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"This manual includes a set of rules that will help construction firms adopt the best practices in ensuing safety at construction sites. It can be used as a reference for regulating the working conditions in construction projects for all employees who work with contractors or sub-contractors,"
he said.
Al Maidour noted that the new safety manual forms part of the set of legislation currently being undertaken by Dubai Municipality with the objective of introducing a complete legal framework in line with the municipality's Strategic Plan 2007-2011. This will result in producing a set of the most important legislation documents for the emirate.
"As we face unprecedented and difficult challenges in offering the best infrastructure for a world-class city like Dubai, the issuance of such a manual is all the more relevant. In designing this manual, many of the safety standards existing in the advanced and developing nations were referred to," Al Maidour added.
Shedding light on the contents of the manual, Fawzi Mohammed Al Shehi, Acting Director of the Building Department, said the manual includes a set of rules which regulate construction projects carried out in the Emirate of Dubai.
He noted that according to available statistics for the past four years, of the total number of accidents at construction sites, a considerable percentage of accidents have occurred due to negligence of safety practices. For instance, falling from heights constituted 45% of the total 865 accidents that occurred during the period from 2004 until 2007. Other types of accidents were collapses at work sites (23%), accidents involving cranes and other machinery (14%) and fire and electric shock (7%). In 2007 alone, there were 249 accidents in which 47.8%were falling from heights. Taking this into consideration, the manual stipulates in at lease four chapters stringent safety measures for preventing such accidents.
The manual also lays down stricter fire safety preconditions in the wake of an increased rate of fire accidents at projects under construction. In this regard, the consultants and contractors have to give top priority for early installation of the permanent fire prevention devices and arranging water tanks and water pumps at construction sites to put off fire and sources of alternative energy. This is applicable even if the building is complete and ready for occupation.
He noted that technical guidelines appended to the manual are part and parcel of it. All rules and appended technical guidelines stipulated in it shall be applied to all building operations and engineering construction projects undertaken by way of trade or for the purpose of residential, commercial or industrial by or on behalf of the private or the public sector which includes the government or any other public authority.
The manual outlines general safety rules and clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of the employers, consultant engineers, contractors, sub-contractors with regard to the safety issues. It also lists the minimum requirements and the necessary arrangements to be made throughout all phases of construction including design works, supervision, and implementation in order to save the lives of employees and ensure their safety.
The manual says that consultant engineers and contractors are responsible for the overall safety of a construction project throughout the implementation period and thereafter according to the prevailing laws and local order in this regard. Their responsibility also extends to buildings close to the construction site and any other public facility that may be affected by the works. They are also responsible for the safety of all employees and those present at the site or close to it.
The manual also lists in detail the types of construction site accidents, work injuries, responsibilities for prevention of accidents, reporting of an accident, investigation into accidents, writing accident reports, vocational health and environment control, personal protection equipment, fire safety, storing of goods at construction sites, excavation works, concrete and block works, steel structure works, tunnels, dams, demolition works, welding works, electricity-related risks, insulation for power sources, hazardous chemical materials, road works, cranes...etc.
Al Shehi noted that the construction works include erection, alteration, repair, dismantling, demolition, structural maintenance, painting, land cleaning, earth moving, grading, excavation, trenching, digging, boring, drilling, tunneling blasting, or concreting or any work or undertaking in relation to a construction project. Project means any public or private construction project and includes the following: The construction of a building, bridge, structure, industrial establishment, mining plant, shaft, caisson tunnel, excavation, highway, street, runway, parking lot, cofferdam, channel, conduit, sewer, storm water drainage, water main, service connection, telecommunication or electrical cable, or pipeline, etc.; Development of mines, quarries, crushing and screening; And any work, project, land, or appurtenances used in connection with construction works.
Posted by Siba Sami Ammari
