Damac Properties has announced that it has logged more than 53 million safe man-hours across its ongoing projects in Dubai so far this year, which includes curbing the spread of Covid-19 on its job-sites.
Niall McLoughlin, senior vice president, Damac Properties, said: “Because of our commitment to safe working practices, we have effectively managed to curb the spread of Covid-19 on our sites. While we are committed to staying on schedule for completion, we are operating in very precarious times. We need to balance our expectations for swift delivery with our commitment to the health and safety of our workers. We believe that in the long run this balance will help keep our projects on track.”
Giving information about some of its ongoing projects individually, Damac said that In its AYKON City project on Sheikh Zayed Road/Dubai canal, it has logged over seven million safe man-hours without Lost Time Injury (LTI), while in its master development in AKOYA has logged 36 million safe man-hours and 10 million in DAMAC Hills.
Damac added that it has several measures in place on its construction sites to curb the spread of Covid-19, including daily temperature checks, 30% occupancy on bus transport, spreading out of worker shifts to ensure social distancing is maintained on sites and more rest areas on site to ensure that mingling is reduced during work breaks. Worker living spaces and toilets are cleaned and sanitised on a daily basis, and hand sanitiser is widely available on construction sites.
Additionally, any worker showing signs of sickness will be immediately tested, as well as up to 300 employees who have interacted with or shared resting quarters with the infected worker. Those who test positive are immediately quarantined, where they receive proper medical attention. Finally, labour sites are frequently inspected to ensure that all safety and health protocols are being maintained and adhered to.
Damac said that the UAE government’s swift and smart measures to combat Covid-19 have been effective in curbing the spread of the pandemic in the country. As a result, businesses have been able to stay open and this has helped position the economy on track to recovery.
“The UAE is a firm believer that stringent health and safety measures will help keep citizens and residents safer, while also making sure the economy is open for business. If you look at the situation around the world, lax rules have led to record-breaking numbers of cases which has forced many countries into second or third lockdowns,” McLoughlin said.
“Apart from the challenges of Covid-19, Damac has a proven track record of improving its safety performance year on year. Through increased health inspections and continuous safety training programmes, Damac has always demonstrated its commitment to ensuring the safety of its workers and it is constantly brainstorming ways to improve upon these measures.”
