HSE Introduction

The Department of Energy is committed to ensuring the health and safety of its employees, contractors, visitors, and members of the public and to minimise the impact of its activities on the environment. The DoE strives:

• To always consider the social, economic, and environmental impact of all its activities and to take action to mitigate any adverse effects;
• To regulate and supervise all HSE aspects of the water, wastewater, and electricity sector in a safe and sustainable way;
• To pursue the goal of no harm to people;
• To promote energy and water efficiency across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and beyond; and to promote a culture in the DoE in which all employees share these commitments.
• The DoE also aims to promote within the sector A systematic approach to health, safety, and environmental (HSE) management in line with the Emirate-wide OSHMS initiatives.

Overall Roles and Responsibilities

Energy Sector SRA

According to Decree No. 42 of 2009 issued by the Crown Prince; Chairman of the Executive Council, the DOE as a Sector Regulatory Authority is responsible for supervising the implementation of the Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health System Framework (OSHAD-SF) in its concerned sector and is specifically responsible for:

• Developing its Occupational Safety and Health Management System (OHSMS) in accordance with the provisions of Decree No.42 of 2009.
• Identifying entities within the energy sector that are required to implement an OSHMS.
• Review and approval of the OSHMS developed by all entities within its sector, in accordance with the requirements of OSHAD-SF.
• Monitoring the implementation of the entities’ systems based on a risk management approach through the periodic inspection and auditing of their                   systems.
• Reporting to the Competent Authority (OSHAD) on the performance of the entities’ approved Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems               according to the relevant reporting mechanism.

Regulations

Develop and implement the required technical regulations for the energy sector.

1. Water Quality Regulations
2. Trade Effluent Control Regulations 2010
3. Business Continuity Management 
4. Fuel Storage Tank Regulations
5. Incident Reporting Regulations
6. Code of Practice for low-risk trade effluent discharges from laundry  services
7. Code of Practice for low-risk trade effluent discharges from restaurants and cafes
8. Code of Practice for low-risk trade effluent discharges from car-wash operations
9. Code of Practice for the inspection and cleaning of customer water storage tanks
10. Recycled Water and Bio-solids Regulations 
    

 

 

Licensing and Compliance

The Health, Safety, Environment (HSE) Department is also responsible for:

• Overseeing compliance to the relevant energy, water, health, safety and environment related regulations through the monitoring and verification of                   process performance and water quality. This includes occupational health and safety in licensed entities.
• Review all license applications to ensure that the applicant has fulfilled the necessary HSE requirements before commencing operations
• Work closely with Licensing and Compliance Dept. to monitor HSE data from the sector in order to ensure compliance to the applicable regulations,               guidelines and standards; undertake audits and investigations as required

Environment

DoE is to ensure the protection of the environment as a priority in all operations in the Energy Sector through monitoring the environmental performance of all licensees - and to set the applicable regulations and guidelines. The Fuel Storage Tank Regulations (2009) were established to protect the environment from surface and groundwater pollution and any effects this may have on public health.

The DoE works closely with the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi to ensure compliance with all regulations and agreed protocols within the energy sector. It is also committed taking part of consultations in all related environmental matters.

Business Continuity Management

In accordance with the business continuity objectives of the United Arab Emirates and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and in compliance with the Business Continuity Management Standards 7000:2015 of National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA), along with Executive Council Circular No. 4 of 2014 concerning business continuity management, the Department of Energy (DoE) plays a key role in ensuring effective emergency, crisis and disaster management in the energy sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in accordance with Law No. 11 of 2018, concerning the establishment of DoE.

 

Business Continuity Management Policy for the Energy Sector

 

On December 23, 2018, the DoE issued the Business Continuity Management (BCM) Policy for the energy sector to be followed by licensed entities as listed in the Policy. This Policy has been issued to enhance the performance of licensed entities operating in the energy sector and to ensure sustainable supplies and services on their part  in order to deal with emergencies and crises, in accordance with the NCEMA 7000:2015 standard. The DoE, represented by its Business Continuity Team, will oversee the implementation of the Policy and provide the necessary support to meet the Policy’s objective.

 

 

Key Elements of the BCM Policy for the Energy Sector

 

 

 

Performance

The performance of all of the DoE’s licensees is carefully monitored through regular data submissions, an incident reporting system, audits and inspections, as well as regular meetings.