When it’s considered that the construction industry is worth $500billion to the region alone, it’s no surprise that the criterion has advanced over the years. 2009’s Code of Construction Safety Practice for Dubai was curated to assist businesses with their safety responsibilities and covers a wide variety of construction subjects, from PPE to scaffolding and everything in between. This, along with many other regulations, shows how seriously the region is taking its health and safety duties.
However, there have still been big headlines for safety failings in recent times, namely the death figures during the construction stage of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup.
Over 1200 workers have died since construction began with a large majority of them being untrained migrants. 400 Nepalese are said to be included in the fatality rates with overall numbers likely to hit 4000 before work is completed. This has led to a huge spike in the amount of workplace deaths and accidents recorded in the area overall.
It’s not just the negative side of Middle East health and safety which is often highlighted, however. Businesses are being recognised for excellence with their safety standards, such as the Health and Safety Initiative of the Year Award at the fmME Awards. There are also events such as the Employee Health and Wellbeing Conference held in October in Qatar, the Annual Waste Management ME Forum in October held in Dubai and the Kuwait International Fair every September.
The history of Middle East health and safety paves the way for a safe and prosperous future for workplaces.
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