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Contractors questioned over Dubai worker deaths

by Stephen White on Dec 7, 2010

  3 Comments
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An official investigation is now underway. File picture for illustrative purposes only.
An official investigation is now underway. File picture for illustrative purposes only.

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A contractor and subcontractor overseeing construction of the tower where two workers fell to their deaths last week have been detained and questioned by police in Dubai.

The incident occurred last Tuesday at 4.30pm while the two men were doing cladding work on the 27th floor on one of the buildings that form the Boulevard Plaza at the Downtown Dubai development.

While the exact cause of the accident is still being investigated, the Dubai Police has published a statement saying that it believed that the men’s cradle had “lost balance”. The National newspaper quoted a source who said that, “the side winch of the cradle they were using ‘had failed’”.

Police photography suggests that the men were wearing safety harnesses and hard hats, although it is still unclear whether they had been properly attached.

Construction Week's sister title PMV magazine understands the case was passed onto the CID section of the local police force soon after the incident happened on the 30 November.

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FEATURED COMMENT

This accident happened due to a wrong decision taken during installation of this machine. The hydraulic cylinder rating

  3 Comments

The National newspaper reported that Colonel Ali Ghanem, the director of Bur Dubai Police Station, confirmed, “the detained contractors would face charges of negligence leading to death.”

"The scaffolding would only have collapsed if health and safety regulations were not followed, but the exact cause is yet to be determined by the Dubai Municipality report."

The contractors and subcontractors involved in the development that have been detained were not named by police.

Samsung-Baytur JV, the contractor on the Emaar-owned project, did not make an official statement but did state to The National that it was “working with authorities to release the bodies pending the investigation”.

PMV understands that Emaar subsidiary Multiforms had earlier confirmed that it had employed the two men and said that it would ensure the bodies of the workers were repatriated.

Multiforms is subcontracted to handle the cladding work on the site where the men died. According to The National report a source had said “the workers had been carrying out preparatory work required for the installation of glass panels on the building's façade”.

"It was a mechanical failure; the boom is intact," said the source. “The entire platform or cradle fell. The men were wearing safety belts and helmets but it came crashing down. They didn’t stand a chance.”

A labourer on the site reportedly told The National: "This is our job. Sometimes it is dangerous. But it's good the police are checking; at least other workers will be safe. We keep thinking of the families of those two men. How many children did they have? What will they do now?"




Readers' Comments


Mohammad (Apr 23, 2011)
Dubai
United Arab Emirates

Please think again
This accident happened due to a wrong decision taken during installation of this machine. The hydraulic cylinder rating and safety factor were wrongly chosen with causing the hydraulic jack to fail. The boom felt down the ropes were cut due to the impact. i can't understand how can somebody take a decision to buy such important parts of the equipment if he doesn't know how to chose them and what are the requirements. Come on people, please think again, again and again before putting somebodies life in danger. its not a matter of business. There are lives here, families, children and maybe others. Those poor men where using all possible protective equipment and I'm almost sure that they were believing that the one who made this equipment for them must be a genius and will never make a mistake. So if you don't know, simply say it. Don't act like you know everything. Nobody knows everything. If you don't know, give it to somebody who knows.

razi (Dec 29, 2010)
Dubai
United Arab Emirates

Alternative options for safe mode of such works
These kind of works can be carried out safely using rope access...instead of cradle...because in rope access we can ensure no any mechanical damages unlike cradles.

Liaqat Hayat (Dec 8, 2010)
Islamabad
Pakistan

Contractors questioned............
Micro netting installed at certain distance alone can ensure safety in such falls.


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