Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, today announced the company achieved zero heat-related illnesses for the third summer in a row.

Heat-related illness is a hazard for anyone working outside in the UAE summer, and can be fatal if left untreated. EGA’s industrial processes generate further heat and must operate continuously, meaning work is conducted outside around-the-clock all summer.

‘Beat the Heat’ is EGA’s annual summer-long, comprehensive programme to combat occupational heat stress. The initiative has been running for over a decade to drive awareness amongst EGA’s employees of the early signs of heat-related illness, and equip and empower them to take action to prevent the onset of the condition.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “Our success in completely preventing heat-related illness on our sites for the third year in a row proves that this key hazard for outdoor workers in region can be overcome. Occupational heat stress remains a serious challenge in our region and beyond, and we believe our experience has important lessons for everyone employing people to work outside.”

EGA’s ‘Beat the Heat’ campaign includes hydration tests before and during shifts, along with regular breaks and cooling showers.

The company has also introduced cooling booths, drinking stations, icemakers, and portable air conditioning units across its production areas as part of the programme to help employees and contractors stay cool and comfortable during their shifts.

Personnel from EGA’s on-site medical centres work closely with employees on heat stress prevention, and to quickly treat anybody reporting early signs.

EGA has also trialled wearable technology since 2022, in partnership with US technology firm Kenzen. Some 300 EGA employees wore Kenzen’s wearable devices this summer, to monitor key physiological indicators such as core body temperature and heart rate. The devices, which are similar to those worn by elite athletes provide feedback in real time to both the wearer and EGA’s safety team, and enable the earliest signs of heat stress to be detected before they can even be felt.

EGA last cases of heat-related illness were in 2020, when two employees required treatment at the company’s medical centres. In both cases, the employees received hydration via intravenous drips and fully recovered within hours.