HSE Regulatory Requirements Across the GCC Part 4A: UAE – Competent Authorities

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Welcome to the fourth installment of my blog series on the health, safety, and environmental (HSE) regulatory landscape across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

In the first article, I set the scene by providing an overview of key HSE challenges across the GCC,  common findings from compliance audits, and challenges facing companies operating across the GCC in complying with HSE regulations.

In the second article, I discussed key international agreements related to worker health and safety and the status of these agreements across the GCC.

In the third article, I discussed key international agreements related to environmental protection and the status of these agreements across the GCC.

In this article I provide an overview of the key competent authorities responsible for implementing and enforcing HSE requirements across the UAE.

The UAE was formed in 1971 as a federation of seven emirates.  The Constitution of the UAE defines the powers and responsibilities of the federal government and the individual emirates. When it comes to HSE, the federal government and the individual emirates share certain responsibilities and have different powers as outlined below.

Federal Government: The federal government in the UAE has exclusive jurisdiction over matters related to the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural resources that are common to all the emirates. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is the primary federal authority responsible for environmental protection and HSE matters across the country. Additionally, the federal government has the power to regulate matters related to public health, including occupational health and safety.

Individual Emirates: Each emirate in the UAE has its own executive and legislative bodies, and they are responsible for enacting laws and regulations specific to their emirate. This means that each emirate has the power to set its own HSE standards, guidelines, and regulations as long as they do not conflict with federal laws and regulations.   If a federal law or regulation conflicts with an emirate law or regulation, the federal law or regulation takes precedence. HSE regulations are most well-developed in the Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The following are the main competent authorities responsible for developing and enforcing HSE regulations across the UAE and within each Emirates.

COMPETENT AUTHORITIES FOR ENVIRONMENT

UAE Federal

Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE)

  • Develop plans, strategies and policies related to the environment, agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries in addition to combating desertification and preserving biodiversity.
  • Integrate environmental protection in socio-economic development plans and promote sustainable use of vital resources.
  • Propose legislation and formulate plans, strategies, policies, programs and initiatives that mitigate the impact of climate change in the country.
  • Join relevant international treaties and conventions and propose partnership agreements with regional and global organizations in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and other concerned authorities. Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and other concerned bodies.
  • Issues licenses for agriculture, fisheries and veterinary services.
  • Permit for import/export of fertilizers, pesticides, hazardous waste, animals, ozone depleting substances.

Abu Dhabi        

Abu Dhabi Environment Agency (EAD)

  • The largest environmental regulator in the Middle East.
  • Regulates and enforces Abu Dhabi’s environmental laws to protect biodiversity and preserve the quality of life for a sustainable future.
  • Certify and permit environmental consultants, environmental laboratories, and groundwater drilling companies.
  • Issue permits to drill new, temporary, or replacement groundwater wells.
  • Issue environmental licenses for commercial facilities, infrastructure projects, and industrial facilities.

Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer)

  • Responsible for enforcing waste management regulations in Abu Dhabi.
  • Certify and permit waste vendors.
  • Manages the BOLISATY system, an electronic database/manifest for waste management in the Emirates.

Ajman

Municipality and Planning Department (MPDA)

  • Responsible for preparing and enforcing environmental regulations in Ajman.
  • Certify and permit environmental companies, including EIA consultants, waste management vendors, environmental laboratories, groundwater drilling companies.
  • Review and approve Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)
  • Issue permits, e.g.: environmental operating permits, import of chemicals and hazardous materials, groundwater wells, waste disposal, and ­      temporary use of electrical generator

Dubai  

Dubai Municipality Environmental Sustainability Department (DM-ESD)

  • Responsible for preparing and enforcing environmental regulations in Dubai.
  • Certify and permit environmental companies, including EIA consultants, environmental laboratories, groundwater drilling companies.
  • Review and approve Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)
  • Issue permits, e.g.: marine & coastal services activities, environmental operating permits, import of chemicals and hazardous materials, and­      groundwater wells.

Dubai Municipality Waste Management Department (DM-WMD)

  • Responsible for managing the collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of all types of waste in Dubai. It also promotes waste reduction, recycling, and energy recovery.
  • Issue permits, e.g.: waste management vendors and disposal of all types of wastes.

Fujairah           

Fujairah Environmental Authority (FEA)

  • Responsible for preparing and enforcing environmental regulations in Fujairah.
  • Certify and permit environmental companies, including EIA consultants, waste management vendors, environmental laboratories, groundwater drilling companies.
  • Review and approve Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)
  • Issue permits, e.g.: possession of a diesel tank, import of chemical and hazardous materials, environmental license, groundwater wells, and       temporary use of electrical generator.

Department of Public Works and Agriculture (PWAD)

  • Responsible for enhancing sustainability in the construction and maintenance of infrastructure projects in Fujairah.
  • Issue permits for transport of construction waste.

