OREANDA-NEWS. November 06, 2013. Under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry, the 2nd Qatar Petroleum Occupational Health (QPOH) Conference will be held on November 19-21, 2013 at the Grand Hyatt Doha, and it will feature local and international experts who will discuss a wide range of topics and issues in the field of occupational health management.

These and other details about the event were announced at a press conference held last Wednesday, October 30, at the Four Seasons Hotel, Doha. The press conference was presided by Mr. Ahmad Ali Al-Mawlawi, Director for Administration of QP, Dr. Mohammed Al-Thani, Director of Public Health at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH), and Dr. Ahmed Al-Badran, Acting Manager for Medical Services of QP.

Organized by QP in partnership with the SCH, the 2nd QPOH Conference will focus on the theme “Innovations for a Healthy Workplace.” The conference is supported by Qatar Shell as the platinum sponsor, Oryx GTL Limited as the gold sponsor, as well as by Qatargas Operating Company Limited and Qatar Fuel Additives Company (QAFAC) as the silver sponsors.

As announced during the press conference, more than 250 delegates, consisting mainly of medical officers, occupational health nurses, industrial hygienists, HSE personnel and other industry professionals, have already confirmed their participation in the event. Those interested in attending the conference are welcome to register through the event’s website, http://qpoh.conference-event.net.

The press conference started with a presentation by Dr. Al-Badran, during which he pointed out that 2nd QPOH Conference will feature technical presentations, plenary sessions, poster presentations as well as workshops on the last day of the event. Dr. Al-Badran said that a total of 30 technical papers will be presented over the course of the two-day conference, with 18 poster presentations also to be on display on all days of the event.

The presentations will cover an extensive range of topics, including the emerging health issues in the oil and gas industry, the best practices for creating healthy workplaces, cost-effective health surveillance, handling disability issues in the workplace, and effective case management for occupational health nurses. Other presentations will discuss hearing loss prevention, work-related musculoskeletal disorders, asthma management in industrial areas, work and mental health, and many other timely occupational health issues.

The speakers at the 2nd QPOH Conference will come not only from within Qatar but also from many other countries, including Taiwan, the US, India, Iran, the Netherlands, Malaysia, UK, Ireland, Bosnia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.

In his keynote speech at the press conference, Mr. Ahmad Ali Al-Mawlawi, Director of Administration of QP, said: “Qatar Petroleum is pleased to organize this prestigious conference in partnership with the Supreme Council of Health, in order to enhance the overall well-being of the workforce. The conference aims at providing a unique platform for exchanging innovative ideas and sharing knowledge and best practices between occupational health and safety professionals in Qatar’s hydrocarbon industry and internationally renowned speakers and experts, who will join us and share their remarkable experiences in their respective industries.”

Dr. Mohammed Al-Thani, Director of Public Health at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH), said: “Occupational health and safety is a unique specialty that considers the impacts of work and environment on human health. The occupational health section at the SCH provides inspection and monitoring services, which play a vital role in raising the profile and importance of occupational health and safety. In the future, the SCH will look to build stronger links with the Labor Inspection Department at the Ministry of Labor (MOL) by collaborating on education and training events, campaigns and inspection visits. Working more closely with the MOL through the national committee will improve labor laws and regulations.”

Mr. Rob Sherwin, Deputy Country Chairman of Qatar Shell, said: “Shell is proud to be the exclusive Platinum Sponsor of the 2nd QP Occupational Health Conference, which brings together occupational health and safety professionals from across the energy industry. The event is an excellent platform to share experience and best practices, and to discuss health innovations in the workplace. At Shell we firmly believe that we cannot ask our staff to take care of themselves and each other at work every day, if we are not taking steps to look after them ourselves. So occupational health is a key priority for us, as we strive every day to deliver safe and reliable operations.”

The press conference ended with concluding remarks from Dr. Luay Ramzi Badran, Lead Medical Officer of QP and Head of the Organizing Committee. The event was attended by many senior QP officials, representatives from the event’s sponsors and from QP’s joint ventures and subsidiaries, and other distinguished guests.

For more information or for any inquiries related to the 2nd QPOH Conference, please e-mail qpohconference@qp.com.qa