Environment, Health & Safety

Higher Colleges of Technology as an educational institution strives to achieve the best EHS Performance in compliance with local, international Standards and legal & other requirements to ensure the utmost Environment, Health and Safety to its Stakeholders. Environment, Health and Safety is a vital part of everyone’s duty of care, where proactive approach is adopted across HCT Campuses. Deviance in implementation of Environment, Health and Safety requirements may cause serious injury, ill health, environmental adverse impact and/or business closure.

Therefore, Higher Colleges of Technology has established, implemented and maintained an Environmental, Health and Safety Management System (EHSMS), for better management of EHS aspects towards compliance, recognition and excellence in Environment, Health, and Safety. Environment, Health, and Safety Management System is developed in line with Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health Center System Framework (OSHAD SF) requirements.

Higher Colleges of Technology Environmental, Health and Safety Management System (EHSMS) has acquired the globally renowned International Management System Standards ISO 14001:2015 & OHSAS 18001:2007 through reputed UK’s National accreditation body (UKAS).

Smoking is strictly prohibited within the boundaries of HCT campuses, offices and facilities, without exception, in order to protect and contribute to the health and well-being of all students, faculty and staff. ALL HCT premises have been designated as entirely smoke-free areas. This includes offices, classrooms, laboratories, studios, conference and meeting rooms, hallways, foyers, lunchrooms, cafeterias, gymnasiums, stairs & stairwells, roof-tops, rest-rooms, storage rooms, closets and all other enclosed facilities, as well as gardens, parking lots, walkways, sports fields and outdoor spaces within the compound walls of all HCT premises.

Staff/Students observing a violation of this policy should bring it to the attention of their supervisors.

HCT has developed the contractor management procedure for managing the Environmental, Health and Safety risks arising from its contractors’ activities. Also to ensure a systematic approach to the management of contractors so that risks to Health and Safety of contractors, the community and the Environment are minimized.

The procedure includes the following points:

• Establishment of Contractual EHS Requirements.
• Risk Assessment for all contractors.
• Monitoring Performance/Evaluation of Compliance.
• Incident Reporting.
• Monitoring & Inspection
• EHS Induction, Toolbox Talk and Training
• Permit to Work.

HCT has identified emergency management and preparedness procedures within the EHS management system. The below procedure, HCT/EHS/SP-006, ensures that:

• All employees are aware of their roles and responsibilities assigned within this procedure.
• All members of the emergency response team have received suitable certified training to fulfill their roles and responsibilities.
• Spill control facilities are provided at storage areas for hazardous substances.
• Fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment are provided, inspected, serviced regularly and fit for their intended purpose.
• Testing of alarm devices are done bi-monthly.
• The emergency and evacuation procedures are communicated with all employees, subcontractors and suppliers.

As per HCT/EHS/SP-006, when a person becomes aware of an emergency (or potential emergency), the following steps shall be taken:

• The person discovering the emergency within the campus must:
  • Activate the alarm, in case of fire only.
  • Immediately notify the EMT or contact the campus emergency number to assign the emergency level and direct emergency operations.
  • Provide a concise incident report consisting of the following information:
    • Incident type (fire, explosion, medical emergency, chemical spill, etc.)
    • Incident location.
    • Persons injured or affected (number, location, type of injury/impact).
    • His name, location, means of communication (phone number he is calling from, radio channel, pager number, etc.).

For all incidents involving potential release of hazardous materials, follow the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) information during the emergency response actions.

HCT has developed a procedure for the reporting and investigation of all EHS hazards, near misses and incidents, to ensure that all incidents are reported, root causes are analyzed and corrective and preventive action is implemented and recorded.

Employees are required to inform about all incidents, Near Misses in HCT at the earliest to the Health and Safety Senior Officer. All EHS incidents in HCT shall be recorded and investigated as per OSHAD Version 3.0 Mechanism 11 (EHS Incident Investigation).

Note – Emergency and security numbers are provided and distributed within the campus; if further assistance is required, you may directly communicate with the Health and Safety/ Facilities Specialist In-Charge at the Campus.

