GAC receives international accredited ISO certificates in occupational safety and security standards

The General Authority of Customs (GAC) has obtained four international accreditation certificates for its compliance with all the requirements of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the field of occupational safety and security standards.

Intertek, a company specialised in auditing the implementation of international standards of quality, handed over to Assistant Chairman of the Authority for Support Services Affairs Mohammed Abdullah Al Maadeed quality proof certificates to the Authority, which are: Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems Certificate 45001:2018, Business Continuity Management System Certificate 22301:2019, Environmental Management System Certificate 14001:2015 and the Quality Management System Certificate 9001:2015.

The Authority will be the first entity in the country to obtain a quality certificate in the Business Continuity category, according to its latest update, which confirms the readiness of the institution to perform its tasks and overcome the difficulties and obstacles it may face, as well as its ability to provide solutions and alternatives to ensure the continuity of work in times of crisis.

On this occasion, Assistant Chairman Al Maadeed said that the Authority places utmost importance on protecting the employees and auditors of the Authority, stressing that the project to develop occupational safety and security standards began in 2019 as it is part of the Authority’s strategic plan for 2018-22. It aims to raise the efficiency of customs services, as well as develop the regulatory work environment to conform to the best international quality standards.

For his part, Chairman of the Security and Safety Office at GAC Abdul Rahman Ahmed Fakhro said the implementation of quality requirements in the areas of security and safety has been carried out with the help of a company specialised in this field through several successive stages.

It began by raising awareness and spreading the culture of occupational safety through internal courses with the customs training centre in the Authority, and courses with specialised agencies in cooperation with the Directorate General of Civil Defence, passing through the development of safety and emergency procedures for the Authority’s main building, and reviewing and ensuring the application of occupational safety standards in customs ports and facilities in the country, he noted.

Fakhro added that the project is primarily concerned with protecting workers and auditors in all the Authority’s headquarters from potential accidents that may cause injuries to persons or damage to facilities or property and also seeks to achieve Qatar National Vision 2030 to reach the highest levels of human development.

He pointed out that the Authority’s achievement of these certificates is the result of a great effort during the last period, and is a pioneering step at the level of government agencies in terms of applying the latest international standards in the field of occupational safety and security.

Source: QNA

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