Middle East

The severe rainfall in April last year caused widespread flooding. (Image source: Canva Pro)

The integration of AI and automation is significantly advancing HSE standards across the Middle East's construction sector. These technologies are enhancing risk management, improving safety, and optimising construction processes. Companies are eager to implement cutting-edge solutions, which is contributing to better HSE outcomes across the region.

ALEC, a leading construction company in the UAE, has embraced autonomous robots for tasks like site inspections and 3D scanning.

Equipped with AI, these robots navigate construction sites, capture high-quality images, and generate 3D models. This innovation not only improves the precision of site assessments but also boosts safety by identifying potential hazards before they cause harm. Certain AI systems, for instance, can prioritise issues based on risk scores, enabling managers to focus on the most critical threats.

Additionally, Trimble Constructible’s AI assists in project planning by using robots to capture 3D scans and feed the data into neural networks, helping to optimise schedules and address issues before they escalate.

In Qatar, Qatari Diar is leveraging AI to assess and manage risks on their construction projects. AI systems process data from multiple sources, including weather forecasts and equipment usage patterns, to predict and mitigate risks. This enables project managers to focus on high-risk areas, ensuring that resources and safety measures are allocated effectively.

Enhancing HSE measures during floods

The severe rainfall in April last year caused widespread flooding, construction delays, and infrastructure damage, highlighting weaknesses in existing HSE practices and prompting immediate action from developers.

DAMAC Properties responded by investing in advanced drainage solutions to mitigate future flooding risks. The company deployed tankers to remove floodwaters and maintained open communication with residents to address concerns quickly. To ensure worker safety and minimise disruptions, DAMAC promptly responded to meteorological alerts and coordinated efforts with local authorities. Following the storms, teams were deployed to clear floodwaters, remove sand and debris, and restore landscaping.

The floods in Dubai served as a pivotal reminder for the construction industry. By adopting enhanced HSE measures, developers are not only protecting their projects and workforce but also contributing to a more resilient and sustainable construction environment.

The above is an extra from Offshore Network’s MENA Health, Safety & Environment Report 2024.

HSE regulators and experts may suggest that comprehensive HSE strategies and regulation is critical regardless of region or breadth of operation. It is doubtless, however, that Saudi Arabia's political, business and societal landscape pose unique challenges that deserve due consideration by operators in the region.

A unique climate posing unique challenges

One might not expect a global superpower in the industrial and tourism spheres to emerge from the harsh desert environment of Saudi Arabia. The fact that one has, however, has earned it widespread criticism around worker safety, perhaps with little surprise given its extreme heat, sandstorms and dehydration risk.

Heat stress management and hydration/temperature policies demand rigorous implementation and monitoring to assuage some of that criticism and limit heat-related incidents.

Rising to the challenge of oil & gas reliance

Saudi Arabia's historic reliance on the oil & gas industry carries risk. The industry has unfortunately been ridden with high-profile incidents of compromised safety and, given the international standards of operation, neglecting or breaching policy jeopardises not only safety but reputation and project feasibility.

Staying one step ahead of shifting regulation

While KSA has made significant strides in HSE regulations, compliance remains an ongoing challenge due to rapidly-changing standards. Saudi Vision 2030 initiative aims to improve workplace safety and environmental sustainability, but carries with it near-constant shifting policies. Companies must stay updated with new regulations and ensure proper implementation.

Overcoming language barriers

Saudi Arabia's multinational workforce means language and communication barriers can hinder the efficacy of HSE training. Ensuring that safety regulations are both understood and carried out across various languages and cultures is essential for accident prevention.

At the tail end of last year, Saudi Arabia's National Council for Occupational Safety & Health (Ncosh) responded to "misinformation circulating across various media platforms" relating to worker fatalities.

The claims largely spawned during, and as a result of, an ITV documentary, Kindom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia, which alleged that the Kingdom's Vision 2030 has led to 21,000 deaths since 2017.

That accusation was subsequently followed by the allegation that 100,000 people have "disappeared" since construction on NEOM began in 2021 by The Hindustan Times.

Ncosh "unequivocally refute[d]" those claims in a statement in November 2024.

"The Council affirms the work-related fatalities in Saudi Arabia is 1.12 per 100,000 workers. This figure positions Saudi Arabia among the lowest globally in terms of work-related fatalities.

"The International Labour Organization (ILO) acknowledges this progress, highlighting on its official website that Saudi Arabia has made significant advancements in improving occupational safety and health and reducing workplace accidents at the national level."

The Saudi government has not confirmed how many jobs have been created as a result of Vision 2030 projects, and therefore how many fatalities are expected as a result of construction: based on Ncosh's report of 1.12 fatalities per 100,000 workers figure, the documentary's allegations made would suggest a workforce of over two billion. Ncosh reiterated that "the safety and well-being of workers are fundamental priorities in all regulations and laws implemented in Saudi Arabia."

Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) was one of the companies awarded. (Image source: Alba)

Leading industrial companies in Bahrain, along with their counterparts elsewhere in the GCC, have made great strides in raising health and safety standards, promoting strong HSE leadership and driving a good safety culture throughout their organisations

The efforts of four leading Bahrain-based companies in this regard have been recognised by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), the UK-based charity focused on reducing accidents and promoting occupational safety globally, which has honoured them with Life President Awards for their exceptional commitment to maintaining the highest standards of health and safety. The awards recognised the remarkable efforts of each organisation in safeguarding their employees and setting regional and global benchmarks.

The companies awarded are Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), one of the world’s largest aluminium smelters, recognised for ongoing advocacy and support of the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards; BAPCO Gas (formerly Banagas), recognised for long-term support of the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards, as RoSPA’s longest participating continuous entrant, with 40 years of dedication to safety at Gold level or higher; BAPCO Refining, recognised for commitment to health and safety during the delivery of the landmark Bapco Modernisation Programme, which will increase refining capacity from 267,000 bpd, to 380,000 bpd; and Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. (GPIC), recognised for a 20-year legacy of advocacy and partnership in the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards.

Dedication and commitment

Lord Jordan of Bournville, Life President of RoSPA, said, “The dedication and commitment of these companies to health and safety are truly commendable. Their efforts not only safeguard their employees but also set a high standard for others to aspire to. By prioritising safety and fostering inclusive environments, they are paving the way for a future where every workplace is a model of excellence and care. It’s inspiring to see such passion and dedication in action, and I am proud to honour these outstanding achievements.”

RoSPA’s CEO, Rebecca Hickman, said, “RoSPA has praised the significant progress the country has made in worker protection. Bahrain has achieved a 60 per cent reduction in occupational injuries since implementing the midday work ban. This milestone underlines the Kingdom's commitment to enhancing workplace safety and aligns with RoSPA’s mission to promote safe and healthy working environments worldwide.”

As Saudi Arabia continues its unprecedented infrastructure boom, with ambition fuelled firmly by Vision 2030, the Kingdom continues to accelerate its already significant strides in HSE standards amidst its growing workforce, project volume, and infrastructure complexity.

The speed at which Saudi operators have adopted, and continue to integrate, cutting-edge technology into their HSE frameworks can not be understated in developing rigorous monitoring and enforcement processes around workplace safety.

Wearable devices tracking safety and health metrics and AI-driven systems predicting hazards or safety weakpoints are two such examples that may have been dismissed as the stuff of science fiction as little as a decade ago. They are now the benchmark for project safety protocols across Saudi Arabia.

Operators' ability to train, share best practices and raise awareness is key, too; comprehensive training programmes, industry gatherings and widespread multi-lingual resources have been key to raising standards amidst a rapidly growing, multi-national workforce.

Government bodies like the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the National Center for Industrial Development have also had a role to play in legislating such standards and enforcing them in law.

As the calendar approaches 2030 much quicker than many would like, Saudi Arabia's commitment to setting, enforcing and raising HSE standards positions it as a transformative beacon for the global construction sector.