Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, today announced the introduction of new innovative wearable safety technology in its annual ‘Beat the Heat’ programme to prevent heat-related illness amongst industrial workers in the hot UAE summer.
Heat-related illness is a hazard for anyone working outside in the UAE summer, and can be fatal if left untreated. EGA’s industrial processes generate further heat and must operate continuously, meaning work is conducted outside around-the-clock all summer. EGA is a global leader in combating heat-related illness, with no cases since 2021.
EGA has been trialling wearable technology to monitor critical health indicators during the summer since 2022. The new wearable technology is designed for challenging industrial environments like smelters. The technology offers enhanced location services, connectivity and consistent real-time data feeds accessible by EGA supervisors and medical teams.
The devices provide automated work and rest cycles if core body temperature rises beyond a specified threshold.
‘Beat the Heat’ is EGA’s annual summer-long, comprehensive programme to combat occupational heat stress and entirely prevent heat-related illness. The initiative has been running for over a decade to drive awareness amongst EGA’s employees of the early signs of heat stress, and equip and empower them to take action to prevent the onset of heat-related illness.
This year, EGA has also deployed full body cooling units at EGA medical centres and selected operational areas in Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah. The cooling suits offer rapid, non-invasive core body cooling to support emergency response.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “Heat-related illness is a serious challenge in our region. At EGA, our goal each summer is to engage everyone in ensuring we have zero cases of heat-related illness at our company, and together we have a long track record of success. Technology has the potential to make our Beat the Heat programme even more effective.”
EGA’s ‘Beat the Heat’ campaign includes hydration testing before and during shifts, scheduled cooling breaks, access to cooling showers, and dedicated rest zones across EGA’s operations. Employees and contractors use cooling booths, drinking water stations, icemakers, and portable air conditioning units to stay cool and hydrated throughout the day.
EGA achieved zero recordable heat-related illnesses for the third consecutive summer in 2024. EGA last cases of recordable heat-related illness were in 2021, when two employees required treatment at the company’s medical centres. In both cases, the employees received hydration via intravenous drips and fully recovered within hours.2018.
