Good safety, good sense

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CW finds out how implementing safety systems can save money, as well as lives

It is common knowledge in the construction industry that good on site health and safety practice is paramount. The importance of the issue is drummed into us by leaflets, posters, presentations and seminars. And, reports of fatalities and injuries on site make us think seriously about putting plans into place to prevent such events.

However, like many plans packed with good intentions, they tend to be put on hold and the financial crisis has given many construction companies an excuse to invest in healthy and safety at a more ‘convenient’ time.

What is not common knowledge among the construction industry is that implementing safety initiatives will not burn a whole in your wallet and actually makes good business sense.

“One cause of injury is the perception of the management team that safety is a cost (and not a saving), which during tight economic conditions, can be eliminated,” says Bruce Shahabi, director of operations for Combisafe Gulf, a developer of safety solutions for construction sites.

“In truth, accidents cost time and money, as well as human lives, which are the last things you need during tough
economic climates.”

Fortunately though, it becoming increasingly common for most construction heavyweights in the region to see the benefits health and safety initiatives can bring to their businesses.

“We’re not looking to cut into safety budgets – a healthy, safe and happy site is a more productive site,” insisted Six Construct general manager Phillipe Dessoy at the Construction Week Dubai Conference in November.

Damac Properties also reported last week that it has doubled its safety performance record for 2009.

“At the end of the day we have put quite a lot of pressure on our contractors but ultimately this has benefited everyone by minimising risks and reducing accidents,” says Damac health, safety and environment manager Ekarath Raveendran.

And, Arabtec has so far proved it is taking safety seriously at its Infinity Tower construction site. By the time 3.7 million man hours had been completed, there had been just seven lost time injuries.

The latest figures from Build Safe UAE (BSU) also show that contractors made significant improvement in safety performance last year compared to 2008.

According to the new report, there were 10 on site fatalities in the emirates last year – a 50% decrease from 2008’s statistics. There were also 530 lost time injuries compared to 690 in 2008.

However, the data that was collected from a selection of main contractors in the emirates showed that the number projects under construction, people employed and man hours delivered in 2009 has been reduced by approximately 35% to 40% in comparison to a figures compiled two years ago. So, with fewer man hours worked, this may well have led to fewer accidents.

And, according to BSU, developers in the Middle East still have to make vast improvements before they can declare their sites safe.

“Key trends which need addressing include the proper handling of materials, avoiding falling objects, slips and trips and the biggest cause of deaths on construction sites - falls from height,” says Bovis Lend Lease assistant project manager and group administrator for BSU Elias McGrath.

“Regulations do exist but it is evident that throughout the UAE, unethical ‘dodgy’ contractors are consistently breaching what they are required to comply with by law.”

Suppliers of safety equipment don’t rate the on site HSE standards in the Middle East too highly either. “I would give it four out of 10 at this point in time,” says 3M country business leader for safety, security and protection services Walid Feghali.

“We have to keep hammering the importance of safety by holding seminars and presenting demonstrations to improve this figure. We are actively working with the Dubai Municipality to elevate awareness and safety standards.”

That argument is seconded by Robert Jennings, managing director of Systech Solutions, a supplier of rescue equipment: “I would rate it as a three. Although we have come a long way in the last 10 years, there is still a long way to go to get some proper recognised standards in place,” he says.

“There is still a lot of ‘box ticking’ with many safety measures seemingly being covered, but cannot be implemented in the event of an accident. There are no uniform practices - you can go on one site where safety seems to be high priority and, on the next site, you may find operatives working without any from of safety, or the right personal protective equipment (PPE).”

The problem, according to Jennings, is that people in the industry don’t know enough about the dangers of a construction site - even a harness cannot always save a worker from a fall.

“One of the more recent changes in construction safety is the use of harnesses. If a worker falls, the harness will obviously prevent him from falling to the ground. The problem now, however, is that the harness can kill the casualty if recovery is not conducted in a timely and efficient manner,” he says.

Death in a harness is the result of Othostatic Intolerance, commonly referred to as suspension trauma. The harness straps around a worker’s legs and prevents blood flow to the major organs.

“If the casualty is placed in the normal recovery position, the deoxygenated blood flows back to the major organs, which results in death from toxic shock. What is alarming is that many people don’t know about these problems,” adds Jennings

Sytech Solutions offers rescue kits, as well a six month training course to help workers understand how to use the systems properly.

The company also supplies rescue plans to construction companies and provides anti-collision systems that are installed on cranes.

“We offer solutions that are financially justified and we can provide flexible payment options such as lease purchase, rentals and buyback schemes,” states Jennings.

Shahabi insists that if contractors install the correct safety systems and provide proper training, they will save precious time. Further, developers should choose contractors and consultants with good safety track records to avoid negative PR at a later stage.

“This [also] ensures that [the developer’s] own safety team will have less time- consuming accident investigation to do and more proactive supervision and planning time.”

Combisafe offers systems to prevent the fall of workers and objects from a height. And, from April this year, it will be supplying Miller Fall Protection products to the industry, including harnesses and shock-absorbing lanyards to its Middle East partners.

In addition, the company has developed a locally manufactured edge protection system, elevator shaft gates and slab opening protection systems, which target high-rises.

3M also offers solutions, which protect workers from harm such as ear muffs, eye wear and helmets.

“Workers are exposed to dust, chemicals and hazards, and for each type application, we have the right product for protection,” explains Feghali.

“At the moment, we are promoting our communication range – our ear muffs have microphones attached to them so workers can speak to each other from different ends of a construction site. A supervisor located at ground level could speak to a crane operator, for example.”

So HSE products and systems are out there, contractors just need to implement them. Suppliers feel that onsite safety in the Gulf is improving but some contractors still need a nudge in the right direction.

“I would like to see more government regulations along with a policing strategy that enforces adherence to site safety regulations,” says Jennings. Shahabi agrees and adds that BSU has influenced more companies to join the organisation over the past year and share their experiences and statistics in an open forum.

Top tips from HSE firms

Systech Solutions
“Educate workers on when and how to wear PPE and how to inspect the equipment. A height rescue plan should be in place and the right amount of kits and training should be implemented. All workers should be made aware of Suspension trauma. Anti Collision systems should be installed on all cranes. Also, a crane should not be allowed to over fly public areas. These areas should be zoned out.”

Combisafe
“Combisafe’s top tip for working safely at height is adopting the hierarchy of control for working at height (contractors and consultants with good safety records), putting in place safe systems of work for activities, which exposes the workers/objects to risk of fall. In addition, plans should be put in place to prevent accidents.”

3M
“Damage to the eyes, ears and lungs is irreversible so it is important that safety knowledge is past on to contractors, supervisors and workers so that the right tools are provided.”