Build Safe Dubai, a group launched to ensure the health and safety of the construction worker, has mapped out steps toward its key objectives and is now planning to widen its member base and raise its profile in the city.

Developers and regulators are key organisations whom the group is keen to engender support from.
The Build Safe Dubai programme is an initiative based solely on construction stakeholders in Dubai working together to become part of an integrated solution to the construction safety challenges in the saturated market.
The initiative commenced when project management company Bovis Lend Lease met five major contractors in the market – Al Futtaim Carillion, Nasa Multiplex, Al Naboodah Laing O’Rourke, Murray & Roberts, and Dutco Balfour Beatty. Each organisation agreed that sharing best practice in health and safety and promoting the business case for safe construction practices was an important step in assisting local regulatory authorities in administering safe construction practices.
From the initial six organisations, the group has grown substantially, with 24 construction stakeholders signing the group’s members charter – a document outlining each organisation’s support for the group and its key objectives of sharing best practice to help all construction stakeholders achieve local regulations. In doing so, the group wants to establish positive links between developers, regulators and construction companies to help each worker arrive home safely each day.
“A key part of what the group is about is that we want to be part of the solution to the safety challenge in our construction market. Already in such a short space of time, it is clear that there are a large number of contractors, developers, engineers, regulatory authorities and other stakeholder groups who want to share best practice and assist other groups who are struggling to operate safely,” Chris Doyle, the deputy chairman of the group and its founding coordinator, tells GCM.
“A key phrase, ‘There is no intellectual property in safety’, is an important theme for our group. So far, the majority of members have shared their own best practice via photographs, statistics, safe work method statements, induction materials, tool box talks, or simply sharing their understanding of local laws and regulations. They do this because they want to see the workers on the adjacent plot protected and this is an effective way in which they may be able to contribute to that,” he adds.
The discussion group, which now has put a structure in place, has a fulltime administrator and has recently elected Grahame McCaig – the general manager for Dutco Balfour Beatty – as its first chairman. “It was important that this didn’t become a group for safety professionals, and only run by safety professionals. We started the process by asking that only local chief executive officers, managing directors and general managers sign the Members Charter. Through Grahame’s appointment and his personal commitment to safety and to this group, it sends a message that this group is supported by senior management of all the organisations involved and not just their safety departments in isolation,” adds Doyle.
An important milestone for the group has been the establishment of its web site (www.buildsafedubai), which allows visitors to not only find out more about the group and how to join, but also register to access free guidance material related to best practice, toolbox talks, training materials, and safety alerts. The website also provides assistance to organisations navigating their way through Dubai EHS (environment, health and safety) regulations and provides links to regulators, group members and training organisations.
A conference is planned later in the year to target senior managers to come and hear speakers present the positive business case from raising health and safety standards.
“Ultimately, we want to make construction workers lives safer and healthier, which includes on site and off site accommodation. Every organisation we have spoken to supports the idea and we hope we are providing an important piece of the puzzle in assisting the government to make the construction industry in Dubai safer,” concludes Doyle.