Middle East

• Date: 29 October, 2025
• Year: 2025

SafeStart International, a global leader in human factors training and safety performance improvement, is strengthening its presence in the Middle East with a series of initiatives aimed at transforming workplace safety culture.

Following the success of its recent Riyadh session, the organisation will host a two-day health and safety workshop at Millennium Downtown Abu Dhabi from 25-26 November 2025.

With more than 25 years of experience across 75 countries, SafeStart International has built a reputation for its pioneering work in human error reduction.

Founded by Larry Wilson, a leading voice in behavioural safety, the company helps organisations move beyond compliance and mechanical safeguards by addressing the human side of safety, focusing on the cognitive and behavioural factors that drive most incidents. SafeStart’s human factors training has been adopted by over 4,500 organisations worldwide, improving safety performance in industries such as oil and gas, manufacturing, construction, and utilities.

At the upcoming Abu Dhabi workshop, Larry Wilson will be joined by Sarah Stoker, development director at SafeStart International. Stoker brings more than two decades of operational and safety consulting experience and has played a key role in embedding SafeStart principles across organisations of varying sizes. Together, Wilson and Stoker will lead participants through interactive discussions, case studies, and practical exercises that explore how to identify and prevent critical errors before they occur.

The event will also feature a certification component for participants who complete the training and demonstrate mastery of key safety concepts. Unlike conventional compliance-based programmes, SafeStart’s approach focuses on strengthening situational awareness, improving decision-making, and fostering personal accountability for safety both at work and beyond.

The Abu Dhabi workshop follows a successful event in Riyadh held from 21-22 October, which drew participation from leading industry professionals and reinforced regional interest in proactive safety culture development.

At the workshop in Riyadh, participants explored practical techniques to reduce human error and improve workplace safety through interactive sessions and real-world case studies.

To support its growing footprint in the Middle East, SafeStart has appointed Anmol Tiwari as a dedicated regional resource, responsible for strengthening partnerships and supporting implementation across the Gulf. With over 15 years in sales consulting for wealth management, Anmol possesses a deep understanding of high-performance client relationships.

He uniquely merges this expertise with his role as a Safestart Trainer, specialising in the human factors approach to safety. Having worked in both Canada and the GCC region, Anmol offers a global perspective on enhancing human performance, reducing error, and building foundational strength within organisations. He is dedicated to creating cultures where safety and commercial excellence go hand-in-hand.

^{Anmol Tiwari, territory manager & consultant, Middle East & Africa (MENA), SafeStart International}

With major safety-focused events such as the HSE MENA 2025 in Dubai from 18-19 November highlighting the region’s commitment to human performance and risk reduction, SafeStart’s expanding activities mark a significant step in advancing behavioural safety standards across the Middle East.

The company will be one of the sponsors for the conference, which is a leading regional gathering focused on health, safety and environmental best practices, bringing together practitioners, regulators and industry leaders to share insights and innovations across the Middle East and North Africa. 

Seats for the Abu Dhabi workshop are limited. You can register here. 

• Topic: HSE
• Region: Middle East
• Date: 27 October, 2025
• Year: 2025

The Emirates Petroleum Company has announced a strategic partnership with MegaTrade to continue its global expansion

MegaTrade is an Armenia-based fuel and energy company, and will cooperate with Emarat to launch the energy retail brand in Armenia.

Several Emarat-branded service stations, which hope to embody the Emirati company's forward-thinking and globally benchmarked health, safety and operational standards, will launch across Armenia.

Chairman of SIL Capital (of which MegaTrade is a flagship entity), Eduard Sukiasyan, described the partnership as "a new chapter in Armenia’s fuel and energy sector.

"By combining Emarat’s international expertise with the capabilities of SIL Capital and MegaTrade, we will deliver services that meet the highest global standards. In a rapidly evolving environment, our goal is clear: to offer Armenian consumers nothing but the best.

"This partnership will establish Emarat as a new benchmark for energy services in Armenia."

Sukiasyan was in attendance at the signing ceremony for the new partnership, along with H.E. Tigran Avinyan, Mayor of Yerevan, and H.E. Dr. Nariman Mohd Sharif Abdulla Al Mulla, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Armenia. He co-signed the agreement with H.E. Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, Emarat's CEO.

