The inaugural WASHEQ Conference was held in Accra, Ghana in September 2011. With nearly 350 participants from various industries including oil and gas, mining, manufacturing, and engineering, the conference received positive reviews for being successful and providing an opportunity for safety professionals and industry leaders to network, share best practices, and identify solutions to improve workplace safety. The next WASHEQ conference is planned for August 2012.

1. Communiqué from the
recent WASHEQ
CONFERENCE 2011

2. WASHEQ 2011 COMUNIQUE
The inaugural WASHEQ Conference was held on September 23rd in Accra, Ghana. Attended by nearly 350 participants,
the Conference received outstanding reviews from attendees. “For an inaugural program I can boldly say WASHEQ 2011
was a success beyond my expectations. Kudos to you and your entire team. It was an intensely rich and educative
program” Daniel Sackeyfio from Havilah oil. Francis Atibila from Shell stated that “First to express my gratitude to you and
your team for your efforts in organizing such a landmark conference. I hope and believe that it marked the beginning of
many good things to happen to the SHEQ family in WA”.
The theme of the conference; “Promoting Health and Safety Culture through Leadership commitment and Workforce
Engagement” emphasized the critical fact that issues of health and safety at workplaces are a shared responsibility. The
Conference gathered key decision makers within Industry, HSE professionals and academia to identify problems,
formulate recommendations and develop and share best practices to ensure the improvement and advancement of safety
standards in the workplace through cooperation, knowledge sharing, and relationship building.
The conference also hosted notable guest speakers, including Honorable ET Mensah who gave the keynote address.
Other speakers included the KOSMOS HSE Manager Scott Bergeron, the Director General of Lagos State Safety
Commission, Dominga Odebunmi, the HSE Manager of Chirano Mines Koduah Dapaah and many more.
There were thought-provoking presentations on Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) across different sectors of the
economy like the oil and gas, manufacturing, mining among others. The Interplast CEO, Arthur Hubert also gave a
presentation on Quality Management and the Regional Environmental Manager for CARES, Tayo Adedeji also gave a
presentation on Environmental Management.
In his key note address, the honorable minister of Employment and Social Welfare E.T Mensah stressed the need for
leaders of the organizations to take responsibility in ensuring HSE is given maximum attention so lives are saved.
“By the factories, Offices and Shops Act 1970, it is the responsibility of employers to ensure that the workplaces are safe
and free of all hazards. The act places specific responsibilities on employers, employees, the self-employed,
manufacturers, importers and suppliers”. According to him the main provisions of the Act prescribe general duties, some of
which are mandatory and specific.
Three breakout sessions took place covering Improving the Safety Culture in companies in West Africa, lead by Kadiri
Shamusideen a Principal Consultant, Zub – Chord Technical Ventures, Lagos, Enhancing Capability of SHE Professionals
in West Africa, lead by Justice Derefaka, Shell and OHS legislation what can be done in Ghana, lead by Joe Steve Annan
of Tullow Oil.
The conference was further enhanced by the presence of twelve enthusiastic exhibitors who attended to demonstrate their
relevant safety products and services. The popularity and projected growth of the conference is credited to outstanding
keynote speakers, informative and useful breakout sessions, professional exhibitors, and the opportunity to learn from –
and network with – international and national safety experts in the industry.
The next opportunity to attend WASHEQ will be in 2012 August 24. The planning committees are already at work to create
an outstanding event. Make plans now to attend! For more detailed information about the 2012 conference, please visit
www.sheqfoundaton.org and you can also register on linkedin at http://linkd.in/tI9W6C

3. Pictu
ures from the event
e

4. aphical summary of participants’ fee
edback from WASHEQ 20
011.
A gra
Av
verage
1%
Poo
or
Keynote Pre
K
esentations
s
Opin about% Whole Event
nion
the
0%
or
AveragePoo
0%
%
4%
Excellent
40%
Good
59%
Po
oor
0%
%
Excelle
ent
25%
Good
71%
Workshop
ps
Excellent
17%
Average
16%
Venue
e
Good
25%
Poor
Average r
4% 0%
E
Excellent
71%
Good
67%
Food & Refresh
d
hments
Average Poor
5% 0%
Excellent
27%
Good
68%
Good
6
64%
AveragePoor
5% 0%
Excellent
29%
Good
66%
Admin. Prio to Event
or
t
Av
verage
1
10%
Accessibillity
Promotion Prior to Event
r
Poor
0%
Exce
ellent
26%
Excellen
nt
20%
Poor
0%
Av
verage
35%
Good
G
45%
4

5. Companies who attended WASHEQ 2011
Opening Ceremony by Honorable E T Mensah, Minster for social welfare and employment whose jurisdiction includes the
department of factories
Chairman ‐ Justice Deferaka ( SHELL NIGERIA)
Government bodies ( 16) ‐Department of factories ‐5 Environmental Protection Agency –2 Tema Metropolitan Assembly – 1 Accra
Metropolitan Assembly ‐1 Ghana Fire service ‐ 1 Ghana TUC – 1 Ghana standards board – 2 Ghana health service – 1 Electricity
Company of Ghana – 1
Oil companies/ contractors (43)‐ KOSMOS ‐ 4 UBI ‐ 6 Tullow ‐ 16 Modec ‐ 4 Baker Hughes ‐ 2 Hess ‐ 5 Vanco ‐ 3 DNV ‐ 2 Shell –
3Holfman Petroleum – 2 FMC– 5 SLB ‐2 Tema oil refinery ‐ 5 Havilah Oil Ghana ‐ 5 Total – 3 LukOil– 1 Stewart Offshore (Ghana)
Limited ‐2 Puma Energy– 1 Engen– 1 Continental Energy ‐1 ORPC OMAN‐1
Mining companies/ contractors(58)‐OWERIMINES ‐4 NEWMONT – 6 Chirano ‐ 4 Boart Longear ‐ 4 Taysec – 1 Moolmans ‐1 Mantrac
Ghana ‐ 1 Dizengoff Ghana ‐ 2 Goldstar Resources‐ 5 Ael mining – 2 Resolute Mining – 3 Anglogold ‐ 6 Adamus ‐1 Group 5 projects –
2 Gold fields Ghana – 2 PW mining‐2 African mining contractors – 2 Noble gold– 1Engineering planners – 1 Mining and building
contractors – 2 Consar – 1 Ghana Manganese company ‐1 Banlaw – 2 CUMMINS – 1 MAXAM ‐1
Manufacturing companies (32) ‐ Fanmilk ‐ 1 Tema Lube Oil ‐ 1 Barry callebaut‐ 1 Diageo –4 Valco ‐1 Interplast ‐ 4 YARA Ghana‐ 1
Nestle – 2 PZ Cussons ‐ 3 Unilever ‐1 Ghacem – 3 Cargil – 3 Cocoa processing ‐1 ADM cocoa – 1 Norpalm ‐ 4 Volta River Authority‐ 1
Engineering and consultancies (14)– African Environmental Research & Consulting – 1 Natures Consulting ‐1 RPS Engineering– 1
Richmorgan Engineering ‐ 3 Cares – 3 Barbex ‐ 1Petpo Marine Consult ‐1 EHL – 1 MEMCOMS – 1 Genser Power ‐1 SHINGUWE ‐1
Safety training/ PPE (25)‐Sustainable Ghana ‐1 PPS‐3 Tryall Energy‐ 2 Road Safety Ltd ‐ 2 CPSS ‐ 3 SMTC‐ 2 Inceptus Consulting ‐
2 Preparation for life ‐ 2 Frontiers –1 Uni of Capecoast ‐2 BRA Associates – 1 SGS – 2 Public Health Bureau – 1 MBA Consult ‐2
ISOQAR‐1
Shipper s (14) Ghana Port and Harbor Authority ‐ 9 Panalpina –2 Conship ‐ 1 MCDAN shipping – 1 SMIT terminals – 1
Others (21) Vodafone – 2 Kingdom Bookshop ‐ 2 Spatial Dimension ‐1 R& P group ‐1 J & K Horle Transport – 1 Glico General Insurance
– 1 J A Plant pool – 2 Unemployed – 8 Eunitack services – 1, GIMPA – 1 African towers ‐1 Helios towers ‐1 Transport for London – 1
ǼLEX‐ 1 Movenpick – 1
Nigerians ‐ (40) SHELL, MI SWACO, NNPC FRESH CONSULTING , Finsbury Heinz, National Inland Waterways of Nig, UNITED
GEOPHYSICAL
Ivory Coast – (1) Newcrest mining
Sponsored GIMPA ‐ OSHA STUDENTS (15) WILMAR, FEDDERS LLOYD, DANADAMS PHARMACEUTICALS, LISTER HOSPITAL, GHANA
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION, GLO
SPEAKERS ‐ (14) KOSMOS, OWERIMINES, TULLOW, DIAEGO, CARES, INTERPLAST ETC
Exhibitors ‐ CPSS, Road Safety ltd, Tullow, Modec , Newmont, Tryall Energy, Draeger, Preparation for life, PPS, SMTC, SGS, Frontiers
Organizers and support staff– 10 (TULLOW/ GNPC / GHANA OIL AND GAS / HAILIBURTON)