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Occupational safety units for companies

DUBAI — The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has directed contracting companies to establish centralised organisational units concerned with health and occupational safety to be directly linked with the senior management of the company.

This came after a meeting of the RTA with directors of more than 20 contracting and consultancy companies engaged in implementation or supervising RTA projects.

RTA projects have seen two major accidents in the recent past, including a bridge collapse on Al Sofouh Road in Dubai Marina last Thursday when seven labourers lost their lives.

RTA has also directed the companies to make available a special location to provide first aid to employees at the site.

Companies were also asked to earmark areas where employees can have a break -where they can have drinking water etc.

“It’s vital to have such a unit established at each project and have it affiliated to the Central Health and Occupational Safety Unit.

This unit shall not be affected by the demand of the project director to speed up work, something that might result in undermining safety at sites,” said Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the Board and executive director of RTA.

Al Tayer also directed the companies to compile health and occupational safety directories at the overall level of the company and at the level of the projects undertaken, so as to ensure that proper health and occupational safety measures are in place.

Al Tayer also stressed on the need to study risks, including identifying and assessing of risks associated with construction methods and maintaining a register of health and occupational safety risks. “It’s the job of the companies to provide all safety equipment to its labour force. All site staff should be provided protective gears,” said Al Tayer.

• UAE