Breaking news: Dubai construction site accident

TEESSIDE SCAFFOLDER

TEESSIDE SCAFFOLDER

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2010
Messages
9,220
Reaction score
3
Location
TEESSIDE
Breaking news: Dubai construction site accident... at least 20 ambulances, chopper in service
Worker killed, 3 injured in scaffold collapse in Abu Dhabi
By StaffPublished Saturday, January 21, 2012



2858613658.jpg

A major accident at a construction site in Dubai Land area, near Dubai Outlet Mall, at about 10.30am on Saturday morning has left numerous workers in a state of panic.

At least 20 ambulances were seen rushing towards the site at the Al Ain Road and Dubai Bypass junction even as a helicopter was pressed into rescue service, said a witness.

The scaffolding of the under-construction building fell apart, raising concerns about the safety of workers at the site. Though no fatalties have been yet officially declared, one of the witnesses saw a stretcher loaded into the chopper that took off immediately thereafter.

Police cordoned off the entire area to ensure smooth traffic flow.

About 300 construction workers from the neighbouring sites have crowded at the accident spot.

Worker killed, 3 injured in scaffold collapse in Abu Dhabi

An Asian worker was killed and three were injured when a massive scaffold they were erecting at a building under construction in Abu Dhabi collapsed on Thursday.

The man was buried under a large pile of timber and steel bars while three others were pulled out with injuries.

"They suffered from light to medium injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment…the other worker died on the spot,” Alkhaleej daily said.
 
Thats what happens when you use cheap 'skilled' local Labour to erect Scaffolds.
Says a few were hurt and 1 was killed, but i cant see their employers wont lose too much sleep, because they are 10 a penny over there.
 
Most likely an engineering error Jason.That was the laings problem not the workers.
And generally if a worker is killed the police arrest and immediately jail the people in charge and there they stay until "blood money" is paid.
I bet that doesnt happen in the UK?

Apologies if thats the picture from the incident looks like an independent collapsed.
 
Last edited:
TEESSIDE SCAFFOLDER said:
Breaking news: Dubai construction site accident... at least 20 ambulances, chopper in service
Worker killed, 3 injured in scaffold collapse in Abu Dhabi
By StaffPublished Saturday, January 21, 2012



View attachment 977

A major accident at a construction site in Dubai Land area, near Dubai Outlet Mall, at about 10.30am on Saturday morning has left numerous workers in a state of panic.

At least 20 ambulances were seen rushing towards the site at the Al Ain Road and Dubai Bypass junction even as a helicopter was pressed into rescue service, said a witness.

The scaffolding of the under-construction building fell apart, raising concerns about the safety of workers at the site. Though no fatalties have been yet officially declared, one of the witnesses saw a stretcher loaded into the chopper that took off immediately thereafter.

Police cordoned off the entire area to ensure smooth traffic flow.

About 300 construction workers from the neighbouring sites have crowded at the accident spot.

Worker killed, 3 injured in scaffold collapse in Abu Dhabi

An Asian worker was killed and three were injured when a massive scaffold they were erecting at a building under construction in Abu Dhabi collapsed on Thursday.

The man was buried under a large pile of timber and steel bars while three others were pulled out with injuries.

"They suffered from light to medium injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment…the other worker died on the spot,” Alkhaleej daily said.
Click to expand...

Very nasty.:eek:
 
20 ambulances for 3 medium to light injuries, are they on a price?
 
Got a mate who lives over there and has done for over 10 years.
I remember him telling me about an incident that happened in dubai when the dry dock got flooded the official tally was 1 fatality,but there were a good few more the info was kept back from the press until they find out the nationalities and you guessed it if they were all nepalese,indian or pakistani etc then give the familys a couple of bob and let the job carry on.
So as aom pointed out 20 ambulances for 4 guys ;)
 
Have a look at emirates247 website, lots of pictures.

Hard to know where to start, the "A" frame scaffold looks to be live at every lift, leg load maxed out, not enough ties? Based out on what? Etc

RIP
 
Yes Celtic very sad. Unfortunately the "A" frame scaffolds still exist over there. Many Indian and Arab contractors still use it sometimes you can see 40 or 50 lifts of it over there.
This is despite the best efforts of companies like SGB, Westminster Gulf, Al Laith, Carillion etc trying to bring better materials and standards to the region.Unfortunately some not so forward thinking companies have large stocks of "A" frames and use them to cut costs.
 
Looks very much like the Milton Keynes collapse in 2006.
From an engineering perspective looks like around 16 boarded lifts should not cause too many problems, However looking at the end elevation which is the main collapse there is an apparent lack of debris attached to the building where are the tie tubes? Where is the damage caused by the ties pulling out?
My guess would be ties removed to install the windows leaving the scaffold untied. The two return elevations are as a result of the end elevation collapse. It’s going to be interesting tacking those returns down!
No one likes to see people get hurt on any job however this is construction and as we know it does happen. The numbers quoted I believe are being confused as there were two problems on two different sites one in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi. The 4 men were in Abu Dhabi the 20 ambulances were in Dubai.
For those who know no better and those who should know better, inevitably these type of scaffold are not Engineered nor are they put up by Scaffolders but by carpenters and painters who are untrained. As is the case all over the world you can have the best scaffold erected from the best equipment by the best Scaffolders but if the ties are removed the end result is a mess on the floor.
As an insight for those unfamiliar with working in the Middle East when such accidents occur the Site Supervisor, Safety Officer and their Manager invariably get arrested and charged, their passports are taken and withheld whilst the prosecutor makes up his mind who is to blame this takes around 18-24 months. These men are then taken to court and most are found guilty. This is to enable blood money to be paid to the family of the deceased at a rate of AED200,000 per person. For the average site worker in the UAE this would equate to around 8 years take home money. Only when this money has been paid will the passports be released and the charged individuals allowed to travel.
For those who believe that the labour here is cheap I will leave you with a couple of facts. With what Scaffolders are paid in Dubai they have a vastly better life style than they otherwise would in their home country. I know of several scaffs who when leaving Dubai have had their own 8 and 10 bedroom houses built not sure how many Brits can claim the same.
The wages are poor by your standards but not by theirs but they don’t live in the same economy as you do nor do they incur the same costs as you do. I am not saying its right just how it is.
 
or maybe failed or maybe never there in the first place.
 
Jason-Gibbs said:
Thats what happens when you use cheap 'skilled' local Labour to erect Scaffolds..
Click to expand...

i was in dubai in 2009 has was impressed with the overall standard of the scaffolding, the cheep skilled labour as you put it work at heights and conditions that in my opinion would sort the boys from the men,

scafftagging systems were in place and all guys wore full boiler suits harness hats gloves, scaffolds were well braced and tied and most are desighn due to there height and complexity,

and why? because all supervisors and managment are well trained and like was stated earlier dont want to go to jail,overhere if it goes titsup then it takes time for h&s to build a case and prosecute because they have to find fault and prove your guilt- over there you gotta prove your innocence.really hard to do with no job,money and sitting in a jail cell from about 1min after it happened- just cos some mong took ties out cos they were in the way
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom