On 6 May 2015, Shell companies around the world celebrated the safety day, and so did Shell companies in Egypt. The event was well-received by the employees and generated very positive feedback.
Under the motto “Achieving Goal Zero. Because We Care,” the communications and safety day was split into two; the first part covered the business and safety updates from the different Shell companies in Egypt; Shell Egypt N.V., Badr Eldin Petroleum Company BAPETCo (the joint-venture company between Shell and the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, EGPC), and Shell Lubricants Egypt. The day also included road safety and security presentation, as well as a demonstration of the dangers of distracted driving.
“We chose Road Safety as the theme for this year as it is a risk that all our employees and their dependents live with every day and it is the biggest single source of fatalities in the Shell Group. According to the Egyptian Road Traffic Authority, in 2014 Egypt was ranked amongst the top ten countries for fatalities per kilometre driven with deaths from road accidents averaging nearly 40, and over 100 injuries per day. It is imperative for our employees to be aware of the importance of road safety, consider the risks involved, and take steps to avoid them”, said Aidan Murphy, VP Egypt, Chairman and Managing Director, Shell Egypt N.V.
Abdul Majid Al-Houri, HSE Manager, Shell Egypt N.V. stressed by saying that “Egypt’s road traffic-related deaths and injuries are unacceptably high – Egypt rates as 30 times higher in comparison with the international fatality rates against each 100 kilometres on the road. Goal Zero is achievable if every one of us intervenes when observing an unsafe act or condition and demonstrates care for each other.”
“To date, Shell Egypt N.V achieved 750 Goal Zero Days without lost time injury incident, while our joint-venture, Badr Eldin Petroleum Company (BAPETCo) achieved 1,173 Goal Zero Days without fatality incidents. In addition, the Assil Karam Project – which was ranked top winner for excellence in project delivery at the UI Impact Awards 2014, a Shell International award, achieved an excellent safety record reaching 5.5 million hours free from any Lost Time Injury (LTI) incidents.” Murphy added.
The day also constituted of team building activities, with each activity capitalising on a key value/attribute such as trusting a leader, delegation, integrity, and process management.
“Inviting all staff for an away day and team building event is sometimes seen as luxury, and others may consider it a waste of time and money. However, I actually see that taking the staff out of their usual environment can benefit the organization through strengthening team dynamics and boosting employee engagement. Engaged employees feel connected with the organization’s values and that their contribution is valued, which in turn encourages people to demonstrate effort, commitment and passion,” said Nerine Elwy, Communications Manager, Shell Egypt N.V.
“To me, combining the annual communication day with the Shell Safety Day this year achieved this target and I am happy to see all the staff ending the day with a big smile on their faces. Thanks to my communications team for making this event such a success!” Elwy concluded.
