RTA holds open day webinar to step up resilience in tackling Covid-19

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has recently held the 6th Health, Safety and Environment Open Day, which attracted participants from RTA, international speakers and senior business executives. This remote event discussed the challenges and impacts of Covid-19 on various sectors and how to boost the resilience in tackling the pandemic.

Nasir Abu Shehab, CEO of Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, RTA, opened the day by welcoming attendees and participants. He said the challenges of Covid-19 forced the world to look for solutions to fight back the virus which had left negative impacts on the economic, social and humanitarian aspects.

Nada Jasim, Director of Safety, Risk, Regulation and Planning, Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, RTA, thanked participating attendees for their visions and presentations about ways to overcome the spread of the virus. “During the national disinfection programme, RTA rolled out super initiatives and harnessed its technology infrastructure to maintain business continuity and maintain the delivery of services. It also took preventive measures to enhance the safety of employees and customers, and charted out plans for the gradual return to office work, while keeping protective measures in place,” she commented.

Under the theme of Boosting Resilience Towards Covid-19, discussions of the open day focused on three elements: coping with the pandemic, role of smart technology in tackling the virus, and the post-Covid-19 stage. Rich and deep discussions elaborated these three elements and covered various aspects related to this global pandemic.

Hassan Al Mutawa, Director of Rail Operations, Rail Agency, RTA, made a presentation about the preventive measures of Covid-19 adopted in the operation of the metro and tram. He also shed light on the challenges that faced the train service and how they coped with the virus. He also reviewed the steps taken for adapting to the current situation.

Mr. Mickael Deleurme, CSR & HSE Director, Africa, Middle East and Central Asia (AMECA) at the French company Alstom, an international manufacturer of train carriages, discussed the preventive measures taken during the construction process and the proactive precautionary measures taken during the pandemic.

Ms. Andrea Soehnchen, Consultant of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and an expert and trainer in security, crisis management and business strategy, made a presentation about managing the impact of the Covid-19 on public transportation business, and measures taken to overcome the challenges of epidemics to ensure continuous operation and improve the resilience of the business.

Mr Michael Nelson, Vice President, Corporate SH&E Director (MEA), Parsons made a presentation about Fighting Complacency and Mental Health Issues During the COVID-19 Pandemic, and how to maintain the mental health wellness.

Mr Carlos Guevara, Partner, Sia Partner, discussed the “public transport’s best practices observatory” and the innovative ideas that several entities in this field can benefit from to ensure the sustainability of mobility.

Mr Karim Tahan, Country Manager, Honeywell, spoke about healthy buildings and their efficient use of energy, and how it could improve the wellbeing, confidence and productivity of users. He also reviewed the solutions to improve the building environments through improved indoor air quality, safety and security.

At the end of the open day, Nada Jasim expressed her delight with the topics discussed and the innovative ideas presented as well as the lessons that RTA could benefit from in tackling crises and emergencies.