A total of 51 PNG Power employees have recently set a milestone when they received their certificates in first aid and firefighting from St. John Ambulance and Papua New Guinea Fire Service.
“Not all organisation think like how PNG Power is thinking on safety. The company has involved St. John Ambulance and PNG Fire Service for training and this is a milestone that you should all be proud of,” said St. John Ambulance Chief Superintendent, Alicia Gegera.
Inspector Ngamalu Gelinglot, of PNG Fire Service, said the skills received during the training were vital and can be utilised at work and at home.
“Electricity is one thing that causes fire on its own when you are not aware. The training given is a life skill that will help protect your offices and homes,” he said.
The participants were presented with Certificate in Provide First Aid from St. John Ambulance and In-Response in Fire Fighting & Warden Training from PNG Fire Service.
PNG Power Manager Organizational Development, Andrew Kavanamur, said there are challenges with big power projects and he thanked the Health & Safety Team for this training initiative.
“We take our hats off for this mandatory training exercise and getting our staff certified. In terms of safety, the company needs to have certified people in this business,” he said.
PNG Power Health & Safety Team Leader, Kenny Iveke, said the training has been effective as the injury rate has decreased since 2017 and his team aims to have more staff members trained and be equipped with first aid and safety skills.
He said under the legislation, the Industrial Safety, Health & Welfare Act 1961, Section 175, calls for the “duty of care obligation” whereby PNG Power as an employer shall provide a safe, healthy and hazard free working environment, and the employees shall follow set policies and guidelines, not to endanger themselves and other fellow workers.
“Injury is inevitable, however, we are training staff members in all our centres so that they can provide first aid and respond quickly to fire incidents. We will also run awareness on the safety standards and ensure that we narrow down on the injury cases that happen every year,” Kenny said.
PNG Power Team Leader Health Management, Dii Kameso, thanked the staff members for being a champion for the company and volunteering for this life skill training.
“You all have your specific jobs but I thank you for taking on this additional responsibility to save lives and ensure our safety is guaranteed,” he said.