all school buildings, facilities, and operations meet highest health and safety standards. "ADEC shall develop a clear vision which focuses on providing school facilities with optimal learning environments through conducting regular check-ups and maintenance, establishing state-of the-art facilities, organising regular EHS inspection visits to enhance awareness among school EHS committees and teach them how to deal with potential hazards, risks, conducting an evacuation drill for fire or other emergency's and creating an appropriate school environment to support the educational process," he said. The Inspection programme aims to raise awareness, introduce applicable EHS standards, criteria, conditions and procedures, inspect and audit the implementation process, identify risks and classify facility risks as limited (low), medium or high. This would help develop correction and preventive actions, develop future inspection audit programmes and plans based on their severity and to train EHS representatives and relevant committees assigned by management. Field inspection and training processes are comprised of two phases, the first includes two work days in each facility where inspection and audit is carried out on the first day, while training programmes and awareness sessions are held on the second day. The second phase includes fire evacuation drills and ensures that the first-phase inspection and audit report recommendations are properly implemented.