Al Shamsi added, "This partnership underscores Emarat’s commitment to delivering value for stakeholders, empowering communities, and strengthening regional cooperation."

Emarat's regional expansion has seen it expand beyond the UAE into Egypt; Armenia is the first expansion point outside of the Middle East and North Africa.

• Date: 22 October, 2025
• Year: 2025

UL Solutions, a global leader in applied safety science, and GCC Technical Services Company (TS Co.), a leading integrated testing, inspection and certification service provider in the Middle East, have announced an enhanced strategic partnership aimed at advancing fire safety across the Gulf region.

As part of this collaboration, TS Co., an affiliate of GCC Labs, has been officially recognised as part of the UL Witness Test Data Program (WTDP) for fire safety. Under this programme, TS Co. will carry out critical fire safety tests at its laboratories in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, under the direct supervision of UL Solutions engineers on-site. UL Solutions will assess the laboratory, review the test data and use the verified results to grant certification and authorise the use of the UL Mark.

This locally based testing approach removes the need to ship product samples abroad, significantly reducing potential time-to-market for manufacturers throughout the region.

“This important step in the evolution of our collaboration with TS Co. will allow UL Solutions to effectively utilise their Dammam facility, strengthening fire safety and conformity services throughout Saudi Arabia and the greater Gulf region,” said Patrick Abgrall, director and regional general manager of the Built Environment group at UL Solutions.

Headquartered in Dammam, TS Co. supports major manufacturing industries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as in neighbouring markets. The company provides testing and certification services for fire safety to help demonstrate the safety, reliability and efficiency of equipment.

The expanded partnership comes at a pivotal moment as Saudi Arabia accelerates its Vision 2030 agenda, a national strategy driving large-scale development. Landmark projects include the futuristic city of NEOM, tourism destinations such as the Red Sea and THE RIG as well as the New Murabba project, which will establish a modern downtown in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, preparations continue for global events with new World Cup stadiums and Expo venues. Together, these giga-projects represent investments exceeding $1.5 trillion and demand adherence to the highest international fire and life safety standards. The collaboration between UL Solutions and TS Co. will be vital in meeting these requirements through advanced, locally delivered fire safety testing and certification.

“By combining UL Solutions' global leadership in safety science with our deep regional expertise, we are creating an unparalleled value proposition for the market,” said Khalaf Masaeed, Chief Executive Officer of TS Co. “This alliance will streamline product evaluation and certification, ensuring that the ambitious construction projects in our region are built with materials and systems that meet the highest international safety standards.”

• Topic: HSE
• Region: Middle East
• Date: 20 October 2025
• Year: 2025

The UAE’s National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) has launched the “Emergency and Crisis Atlas” at GITEX GLOBAL 2025, an integrated digital platform designed to enhance the speed and effectiveness of national response efforts

The initiative is part of NCEMA’s broader efforts to advance sustainable digital transformation in emergency and crisis management, through the adoption of advanced, data-driven geospatial solutions that enhance national resilience and build a more prepared and sustainable society.

The Emergency and Crisis Atlas leverages the latest artificial intelligence technologies, developed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies. It aims to strengthen national capabilities in risk forecasting, enhance preparedness and readiness, and improve the efficiency of response operations across various emergency scenarios. The integrated geospatial platform features over 40 specialised applications that cover different aspects of national risks. It provides advanced analytical tools that support strategic decision-making across all stages of crisis management. The system also offers interactive and analytical maps that visually present comprehensive data on risks, infrastructure, and vital resources across the country, empowering decision-makers to take accurate, data-driven actions.

The platform enables NCEMA personnel and strategic partners to perform advanced predictive analytics, build assumptions and multiple scenarios, forecast risks, and assess their impacts using precise analytical tools. It also assists relevant entities in identifying optimal readiness levels for each scenario and provides practical solutions to mitigate risk consequences 

His Excellency Ali Rashid Al Neyadi, director general of the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, stated, “The Emergency and Crisis Atlas is one of the Authority’s leading technological projects, embodying our direction toward harnessing advanced technology to enhance the national readiness and response system. The platform goes beyond displaying spatial data, it is a sophisticated analytical tool that builds proactive scenarios, tests the readiness of national plans, and supports decision-making based on accurate data and AI technologies."