Welcome to the “HCT Health, Safety, and Environmental Excellence” section. In this section, we showcase our commitment to the health and safety of our community through the “HCT Comprehensive WELL Health and Safety Report 2023.” This section highlights our achievements in providing safe, healthy, and sustainable environment for students, staff, and visitors.

HCT is committed to ensure the health and safety of all employees, students and communities where we operate. We also ensure that our practices are in compliance with applicable UAE Federal Laws, other local statutory/regulatory requirements, and OSHAD Regulatory Instrument Code of Practice and Educational sector OSHMS requirements.

HCT EHS Management System aims to:

• Prevent injury and illness of HCT employees, contractors, students and visitors.
• Prevent environmental pollution which stems from HCT operations and functions.
• Ensure that services provided in HCT are in compliance with OSHAD Regulatory framework, Educational Sector OSHMS requirements, Ministerial Orders, applicable Federal laws and International HSE Standards.
• Provide appropriate EHS resources, trainings, facilities and controls to maintain a safe working environment.
• Provide adequate welfare facilities to enhance the health and wellbeing of HCT employees, students and stakeholders.

HCT has a standardized EHS procedures for all its students while on Campus, which should be strictly adhere to ensure the Health, Well-being and Safety of all occupants and users whilst at HCT Campus. Student should abide with the following Rules at the Campus:

Emergency Management

Students are encouraged to follow the appropriate evacuation instructions from the campus emergency response team during an evacuation drill. Evacuation maps are posted in all areas identifying emergency contact numbers, locations of the nearest fire extinguisher/fire hose, evacuation routes, as well as assembly points.

Download Emergency Management Procedure- HCT/EHS/SP‐006 PDF

EHS Signage

All HCT campuses are equipped with appropriate safety signage identifying exit routes, assembly points in case of an evacuation as well as various warning, prohibition and mandatory signs. All campuses are equipped with first aid kits and a clinic.

Download EHS Signs and Signals

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

All HCT labs are equipped with the required PPE’s and laboratory technicians/instructors as well as lab safety officer are responsible to ensure that no class may proceed without wearing adequate PPE as per HCT/EHS/OP-002.

Download Personal Protective Equipment – HCT/EHS/OP-002 PDF

Students are required to follow the labs safety manuals and guidelines

HCT Environment Health and Safety Management System is a risk based management framework that provides a systematic approach towards continuous improvement of EHS performance. The aim of the EHSMS is reduce the impact of HCT activities/ processes on the environment and to protect the health and safety of all employees, students and visitors.

This system has been developed to comply with OSHAD, ADEC & CAA requirements. The EHSMS applies to all employees, contractors and other stakeholders of HCT.

As per HCT/EHS/SP-001, the roles and responsibilities of HCT employees are as follows:

• Comply with the established EHSMS procedures of which they have been informed, instructed and trained.
• Actively participate along with line management towards implementation of EHSMS requirements.
• Report any potentially unsafe act or condition, which may result in negative EHS impacts to the respective line manager.
• Report all EHS incidents to the respective line manager.
• Actively participate in HCT EHSMS training and development programs.
• Participate in the hazard identification and control process.
• Notify the Health and Safety Specialist at campus level of any safety concerns or hazard(s) present at the workplace.

All Visitors shall ensure utmost compliance to the EHS and Security Rules whilst at the campus. Visitors are encouraged to comply with safety protocols and instructions as well as to stay informed with EHS procedures in-place as follows:

• All visitors must report to the campus Security Check point.
• Show your ID to be handed over an access pass to the Campus.
• All visitors should wear a visitors ID badge and be accompanied during their visit with a HCT or security staff.
• Visitors are encouraged to follow all safety signage indicating nearest exit routes and assembly points.
• Visitors should be comply with the speed limits at the Campus.

As a Visitor we welcome your feedback :-

• Any Near-miss
• Any Accident / Incident
• Any Unsafe Act / Unsafe Condition

Kindly report any of the above to one of the following:-

• Security Office
• Reception
• EHS Office