MIDDLE EAST
18
access
INTERNATIONAL
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
region but some organisations, like IPAF, are
workingwith local authorities to implement
the same type of safety standards that we
know inEurope or in theUS.”Besides that,
Haulotte, alongwith othermain players in the
market, aremaking their customers aware of
safety issues by carrying out direct training.
Expanding on the point,TimRichards,
divisionalmanager ofAl LaithScaffolding,
says, “Contractors in theUAE tend to
self-regulate, generally followingEuropean
working at height safety standards.The
government has a light touchwhen it
comes to enforcement and regulation in
this sector.”
According toRoshanMathew, senior
manager atQ-FAB,OmmeLift’s dealer
inQatar,proper training and education for
operators ideallywould bemorewidespread.
“In the course ofmywork I still see a lot of
areas where the operators are not properly
trained.Government ismoving in the right
direction regulatingwith strict safeworking
at height, andwe know that, in other states
where strongGovernment interventionhas
occurred, itmakes a very positive impact on
the powered access industrywheremore and
more internal access is required.”
GanrielleValli, at Isoli, is a littlemore
critcal,”In these areas [MiddleEast] they pay
little attention to safety systems.The price is
the primary thing.We do sell products with an
EU standard, butmany competitors do not.”
The general concenus is the situationwill
change for the better.Mr Richards atAl
Laith, comments, “As wages increase,more
expensive labour will increase the use of
cost-savingmachinery like powerd access and
we expect it will also lead to a tightening of
working at height regulations.”
And, asMrKordahi adds, “Most countries
have safety regulations for working at
height, but that saidmost of these laws and
regulations are not put into action until
someone is injured or hurt on site.
“Nevertheless the presence ofmultinational
companies inmanyMiddleEastmarkets
and their wish to keep good and cleanhealth
and safety sheets on their sites, as well as the
growing requirements of the oil and gas sector,
which also requires high safety regulations,
have pushed the development of theAWP
market.”
AI
An Omme Lift tracked platform
at the Lusail multipurpose
stadium in Doha.
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