Al Neyadi added that the Authority continues its efforts to develop the next generation of the Emergency and Crisis Atlas to be more interactive and integrated with national digital systems, thereby supporting intelligent monitoring, analysis, and response capabilities. He also noted that NCEMA is currently working on developing a geospatial simulation application, set to be launched soon, focusing on simulating flood risks in the most vulnerable areas. The goal is to study their impacts and build proactive models that help mitigate their effects and boost early preparedness.

• Topic: HSE
• Region: Middle East
• Date: 14 October 2025
• Year: 2025

EMSTEEL has won the Safety Culture and Leadership Award 2025 by the World Steel Association (worldsteel) in recognition of its Group-wide best-in-class health and safety protocols

EMSTEEL was recognised for its “AMAN 2.0 – Achieving Safety Excellence” project, which introduced a comprehensive framework integrating advanced leadership, operational excellence, and digital safety tools to drive continuous improvement.

Implemented from 2023 to 2024, AMAN 2.0 has enabled EMSTEEL to achieve tangible improvements in safety governance, employee awareness and competence, safety risk management, contractor safety, asset integrity, and process safety. The project achieved a Zero Lost-Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR), a 52% reduction in Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIFR), and marked progress across leading indicators — including a 35% increase in near-miss reporting, a 31% rise in hazard observations (from 17,500 in 2022 to 23,000 in 2024), a 100% increase in safety leadership training participation, and a 100% compliance rate in third-party safety audits and inspections.

Engineer Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group Chief Executive Officer of EMSTEEL, said, “We are honoured to win this outstanding award given by the world’s leading global steel association for the second time. At the heart of our business priorities are the health and safety and well-being of our people. AMAN 2.0 epitomises EMSTEEL’s commitment to workplace safety and continuous performance improvement, setting a new benchmark for the company’s safety excellence journey. Employee engagement, cross-functional collaboration, and senior management sponsorship remain key to its ongoing success. ”

This achievement builds on EMSTEEL's history of safety excellence, which includes receiving the Safety and Health Excellence Recognition award from the World Steel Association in 2021 for outstanding performance in Crane Operations and Rigging Safety.

• Date: 13 October, 2025
• Year: 2025

The International Code Council (ICC) successfully took part in Urban October 2025, held alongside the Home and Building Expo at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre from 6-8 October 2025.

During the event, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (MoHUP) launched the National Building Requirements and Standards Guide, a unified framework consolidating safety, quality, and sustainability standards across Oman’s governorates.

Organised by MoHUP, Urban October brings together local, regional, and international experts to promote sustainable urban development and address the challenges and opportunities of urbanisation in the Sultanate.

At the event, ICC engaged with government representatives, industry leaders, and technical experts to advance discussions on implementing building codes, regulations, and sustainable construction practices that contribute to safer, more resilient communities.

The Council’s participation underscores its ongoing collaboration with Oman’s designated authorities to strengthen building safety and construction standards. Throughout 2024 and 2025, ICC conducted a series of workshops and training sessions in Muscat, supporting the Sultanate’s efforts to enhance safety, innovation, and sustainability within the construction sector.

• Date: 10 October, 2025
• Year: 2025

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has issued a Federal Decree Law establishing the Federal Authority for Ambulance and Civil Defence, alongside a Federal Decree appointing His Excellency Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of Health and Prevention, as its Chairman.

The newly formed Authority, which enjoys legal personality, financial and administrative independence, and the capacity to act in accordance with UAE law, will report directly to the Cabinet. It replaces the Civil Defence Authority and the National Guard Command in matters related to the National Ambulance Company (NA).

The Decree Law clearly defines the Authority’s responsibilities, making it the central body for all ambulance and civil defence affairs. Its remit includes proposing and developing policies, strategies, and legislation related to ambulance and civil defence, in coordination with local authorities and relevant entities, and submitting these proposals to the Cabinet for approval.

The Authority is also tasked with assessing potential incidents, risks, and disasters, and preparing management plans in coordination with the National Emergency, Crisis, and Disasters Management Authority. Risk‑prevention programmes, necessary infrastructure controls, and operational plans for mitigating hazards will be developed in collaboration with competent authorities.

