OREANDA-NEWS. February 20, 2013. Yanbu’ area management inaugurated a Yanbu’ Safety Model House as part of its efforts to build safety awareness among employees, their dependents, contractors, students and the local community, reported the press-centre of Saudi Aramco.

The Safety Model House was inspired in part by president and CEO Khalid A. Al-Falih, who said in an April 9, 2012, visit that “a radical change in the attitude to safety outside the Saudi Aramco gates is urgently needed.”

Off-the-job injuries and fatalities continue to have a major impact on Saudi Aramco employees, with traffic accidents in particular being the leading cause of death for Saudi males ages 16-36 years. To meet this challenge, the company has launched a number of awareness campaigns and supported an academic chair for traffic safety at the University of Dammam.

During the official inauguration, HEDr. Alaa Abdullah Naseef, the CEO of the Royal Commission for Yanbu’, took a tour of the house. He listened to presentations explaining the 12 zones that cover all the safety awareness elements of health, safety and environment, including: home fire prevention; kids and recreational safety; store room safety; kitchen safety; laundry room safety; staircase safety for slips, trips and falls; living room and bedroom safety; health and hygiene; green environment; re-cycling awareness; and driving and traffic safety.

After a presentation by Yanbu’ Community Services Division administrator Ibrahim Bakheet, Naseef praised Community Services’ efforts to educate and enhance the safety awareness of the Yanbu’ community. He said he particularly appreciated the special attention to students as part of the company’s outreach program.

Among managers present at the inauguration were: Yanbu’ NGL Fractionation manager Abdullah Al Mansour; Jiddah acting manager for Saudi Aramco Affairs Sameer Nasruddin; Yanbu’ Refinery manager Mustafa Al-Mahdi; and Bakheet.

Bakheet said that changing mindsets and behaviors requires a societal approach, with industry working hand in hand with all agencies to bring significant change.

The Saudi Aramco Safety Model House is ready to serve the community, he said, and will receive its first Yanbu’ area students in February.