Ras Al Khaimah

Environment Protection and Development Authority (EPDA)

  • Responsible for preparing and enforcing environmental regulations in Ras Al Khaimah.
  • Certify and permit environmental companies, including environmental consultants, waste management vendors, environmental laboratories, groundwater drilling companies.
  • Review and approve Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and environmental permits.
  • Issue permits, e.g., fishing, import/export of chemical products, and    groundwater wells

Public Service Department (PSD)

  • Responsible for infrastructure in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, including waste management.
  • Certify and permit waste management vendors.
  • Issue permits for waste disposal.

Sharjah            

Environmental Services Department (ESD)

  • Responsible for preparing and enforcing environmental regulations in Sharjah Municipality.
  • Certify and permit environmental companies, including environmental consultants, waste management vendors, environmental laboratories, groundwater drilling companies.
  • Review and approve Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and environmental permits.
  • Issue permits, e.g.: waste disposal and groundwater wells.

Umm Al Quwain         

Municipality of Umm Al Quwain

  • Certify and permit environmental companies.
  • Environmental approval for industrial facilities.

COMPETENT AUTHORITIES FOR WORKER HEALTH AND SAFETY

UAE Federal    

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)

  • Responsible for ensuring the safety, health, and welfare of workers, including developing and implementing policies and regulations related to labor and employment in the UAE.
  • MOHRE’s Occupational Health and Safety Department oversees the development and implementation of OHS regulations, as well as the inspection and enforcement of these regulations in workplaces across the UAE.
  • Work-related injuries and occupational diseases are reported to MOHRE.

Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP)

  • Responsible for developing and implementing health policies and programs to regulating healthcare providers and facilities and responding to public health emergencies.
  • Indirectly responsible for worker health and safety via regulation of health care services and to manage health emergencies such as COVID-19.

General Directorate of Civil Defence (DCD), Ministry of Interior

  • Responsible for protecting people, property, and the environment from the effects of disasters and emergencies.
  • Issues permits and approvals for various activities in order to ensure compliance with safety regulations and protect public safety, including:­      building safety certificates, fire safety equipment vendors, experts ,training firms, etc., hazardous material warehouses, and fire and life safety system drawings.

National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA)

  • Responsible for regulating and coordinating all efforts of emergency, crisis and disaster management as well as the development of a national plan for responding to emergencies. Its work is focused mainly in the development, consolidation and maintenance of laws, policies and procedures of emergency and crisis management at the national level.   NCEMA set COVID-19 policy for the UAE.
  • The NCEMA’s Department of Safety and Prevention develops standards and requirements to ensure business continuity along with the vital activities of the public institutions at the time of emergency, crisis, and disaster. It provides support, through training, information technology, field visits to support the National Response efforts.

Abu Dhabi        

Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC)

  • Responsible for supervision and monitoring of the implementation of Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health System Framework (OSHAD SF).
  • Sector regulatory authorities (SRAs) are delegated by ADPHC, e.g., for the building and construction sector, the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) the three municipalities (Abu Dhabi City Municipality, Al Ain City Municipality, and Al Dhafra Region Municipality) are considered as Sub-Sector Regulatory Authorities (SSRA) under supervision of DMT.

Dubai  

Dubai Municipality Health and Safety Department (HSD)

  • Responsible for preparing and enforcing health and safety regulations in Dubai.
  • Conducts regular inspections of workplaces to identify hazards and ensure that employers are taking appropriate measures to mitigate the risks.
  • Issue fines and penalties to businesses and employers that violate OHS regulations.
  • Conducts investigations into workplace accidents and incidents to determine the cause and identify any lapses in safety protocol.

In addition, there are numerous special economic zones within the UAE that have responsibility for permitting and enforcement of HSE regulations in the areas in which they operate.  For instance:

Trakhees – Department of Planning and Development, the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) is the competent authority for HSE matters within the complexes and areas owned by PCFC, Dubai World or entities and subsidiaries of any of them in the Emirate of Dubai.

Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Department (OHSE), Dubai South – The OHSE department is  responsible for enforcing the regulations and conducting regular inspections of businesses operating within its boundaries.

Health, Safety, and Environment Department (HSE) Abu Dhabi Ports – The competent authority for HSE regulation within ADP is the Health, Safety, and Environment Department. This department is responsible for enforcing the HSE regulations and ensuring compliance by all businesses operating within ADP, e.g., Khalifa Port, Fujairah Port.

In the next articles of this series, I will be taking a deep dive into the regulatory landscape for each of the GCC countries, starting with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

As always, feel free to contact us if you need help with your HSE challenges at your site.

Thanks for reading.  Keep safe.  Be healthy.  Respect your environment.

I hope that you will bookmark the blog, share it with your colleagues and visit the blog frequently because you find it informative and helpful.  I value your feedback and suggestions for future topics.

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Photo Credits:  Image from Wikipedia (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gulf_Cooperation_Council.svg)

Randall D. Shaw, Ph.D.
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