Boecker, one of the region’s largest pest management, food safety and biosecurity companies, held a conference on October 18, to launch the Occupational Health and Safety Lite certification program at Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut.

The conference was hosted by Michel Bayoud, CEO of Boecker and Bana Kobrosly, Lebanon’s country manager. The event was also supported by Mohamad Choucair, chairman of the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon, and Dr. Fady Gemayel, president of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists.

The Occupational Health and Safety Lite (OHS Lite) certification program is designed by Boecker and has been approved by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health – UK. The program acquires a great importance since it aims at helping Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to implement the highest standards in occupational health and safety and to protect institutions, employees and workers from any harm or danger at work, by applying preventive and risk control measures.

The Occupational Health and Safety Lite (OHS Lite) certification program, is part of a new innovation in the Middle East, and is considered as fundamental to Lebanon, which now offers a unique opportunity for its Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their working conditions and improve their level of compliance with international standards through this pioneering and exceptional program.

The conference was opened by Kobrosly, who provided a general overview about the company’s work, goals and activities. Bayoud, stressed the importance of the company’s role in designing the Occupational Health and Safety Lite (OHS Lite) certification program for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and industries in Lebanon. “This certification offers an annual program to train employees on the basis of occupational health and safety and to create the adequate conditions in the institution”, Bayoud said. He explained that this is achieved “through efficient and simple measures that can help in the adoption of the basic standards of health and safety, in order to guarantee their implementation”. Bayoud further added that the program offers “periodic control visits carried out on an annual basis, in addition to the OHS Lite™ certification that in handed over upon successful completion of the program.” 

The President of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Dr. Fady Gemayel, expressed his appreciation for this step, pointing out to the important generalization of the Occupational Health and Safety Lite (OHS Lite™) certification program to the greatest possible number of SMEs.

From his part, H.E the Minister of Industry. Dr. Hussein Hajj Hassan, grasped the opportunity to evoke Lebanon’s economic problems, and the importance of finding opportune solutions to push its institutions towards further growth and prosperity. “The situation of the SMEs has significantly deteriorated in the last few years, part of it goes to the emergence of unlicensed companies, which aggravated the problems related to occupational health and safety”, Hajj Hassan called stakeholders to work on addressing this file seriously.

Bayoud commented in an exclusive interview to Hospitality News magazine saying, “It’s not really only the industrial sector per say that could greatly benefit, rather any kind of SME hoping to grow in such an economically challenging environment.”

He added: “Our other focus, where the biggest gap is, are the thousands of workshops currently in operation that pause the biggest hazards both to their employees and their surroundings. This is a reality we are hoping to change. Also, and because the program varies depending on the size of the organization, the cost will come across as affordable. Better still, as soon as the program is implemented, the results on both sides will be immediately felt and I am happy to report that the hospitality industry has been the biggest proponent when it comes to attaining certification.”