Road signs put upCanadian Nexen tries to make roads safer [Archives:2004/716/Local News]

Thanks to a Canadian oil company, some of Yemen's roads are safer.
Local Military Commander – Lt. Col. Ahmed Al-Dharab worked with the Nexen Environmental, Health and Safety Manager – James Kondol positioning 10 road signs in an area where five people have died in accidents since Eid.
This is another part of Nexen's Responsible Care Program providing help and advice with regard to local hazards outside the Masila Block Oil Production Field.
In an area near Nexen's oil fields in the Hadhramout Region, five people have died and another 18 locals were injured because of motor vehicle accidents.
These tragic events occurred as a result of vehicles passing each other on dusty roads and colliding at high speed.
The lack of people wearing seat belts contributed to the severity of the injuries and fatalities. Nexen and the Commander recognized the need to make people aware of the dust hazards and the idea to make and install signs was created.
The signs have been placed at key points along a 26-kilometer stretch of dust hazard road.
It is hoped that the repeated message will encourage drivers to drive very carefully in dusty conditions.
The sign above is near the junction to the town of Ghail Bin You main. Another set of signs has been posted at a road leading to Ressib village.
It is hoped that people joining the road at those locations will read the sign and be reminded of the hazards.
This 26-km stretch of road has experienced many deaths in the last 5 or 6 years. The estimate was over 12 fatalities and many more serious injuries.
In nearly all cases the injured people were brought to the Nexen Medical Clinic for immediate attention and if necessary evacuation by GNPY's aircraft to the main government hospital in Mukalla.
Since this Eid, two aircraft flights have taken a total of four people to hospital in Mukalla, during 2003 there were 10 medical evacuation flights and in 2002 – five such flights.
Nexen is committed to helping their neighbors and all Nexen Medical emergency services and aircraft flights have been provided free of charge to local people.
Vehicle accident prevention is to be a key safety promotion issue for Canadian Nexen during 2004 and it will be taken to Communities as part of the company's Responsible Care program.
Advertisement features have been planned and the first, involving Yemen's President Abdullah Ali Saleh, is being released soon.
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