Qadir Mahmood honored as WSHAsia Safety Influencer of the Year 2026 in Singapore

Singapore/UAE: Qadir Mahmood, a leading occupational safety and health (OSH) professional based in the United Arab Emirates, has been named Safety Influencer of the Year at the prestigious WSHAsia Award 2026, held on Wednesday, 10 September 2026 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore. He is the sole recipient of this honour, which recognises one individual whose work has had an exceptional impact on workplace safety and health.

The award was presented during the WSHAsia Gala Dinner Presentation Ceremony, attended by 234 participants, bringing together safety professionals, companies, and industry leaders from across the globe. The event celebrated excellence across a wide range of categories, underscoring the growing importance of safety, health, environment, and sustainability in the modern workplace.

This year's ceremony marked a historic milestone for WSHAsia. After six years of digital success and global participation from over 30 countries, the award evolved into a Dual-Stage Format for the first time: a global online Shortlist Announcement Livestream, followed by an exclusive, in-person Gala Dinner Presentation Ceremony in Singapore.

A highly competitive field

The 2026 awards drew strong competition. Across the OSH Solutions (Safety & Health, and Technology) and Industry Excellence (Environmental Sustainability, and Industry Initiative Excellence Award) categories, 41 companies were shortlisted, with 21 advancing to the finalist stage, where winners were recognised for excellence in safety and health, technology, environmental sustainability, and industry excellence.

In the individual awards, 10 Visionary Leaders and 20 Outstanding Safety Practitioners were shortlisted, narrowing to 6 Visionary Leader finalists, 10 Outstanding Safety Practitioner finalists, and 2 Lifetime Achievement Award finalists.

A total of 10 individuals received the Outstanding Safety Practitioners Award, but only one - Qadir Mahmood - was selected as the Safety Influencer of the Year, making the recognition a singular distinction. Entries were evaluated by a distinguished panel of global industry experts from across the Asia Pacific, adding further weight to the achievement.

"I am deeply honoured to receive this award," said Qadir Mahmood. "This recognition is not just a personal achievement - it belongs to every safety professional in the UAE who works tirelessly to protect lives and build a stronger safety culture. I hope this award shines a light on the vital role OSH plays in our region and inspires more professionals to lead with purpose."