Globally closer  

Ross Moloney, CEO of Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA), looks at how Regional Councils are building momentum behind LEEA’s global approach.

Winning the argument for high quality practices and equipment across the globe, and in all supply chains, is a key aim for LEEA. Through establishing Regional Councils to take control over directing LEEA operations in their local areas, we are strengthening LEEA’s global credentials and enhancing our support to members worldwide. The Regional Councils –already established in Australia and New Zealand and currently being set up in the Middle East – have the ability to set their own work plans, prioritise the things they want to deliver and to allocate spending.

In the Middle East, the Regional Council will be focussed on increasing awareness of the Association’s membership with end users and procurement professionals. It will act as a key vehicle to improve on LEEA’s performance in the region by identifying and resolving issues around training, standards, technical support, events, end user engagement, government/agencies and local press and media. Other issues it may wish to address include regional licensed training, events, and campaigns, with an enhanced profile in the Middle East through marketing and end users.

Joining the LEEA board to represent the Middle East region at the end of 2022, Mostafa Salah Shama succeeded Yassin A. Al Hussain, who had been a director for 10 years. Currently technical manager at SCOPE Petroleum Services, which is located in Burjessia near to the oil fields of Basra in Iraq, Mostafa has racked up more than 11 years’ experience in lifting operations – both offshore and inshore – in areas such as planning, inspection and training as well as quality assurance and quality control management. A member of AGMEP American Group for Managing Educational Projects) and an international IADC (International Association of Drilling Contractors) trainer, he also holds all elements of LEEA training.

Mostafa also has keenly held ideas for enhancing LEEA in the region. These include ensuring customer satisfaction through following up at all times with existing members, increasing the number of members, adding more training courses and diplomas, seeking more cooperation with the big names in the Middle East, participation in conferences and exhibitions in the region to promote LEEA’s name and services, and developing strategic partnerships.

Engaging with local regulators in each country in the region is another important goal. We need to convince them to make LEEA their ‘technical advisor’ to create a strategic partnership, through which we can gain influence while providing support in a ‘win-win’ situation. This, of course, aligns strongly with the Association’s aim as a safety organisation to achieve zero accidents and injuries in lifting globally. Safety and what constitutes improvement and development are issues at the top of the agenda for the council to achieve in 2023.

The next steps for the Regional Council in the Middle East are to conduct a general survey with all our members to establish their needs and to better understand our strengths and weaknesses so we can develop further. We will also be looking at continuous enhancement of all our services to fulfil the region’s needs, so it promises to be a very exciting period for LEEA in the Middle East.

Meanwhile in Australia and New Zealand, the Regional Council there has worked incredibly hard since being established and is looking forward to making a big announcement at our LiftEx Regional event on the 24^t and 25 of May at the Sydney Maritime Museum. This is going to be a brilliant event, focusing on how the lifting industry can meet the challenges of the next 10-20 years. Skills is a big part of that, and this event will focus our attention on the best ways we can overcome it.

The Regional Councils represent the next step in bringing decisions closer to our members around the world and raising awareness of the Association globally. It is good to see they are already making great strides in encouraging end users of lifting in their regions to look for the LEEA logo.