Important tasks

A key function of the Authority is to safeguard buildings and facilities through fire protection systems and security controls. These regulations, developed in coordination with local authorities, relevant entities, the Central Bank of the UAE, and other bodies, will be submitted to the Cabinet for approval.

Among the Authority’s core competences is the establishment of a national alert system to inform the population of potential hazards. It will also develop and supervise evacuation plans, coordinate shelter management, and work with internal security and safety systems (including oil companies, airports, and other critical infrastructure) to organise joint emergency response plans and support mechanisms.

The Authority will further oversee training and awareness programmes, including mock drills and joint exercises, for both qualified personnel and volunteers. It is charged with monitoring radiological, chemical, and biological threats in both peacetime and wartime, providing consultancy services in ambulance and civil defence, and maintaining a comprehensive database of relevant information in coordination with other authorities.

The Decree Law clarifies that while the Federal Authority assumes these responsibilities, it does not limit the powers of local authorities to implement ambulance and civil defence measures under existing legislation.

By centralising ambulance and civil defence functions under a single federal body, the UAE aims to strengthen its national preparedness for emergencies and disasters, enhance coordination across authorities, and ensure the safety of residents and critical infrastructure nationwide.

• Date: 7 October, 2025
• Year: 2025

Jonathan Chipps, managing director at Jincom Arabia, delivered a compelling presentation at the HSE KSA Forum in Riyadh, focusing on transforming health and safety training through visualisation and digital engagement.

His core message centred on making technical safety content more accessible, engaging, and understandable for diverse workforces.

Chipps highlighted a critical challenge in safety training: technical content developed by subject matter experts is often complex and difficult to comprehend, especially for workers from different linguistic and educational backgrounds. He emphasised that migrant workers are 66% more likely to make mistakes due to instruction misunderstandings and four times more likely to experience fatal accidents.

The solution, according to Chipps, lies in visualising and simplifying technical content. He explained that human brains are wired to process visual information rapidly, since we remember 65% of visual content compared to only 10-20% of text or verbal information. By transforming dense technical manuals into graphic-rich, simplified formats, organisations can dramatically improve safety comprehension and engagement.

Chipps showcased various visualisation techniques, including:

- Visual standards
- Short animated videos
- Interactive e-learning modules
- Toolbox talk guides
- Virtual reality training content
- Multilingual safety materials

"It's about making sure that you're taking technical information and making it relevant, engaging, and easily understood," Chipps said. 

Delivering safety information

He also stressed the importance of digital content delivery, enabling organisations to track training engagement, ensure consistent messaging across multiple contractors and languages, and integrate safety content with existing management platforms.

Practical examples from projects with Neom and Red Sea Global demonstrated how Jincom develops comprehensive safety content libraries translated into multiple languages, using minimal text and powerful visuals to communicate critical safety information.

Chipps highlighted his philosophy: "Pictures speak the most universally understood language," echoing Walt Disney's perspective on visual communication.

Chipps concluded by emphasising that effective safety training is not complicated, as it requires simplifying technical content, visualising key messages, translating materials, and digitising delivery mechanisms to ensure maximum comprehension and engagement across diverse workforce populations.

His presentation offered a innovative approach to reimagining safety training, moving beyond traditional text-heavy methods to create more intuitive, memorable, and impactful learning experiences.

• Date: 10 October, 2025
• Year: 2025

Salma Alqahtani, OHS training quality assurance manager at Diriyah, delivered a compelling presentation on linguistic diversity and its critical impact on safety in construction sites at HSE KSA 2025 held in Riyadh from 9-10 September. 

Her talk highlighted the complex challenges arising from multilingual and multicultural workforces in the construction industry, particularly in rapidly expanding markets like Saudi Arabia.

The core of her presentation focused on how language barriers can significantly compromise workplace safety. She emphasised that construction is an inherently risky and dynamic industry, where workers from diverse linguistic backgrounds often collaborate in high-stakes environments.

Her research revealed that linguistic barriers were the second most significant cause of poor communication in workplace settings.

Mitigating risks

Alqahtani identified several key language-related challenges: the absence of a lingua franca, worker illiteracy, and poor text readability. She noted that approximately 30 million adults with lower literacy skills work in high-risk jobs, creating substantial safety risks.

