Doha: The Public Works Authority — Ashghal — and its contracting company CCC/Teyseer working on Dukhan Highway Central Expressway Project achieved a key milestone of 25.0 million man hours without loss time injury (LTI).
It comes as a result of Ashghal’s comprehensive and stringent health and safety measures included in the pre-qualification process for contractors.
Ashghal follows a strict procedure to award contracts to companies that assure compliance.
To comply with its health and safety requirements at work zones, CCC/Teyseer raised the safety bar by introducing a programme of safety and traffic management, which has been effective in delivering Ashghal’s health and safety objectives.
It included the use of the first crash cushion, European-approved and tested temporary barriers — metal and concrete — including accredited installation, specialist road side working safety training accredited to UK and European standard and certified accordingly.
Initiatives included intensive health and safety discussions and awareness sessions, weekly management inspections, access control for sub-contractors, emergency support vehicles, site notice boards and related procedures.
Ashghal puts emphasis on high standards of health and safety at work zones to ensure a secure working environment for workers. It imposes health and safety measures as pre-qualification prerequisites for contractors.
Contractors are required to submit a clear health and safety plan detailing their health, safety and environment (HSE) guidelines to be considered in the tendering process.
Targeted communication campaigns are rolled out every month across the Expressway Programme to focus on areas that promote improved health and safety standards for workers.
The programme has set health and safety procedures and policies for all projects to ensure commitment and compliance by contractors to achieve zero percent incidents, injuries, environmental harm, and no security breaches on expressway projects.
A campaign ‘Raising the safety bar 2014’ has been launched across the Expressway Programme which includes six monthly themes to be implemented by contractors.
The supervision consultant shall monitor the effectiveness and compliance of the theme. This is in addition to mandatory requirements for labour accommodations and health services.
Last June, Ashghal announced achieving a similar milestone at the Lusail Expressway project — 10m man hours without LTI.
Ashghal’s HSE reports on all projects are showing a considerable reduction in accidents.
The Dukhan project is an integral part of Expressway Programme to create one of the world’s most impressive urban road networks. It is managed by KBR as programme management consultant and WS Atkins as supervision consultant.
Substantial section of this project has been opened to the public. The project includes construction of 15km of highway from west of Al Wajbah Interchange to east of Al Sheehaniya. It also comprises a dual carriageway with four lanes in each direction, service roads and a cycle track in both directions.
Commenced in the second quarter of 2011, the QR1bn project is expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of 2016.
The Peninsula
