In a bid to ensure safety for all in the Ogoni Cleanup value chain, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has organized a 3-day technical training on HSE and Risk Management for field operatives particularly regulators and civil society organizations.
Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator of HYPREP says the workshop is imperative to strengthen the occupational health safety (OHS) capacity of all actors involved in remediation and restoration efforts from field workers to contractors, regulators and civil society partners as well as provide an opportunity to build shared understanding of health and safety associated with environmental remediation in hydrocarbon-impacted zones.
Among other deliverables, Professor Zabbey added that the workshop will promote best practices in risk prevention, emergency response and community engagement and essentially foster collaboration among all stakeholders to create a safety-first culture across every stage of HYPREP’s operations.
The HYPREP PC maintained that occupational health and safety remain the core pillar of the Project’s remediation strategy, stressing its commitment to implementing international best practices for site and environmental protection.
Further to this, Professor Zabbey announced HYPREP’s recent achievement of 2 million manhours without fatality at the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) which reflects the Project’s commitment to safety standards.
He noted that the workshop will help sustain this gains and urged for collective commitment that prioritizes regulatory compliance and ethical responsibility leading to a holistic safety ecosystem for the Project.
The technical workshop with the theme: “Building A Culture of Risk Awareness and Response Through Partnership and Capacity Development” has participants drawn from HYPREP, NOSDRA, Rivers State Ministry of Environment, CEHRD, SWAYA and SDN.
Participants commended HYPREP for organizing the workshop which is being facilitated by the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON).