Her proposed solutions were innovative and practical. She recommended using:
- Pictograms and visual aids
- Adult learning theory in safety training
- Digital learning technologies
- Augmented reality and interactive training modules

Alqahtani encapsulated her core message, saying, "what is not looked for is not found. Language problem-related accidents wouldn't be acknowledged, and neither associated risks will be managed."

She also shighlighted her approach to effective training, adding, "investment in learners is always repaid in the long term, especially if you're thinking of reducing the cost of accidents and injuries that would come later if safety training wasn't as effective as intended."

Alqahtani's background in linguistics and translation studies uniquely positioned her to address these challenges. She advocated for tailored training approaches that consider workers' specific cultural and linguistic contexts, emphasising the importance of understanding why safety matters to adult learners.

Her recommendations included enforcing a single workplace language, developing training materials in workers' native languages, and creating interactive, engaging safety programs that leverage visual learning techniques.

The presentation was a crucial exploration of how linguistic diversity can be transformed from a potential safety liability into an opportunity for more comprehensive, inclusive workplace safety strategies.

• Topic: HSE
• Region: Middle East
• Date: October 3rd, 2025
• Year: 2025

DEWA's Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) took place from September 30th to October 2nd, 2025, in Dubai.

The show hopes to keep pace with rapidly shifting global trends—especially in the tech and environment spaces—by collating some of the world's most forward-thinking innovations and organisations at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

2025's edition was especially forward-thinking: AI-powered innovations in clean energy, green mobility and digital transformation earned a notable presence on the show floor.

Interactive initiatives hoped to embed the exhibition's forward-thinking vision into co-operative efforts and partnerships in green finance and health and safety.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, DEWA CEO & MD and founder/chairman of WETEX, celebrated 2025's iteration of WETEX. "The development of WETEX reflects the unprecedented development witness by the UAE... this exhibition consolidates the UAE’s position as a reliable partner in efforts to shape a more sustainable and resilient future for all, by pushing our thriving economy towards new horizons, empowering national and local companies, and strengthening our nation’s economic, trade and investment partnerships with countries around the world."

• Date: 30 September, 2025
• Year: 2025

Red Sea International Airport (RSI), operated by daa International, has signed a multi-year collaboration agreement with Honeywell to strengthen safety and security at the Kingdom’s next-generation airport.

Under the agreement, Honeywell will supply advanced building automation systems covering safety, security, and building management. These technologies are designed to enhance resilience across the terminal, safeguard passengers and staff, and ensure smooth operations as RSI prepares to welcome more than one million visitors by 2030. The collaboration will also create nearly 50 new jobs, with a strong focus on developing local talent.

Andrew Tyler-Smith, chief executive officer of Red Sea International Airport, said, “Red Sea International Airport is designed as more than just a gateway - it’s an extension of the hospitality and innovation that defines The Red Sea destination. Our collaboration with Honeywell reflects that vision, as we integrate global expertise with daa International’s operational leadership to ensure our guests and airline partners experience a seamless, secure, and technologically advanced journey.”

Nabil Cheqroun, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Building Automation in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META), commented, “This agreement underscores Honeywell’s commitment to accelerating Saudi Arabia’s digital infrastructure transformation. By bringing our integrated, smart and secure systems to Red Sea International Airport, daa International will have the tools it needs to help deliver its mission of providing travellers and operators with world-class aviation facility.”

With Honeywell as a key technology partner, RSI is reinforcing its commitment to creating a safe, secure, and efficient airport environment that sets a new benchmark for aviation in the Kingdom.

• Topic: HSE
• Region: Middle East
• Date: 01 October 2025
• Year: 2025

At HSE KSA, held in Riyadh from 9-10 September, a panel session explored issues surrounding subcontractor safety, competency and innovation

Key takeaways included the importance of a robust procurement process, the role of technology solutions, such as computer vision AI for HSE compliance, and the need for consistent training and competency assessment.

Syed Mazhar, director HSSE, Al Bawani, moderated the discussion, highlighting the importance of the subcontractors’ management system, and was joined by panelists from leading companies, including Mace, Ayar International Contracting Co (AICC), Disrupt Labs, and Rua Al Madinah Holding.

The panel emphasised the role of joint audits, engagement and leadership, among other measures, in order to improve overall safety culture.

