Bahrain Invests in OSH Training

The Kingdom of Bahrain has pledged to train nearly 200 OSH professionals through its government-funded labor fund, Tamkeem. Like many other developing economies, Bahrain has found itself awash with reports of occupational health injuries and disease, yet there are few professionals in the country certified in the discipline.

Quoted in the Gulf Daily News, the project's managing director, Hassan Ali noted that the program will make Bahraini companies more competitive compared to companies in developing countries that are not as compliant with international OSH standards.

"The globalisation of the workplace and of business means that Bahraini companies can increase their business by complying with international OHS standards as required by big-ticket projects," said Mr. Ali.

The Bahraini Government is setting a great example with this move. The need to train and certify OSH professionals in developing countries like India. Following our visit, both of us were convinced that worker education will yield only minimal results without first developing the professional framework that is needed to properly diagnose and treat workplace injuries and diseases. Kudos to the Kingdom of Bahrain for recognizing this fact and realizing the benefits that such training programs bring to the country's global economic competitiveness.