Global professional services consultancy WSP Middle East, along with Belgian infrastructure group Besix and US construction major Turner International Middle East (TIME), celebrated a pinnacle health and safety milestone at the Uptown Tower project site in Dubai with their team clocking 10 million working hours without a Lost Time Injury (LTI).

On completion, the 78-storey Uptown Tower will stand 340 m tall and feature 188 luxury hotel rooms and suites, exclusive restaurants, health spas and extensive conference facilities.

It will also boast Grade A offices with large efficient floor plates, and 229 uniquely designed branded residences.

Guided by a smart and sustainable construction strategy, Uptown Tower will be a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certified building, and home to a state-of-the-art DMCC Business Hub.

Lauding the trio, Paul Ashton, Executive Director (Property) at DMCC, says: “We would like to congratulate Besix, WSP and TIME for achieving this impressive milestone. This is a testament to their combined efforts to provide a safe working environment for everyone involved in the delivery of this iconic tower using state-of-the-art smart and digital innovative safety measures.

“Uptown Tower sits at the heart of our upcoming Uptown Dubai district – a 24-hour neighbourhood brimming with world-class dining, unique high-end retail outlets, a central entertainment plaza and some of the world’s most desirable hotels and leading businesses.”

Shafiq Hussain, Associate Director, Building Structures at WSP Middle East, says: “Engineering projects of the scale of Uptown Tower require industry-leading health, safety and wellbeing practices to be woven into the construction programme at every step. Thanks to the immense contributions of all project stakeholders and the invaluable support of DMCC, we are proud to be delivering the first super-tall tower in the Uptown Dubai district and celebrating this LTI-free milestone in line with our acclaimed Zero Harm Vision, which calls on everyone to embed a spirit of accountability and collaboration in order to reduce risk and ensure everyone gets home safely at the end of every day.”

Miguel Monteiro, Project Director at Besix, says: “Collaboration and teamwork across all levels of the hierarchy as well as among clients, consultants and sub-contractors are at the heart of this outstanding achievement that, above all, guarantees every single day, a safe return home and to our families to each man and woman involved in our project.”