The discussions also touched on the balance between project costs and safety, and the importance of self-driven HSE standards, while metrics such as Lost Time Injury (LTI) rates and safety statistics were highlighted for evaluating subcontractors.

Ideas collaboration

Technology featured prominently throughout the discussions. While the panel emphasised that technology alone cannot build a safety culture, it can provide accountability and real-time visibility.

True cultural change starts from leadership and top-down integration of HSE into business priorities was one of the overarching messages. Initiatives like digital dashboards, proactive monitoring, leadership engagement in safety discussions, and incentives for subcontractor performance were highlighted.

Benchmarking subcontractors through digital systems, consistent supply chain management, and setting internal standards — not just relying on client requirements — were also flagged. The need for uniform HSE practices across projects and locations was also raised, advocating for self-driven safety leadership rather than client-dependent compliance.

Procurement essentials

At the beginning of the panel session, Aisling Padden, head of HSW, Mace, and based in Riyadh, underlined the importance of embedding health and safety right from the very start of the procurement process.
“From a consultant’s point of view, the procurement process is the starting point for us. It’s our first opportunity to get it right— so making sure health, safety and wellbeing gets on the assessment criteria, and that it's not just ‘lip service’ — but how are you actually going to deliver this?”

With such complex and costly projects now being underway right across the kingdom, Padden said that asking the right questions of contractors right from the start is an essential requirement.
“Another thing we do, when we get to the shortlist stage with our preferred bidders, is getting out there, and actually seeing what they do elsewhere — so, show me how you're doing this somewhere else. So you can walk around a project, and see if something has been staged for the occasion, or if it looks like it's actually embedded into their culture and their system.”

Industry training

Yassir Alsharif, head of HSSE, Rua Al Madinah Holding, also emphasised the importance of focusing on subcontractors and their practices, since they are the ones that perform the actual work and often present the highest risks.

He also highlighted issues like fake certifications and unqualified workers, which are common among short-term subcontractors, underlining the need for robust HSE procedures.

Ultimately, the goal is to ensure workers and supervisors understand the risks, and that any gaps should be addressed through targeted, on-the-job training programmes.

“So this is the kind of thing that we have got to focus on, to look at the risk, see what are the main risk-associated activities, and have a specific training programme for these workers.”

The role of technology

Alsharif outlined how the adoption of technology has aided health and safety efforts across the procurement process.

“Using manual processing for monitoring in HSE compliance, less than 1% of risks are being identified, which means it’s an iceberg problem. If we are seeing 20 incidents happening, it means 200,000 near-miss risks are there.”

This is where smart technology can play role, according to Alsharif. “For example, we are providing computer vision solutions, like smart cameras, to aid HSE compliance. If you have the right infrastructure on construction sites, this can help to identify PPE compliance, unsafe behaviours or process violations, for example.”

Alsharif cited the findings of various industry reports showing how the use of similar technology had already yielded a positive impact in terms of the reduction in incidents and lost time on site. Major companies like Saudi

Aramco have now issued an official memo to oil and gas firms to deploy AI in HSE on their rigs, he noted, suggesting that the trend is long-term and advancing steadily.

Perpetual learning

Rounding up proceedings, panel chair Mazhar outlined how important it was for HSE to be self-driven, within the entity itself, rather than purely client-driven. “The commitment should come from the main contractor, from the sub-contractor management or leadership, rather than relying only on a client.”

It was a sentiment agreed on by Eyad Sallam, corporate QHSE director, AICC. “We have our own stringent standards as a main contractor. So, each main contractor or even subcontractor, if they have good competency, they should have their own HSE management system, not be driven by client or consultant.”

There is always scope to improve and learn from others, however. “Some multinational clients who we deal with, a lot of them may have better systems than us, so we are happy to comply with their systems in these instances.”

Practical steps

• Implement a digital platform to track subcontractor safety performance metrics and automate alerts for proactive monitoring.
• Establish a joint audit programme involving the PMC, main contractor, and subcontractors to identify and address safety gaps.
• Develop a subcontractor safety scorecard with incentives and penalties to drive continuous improvement.
• Conduct weekly safety workshops with senior leadership from the client, consultant, and contractors to drive safety culture.