ABU DHABI // The municipality plans to start cracking down on health and safety violators on construction sites in the coming year, as tentative statistics show the number of reported accidents increased in 2011.
In November, officials stepped up inspections and began more aggressively issuing fines.
"Our strategy was not to fine directly," said Abdulaziz Zurub, head of health, safety and environment (HSE) at the municipality.
"We started with awareness and site visits, but now we are turning to fines and the court process. We need to bring best practices into Abu Dhabi, but we need support from the companies that are the ones who need to change to a culture of safety."
Anyone fined for one of 32 violations from municipal inspectors will need to pay before any new permits will be issued.
Earlier this year, the municipality introduced a blacklist for repeat violators. Depending on the severity of the violations, a company can be barred from operating in the capital for three, six or 12 months.
The Department of Economic Development is working with the municipality to revoke offenders' licences.
Fines can range from Dh1,000 for failing to make approved plans and permits available at the site to Dh50,000 for violations including demolition without proper permits and building beyond approved dimensions.
The measure is part of the municipality's efforts to increase HSE awareness on construction sites. This month marks one year since the municipality began requiring contractors and consultants to submit comprehensive safety plans before receiving building permits.
In the capital, about 20 inspectors carry out daily inspections, and about 3,000 random inspections have been completed this year.
Though official numbers from the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (Haad) reported a 19 per cent decrease in workplace fatalities, this year has seen a spike in accidents on construction sites, Mr Zurub said.
The increased numbers could be attributed to increased reporting.
"Our investigators are identifying the lessons to be learned," he said. "Why it happened, what is the root cause, how we can avoid it."
This is the first year the municipality has collected statistics, but numbers are not yet available.
In 2010, there were 551 workplace deaths, a drop from 680 in 2009, according to data provided by Haad. Numbers for 2011 will be available early next year.
Falling from height and being struck by falling objects remain the most common hazards for labourers on construction sites, according to the Haad report. Mr Zurub said unsafe scaffolding and open shafts are common violations.
No fire incidents have been reported this year.
"Our inspectors are patrolling all the sites," Mr Zurub said. "We have big plans for next year, getting the message out about safety issues."
Some experts said more needs to be done to ensure contractors understand the regulations.
"Most contractors don't know what the municipality is requiring," said Saif Hamam, a business development consultant at the Emirates Institute for Health and Safety, an Abu-Dhabi based organisation that offers HSE training. "They just know that they have to be in compliance, but no one is explaining how and where to get this information."
Mr Hamam said contractors are paying the minimum amount to consultants to develop safety plans that pass only the basic requirements for the municipality.
"What they want is the cheapest quotation possible," he said. "They will buy a safety plan but never look at it or implement it."
Mr Zurub said the municipality will also work on improving its system for reporting violators to the courts in an effort to help companies understand the penalties.
The HSE annual report is under development and is expected to be completed early next year. The report will outline the number of accidents, fatalities and violators in 2011, and review training and workshops carried out this year.
jthomas@thenational.ae
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SPECS
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
UAE v United States, T20 International Series
Both matches at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free.
1st match: Friday, 2pm
2nd match: Saturday, 2pm
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Amjad Gul, CP Rizwan, Mohammed Boota, Abdul Shakoor, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
USA squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (captain), Jaskaran Malhotra, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jannisar Khan, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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The%20specs
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Dunki
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'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions