Construction Accidents: Millions of Hours Lost Due to Accidents

The need for job safety for construction workers is a topic that will play a major role in this year's Hardware and Tools Trade Exhibition that runs from May 13 to 15 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center. Melanie Beese, the spokesperson for Messe Frankfurt, said that “There is no doubt that mishaps taking place at construction sites have placed an additional emphasis on the health and safety aspects of the industry this year. Protection for the key workers should always be an overriding priority within the construction industry and this year we have a number of exhibitors who will be demonstrating and displaying various safety related items of equipment, such as harnesses, hard hats, breathing apparatus and fire retardant materials.”

Millions of Man Hourse Lost Every Year on Construction Sites Due to Accidents

Concern over the safety of workers on building sites has been gaining attention recently, especially after having been addressed by the Middle East branch of Occupational Safety and Health, (IOSH.) IOSH has expressed concern over the health and safety standards for construction workers in UAE and expressed concern over the lacking government regulations. The IOSH says that a Dubai based company worked 13 million man hours in 1998, but lost 48,057 hours because of industrial accidents. By increasing safety, the company reduced the occurrence of accidents to only costing them 6,600 manhours and productivity was increased to 28 million in 2006. Beese said of this fact, "it is in everybody's interests to strive to minimize incapacitation and injury at the workplace.