Introducing a human resources development programme that best suits local conditions but which also meets international standards takes a lot or research and a vast understanding of the subject intended for training, particularly when that subject is health and safety.

RRC, a specialist health and safety training company in the UK, was able to develop a course, the Key2Safety programme, when working with a Bahrain company. It attracted international attention and helped RRC form a training partnership in Europe with the global specialist in energy and transport infrastructure, Alstom.
 “Throughout the Gulf, health and safety has become more and more recognised as a legitimate business consideration, with many employers now accepting the need for protection of their workers,” said Vicky O’Leary, director of programme development, RRC.
“In addition, although national legislation on the subject may not yet be as prescriptive as in other areas, such as Europe, the International Labour Organisation is having an ever-increasing influence with the introduction of health and safety standards worldwide.”
O’Leary recounted how the Key2Safety programme was born.
RRC, seeing that health and safety was becoming an increasingly serious issue, made the decision to investigate the possibility of establishing a presence in the Middle East.  Following a visit to Bahrain in January 2002, RRC was approached by a Bahrani health and safety trainer, Hasan Al Aradi, who was interested in establishing a partnership to develop a programme with a Middle-Eastern audience in mind. 
“RRC had a reputation for impeccable credentials in the UK health and safety training field, with over 75 years’ experience in training, whilst Al Aradi was running his own private training company in Bahrain (the Al Manar Institute), in addition to his full-time role firstly as the health and safety manager of Bapco and later Aluminium Bahrain (Alba),” recalled O’Leary.
 “The Al Manar Institute was already offering a health and safety programme but Al Aradi felt that this did not quite meet market need and therefore wanted help in developing and delivering a more suitable programme.  Recognising RRC’s expertise in developing such programmes, he contacted them with a view to developing something more appropriate.”
The first consideration for both the Al Manar Institute and RRC was the need for the programme to be appropriate to the varying knowledge requirements of the intended audience – members of the Bahrani workforce.  It was decided that these needs could best be met by developing a staged programme that allowed participants to enter and leave the programme at whatever stage was most appropriate to them and their role.”
Over a period of three months, RRC and the Al Manar Institute worked together to develop the programme, merging RRC’s experience of development and technical expertise with Al Manar’s market knowledge to ensure that the programme was not only of a high educational standard but also met the needs of the intended market.  The aim of the programme was to raise health and safety awareness and knowledge, enabling participants to play an active role in achieving a safe workplace.  “The Key2Safety Programme was therefore born.  Essentially, the programme offers training for every level, from basic awareness to high-level professional qualifications,” said O’Leary.
“The Key2Safety programme was designed to be international in nature, without any reference to national legislation.  Instead, principles of best practice were used, along with relevant international standards, to ensure it was applicable to a truly international audience.”
A 12-month pilot was evidence of the success of the programme (which now has full governmental approval), with an award ceremony held at the Al Manar Institute for 25 successful students.  Students, RRC and the Al Manar Institute were all delighted when Mohammed Al Jowder, Bahrain’s Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Services and Private Education at the Ministry of Education, chose to present the certificates to the successful candidates.
Following the pilot, the programme was developed further to align it with Level 3 equivalent courses in the UK and it has since been accepted by the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management as satisfying the academic requirements for membership.  RRC also sought and obtained accreditation from the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council to ensure rigorous external, regular review of the programme.  Numerous courses have since been organised, with the programme going from strength to strength, and in excess of 40 students have now completed the course. 
The success of this programme generated much interest throughout the Middle-East, but also throughout Europe, where the programme came to the attention of Alstom, the global specialist in energy and transport infrastructure.
“Working within the global power plant construction business and  delivering a course based upon the legislation of one particular country would have been of little benefit to Alstom.  What was needed was a course that would be based upon international best practice and cover the more general environmental, health and safety (EHS) requirements.  It was also necessary that it could be delivered at numerous locations at minimum cost,” said O’Leary.
“RRC were approached by Alstom to work in partnership to develop a bespoke version of the Key2Safety syllabus with the content concentrating specifically on the issues of most relevance to Alstom and its workers.  This included making reference to all of their own procedures and documents, to ensure that the participants could constantly refer their studies back to their work.  Assignments were also tailored to assess knowledge of Alstom’s own operating practices and the three-tier course was made available for delivery anywhere in the world to field service personnel via the internet.”
Alstom were so pleased with the programme that they have now made this an induction requirement for all field staff.
Since the introduction of the programme in 2003, 89 students have now successfully completed the Introductory Level of the Alstom programme, with another 140 due to start  by January 2005.  Work recently finished on the Alstom Intermediate level and 34 students are about to complete this first programme, with a second group arranged for January 2005. Work on the Advanced Level began in December 2004.
Hasan Al Aradi, of the Al Manar Institute says: “I have a tremendous sense of pride that the collaboration with RRC has been so successful.  The programme, which was originally designed for the Bahraini market has now taken on truly global proportions.  Working with RRC has been an absolute pleasure and we look forward to many further collaborations in the future.”
RRC has been so pleased with the possibilities available within the Gulf that in April 2005 it intends to establish a permanent office in Bahrain to offer health and safety courses that are complementary to those on offer at the Al Manar Institute.  Although their base will be in Bahrain, it is envisaged that courses will be run throughout the Gulf, wherever demand exists.