WAM Abu Dhabi, July 15th, 2012 (WAM) -- Workers constructing the Phase II expansion at Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) enjoyed healthy and cooling juice drinks as the latest part of the company's programme to promote health and safety.

EMAL's Vice President, Projects, Yousuf Bastaki, was on hand to help distribute drinks to 6,000 workers. The juice initiative is just part of EMAL's long-standing commitment to promote well-being at the Al Taweelah smelter.

Construction, on what will become one of the world's largest single-site aluminium smelters, will be completed in 2014 and workers during the summer months might face heat stress and other heat related health issues. In response to this, EMAL has developed a Heat Stress Campaign to inform workers on the issues connected to summer heat. This year's campaign actually started two months ago, well in advance of the peak period.

Bastaki commented: "Heat stress is a particular problem for anyone working outside during the summer months in the UAE. Providing workers with a heat stress campaign, to introduce healthy behaviours and educate workers on how to avoid heat related illnesses, is a practical and proactive step to address this issue. As a responsible employer EMAL is continually looking at ways to improve health and safety and promote well-being for everyone working at EMAL." The 2012 summer heat stress campaign builds upon the success achieved by a previous one conducted during the construction of Phase I of the smelter. In that instance heat stress cases were dramatically reduced following an awareness campaign directed specifically at construction workers.

Bastaki added: "Safety, first, last and always' is one of EMAL's core values. Our commitment has resulted in an impressive health and safety record and the summer juice campaign is the latest addition to the comprehensive programme we have implemented in every aspect of our work. Our goal is to have an injury free site.

WAM/ES/AM