8 Abu Dhabi construction firms fined for flouting crane safety rules

Abu Dhabi - The municipality has stressed the importance of compliance with EHS's risk assessment policy.

Eight construction and contracting firms have been fined for failure to comply with safety requirements of tower cranes.
The Abu Dhabi Municipality said the violating firms were identified during inspection campaigns carried out on 250 construction sites from June 13-20.
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The campaigns were intended to highlight the safety standards of tower cranes at construction sites to prevent workers from getting exposed to risks.
During the campaigns, municipal inspectors issued eight offences and 49 warnings to building contractors and consultants for flouting crane safety standards and for failing to create a safe working environment.
According to the municipality, the crackdown on site safety is part of a campaign to ensure that contractors and consultants abide by Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) standards to maintain the safety of employees, protect their lives and mitigate potential hazards in the workplace.
The municipality has stressed the importance of compliance with EHS's risk assessment policy for construction projects to bring about safety of on-site workers and pedestrians.
The civic body, through EHS, has urged all consulting offices, contractors, and building developers to adhere to the prescribed safety standards.
The municipality said it was working to strengthen contractor commitment and awareness around auditing and supervising subcontractors. This includes acquiring installation licences for the tower cranes, regular maintenance of cranes and review of maintenance reports, monitoring the loading and unloading of heavy machinery, carrying out regular maintenance and third-party safety checks, and ensuring mobile crane drivers have the necessary experience to operate the machinery.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi