(EnergyAsia, January 19, 2012, Thursday) --- UK-based international learning and skills specialist Atlas said it has accredited the Al Delma facility in Iraq’s Basra City to provide the International Minimum Industry Safety Training (IMIST) programme for the oil and gas industry.

The Al Delma centre will be capable of delivering the programme to as many as 250 people every day. The training assesses basic safety knowledge in nine subject areas including risk assessment, asset integrity, the use of hazardous substances, working at height and mechanical lifting among other subjects.

With this first centre to provide IMIST online training, Iraq has shown its commitment to develop its energy industry and train a workforce to the globally recognised basic safety standard.

Launched in the Middle East last July, IMIST online is delivered in partnership with Atlas via approved invigilation centres only.

Bilal Mahmood, CEO of Al Delma, said:

“Long-term underinvestment in the development of our oil and gas personnel has meant considerable training is needed if we are to accomplish the goal of a safe and skilled workforce for the future.

“As one of the biggest training centres in Iraq, we have built our reputation on being quick, smart and reliable and we are delighted to be the first to gain approval to deliver this new international training and be a model to others in the country.”

Developed by global oil and gas training standards body OPITO International, IMIST brings for the first time a standardised level of basic safety training to an estimated 1.5 million oil and gas workers worldwide.

Atlas chief executive John Rowley said: “This is a significant step forward for the oil and gas workforce in Iraq in terms of creating a safe, sustainable and profitable oil and gas industry for the country.

“It is also a major milestone in the adoption of a common industry standard for basic safety and competency in oil and gas around the world. The support which has been shown for this initiative is evident in the rapidly increasing footprint of centres which now spans across all four corners of the globe and is testament to the industry’s desire to improve safety at all levels.”

Atlas said this brings the total number of invigilation centre’s approved to deliver IMIST around the world to 16, including existing facilities in Australia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, the UAE, Qatar, Nigeria and Russia.

IMIST is being rolled out across 30 countries in Asia, Africa and the North America over the next two years. It will be delivered via e-learning and tailored to meet each region’s specific workforce, language and geographic needs.