When it comes to road construction safety in countries with long roads like Saudi Arabia, road construction safety signs become necessary to keep workers and drivers safe.
In this respect, it’s always recommended to use illuminated motorway road signs and temporary traffic lights on roads with high-speed limits. Premel excels at safety performance, providing leading mobile traffic signal systems across Europe and ensuring the safety of workers in hydropower, emergency power, and road construction zones.
Work zone safety practices in the Middle East
The Middle East countries are under the spotlight of temporary construction zones and roadworks, with the historical tendency to hire foreign workforce from developing countries in South and East Asia. However, this didn’t stop the demands to improve the working conditions.
Health and safety practices in the UAE
In 2021, the United Arab Emirates passed a new law on the Regulation of Labour Relations in the Private Sector, which specifies the obligations of employees and employers alike.
According to the current law on the working conditions in UAE, the employer must provide all means of protection to the workers in hazardous occupations and protect those who get any injury or disease in their workplace.
Also, the employer must provide necessary information and instructions to the workers in a straightforward manner and deliver educational training that educates workers about possible risks.
In addition, the rule protects workers who perform their job under the sun, establishing restrictions to carry out their job during the hottest hours of the day in the summer.
Road work zone safety practices in Saudi Arabia
With the growth in population and economy of Saudi Arabia, there are more road works zones, leading to more potential accidents due to the associated dangers with these roadworks zones.
Most roadworks dangers are related to reckless driving, lack of illumination, and lack of road signs. By that, the pressure is on the employers to ensure the safety of temporary construction zones for workers and road users alike.
The government of Saudi Arabia undertakes regulations that oblige the employer to ensure the safety and health of workers, protect people’s health other than workers, tracking the health of their employees, especially in hazardous workplaces.
By these rules, employers must provide all means of communication to educate and teach workers about their safety and risks and ensure the ongoing evaluation of the working conditions.
As a result, most of the risks of temporary construction areas and roadworks are associated with insufficient illumination, lack of awareness, and incorrect management practices.
Premel is experienced in management services engineering industries providing smart road signs, lights, systems and remote emergency systems verified by best quality policy and ISO 9001 standards to ensure everyone’s protection regardless of how risky the working environment is.
The case of Qatar World Cup 2022
Occupational health and safety accidents have become a significant issue in Qatar whilst preparing to host the World Cup 2022. The country hired around 30,000 foreign workers from developing economies like India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
Qatar is undertaking massive road and project construction zones, building new facilities, roads, underground, and stadiums. Workers suffer from excessive heat while working during the summer, next to harsh working conditions.
Most workers' deaths were reportedly due to devastating working conditions, diseases, and accidents on site. Many on-site accidents are related to either falling or lack of protective equipment.
While hiring that colossal number of workers at once, it’s essential to ensure everyone is well-trained and prepared for construction and temporary roadworks. Besides, contractors must provide well-maintained Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to each worker.
Besides that, it’s crucial to maintain the working conditions as many workers in Qatar had suffered from electric shock while working without protective gloves or when water leaking happened in dorms.
Premel offers long-rooted expertise in temporary road work safety, including advanced safety tools, mobile traffic devices, and innovative emergency systems. Additionally, Premel is a key supplier of security systems in Europe's massive hydro plants and power engineering projects.
Construction areas road signs and traffic lights
There is different road construction safety equipment that informs about road changes and rerouting, and they’re distinguished by having a different colour than the usual traffic lights and signs.
The road construction site safety checklist that every employer needs to follow consists of portable traffic lights, driveway devices that show road information, warning flashers, and portable pedestrian signals.
Alongside thoughtful placement planning, these signs are usually flashy and in orange colour to catch the driver’s attention. Therefore, they’re essential assets to replace the usual traffic lights.
At Premel, we use our experience in program management and power engineering to ensure road construction site safety facilitated by advanced planning and innovative road signage design.
Road work zone safety checklist
Safety practices aren’t only for construction workers but also for the project's success and protecting the public who might be using these roads or around these construction areas.
Therefore, the next time you plan your temporary construction zone, make sure you tick off the following from your list.
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Have a plan and make health and safety the center of your plan.
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Communicate your plan and educate the workers.
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Ensure every worker has safety gear.
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Introduce safety practices and procedures.
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Train your workers sufficiently.
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Assess vulnerabilities at the workplace.
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Set a mechanism to investigate minor incidents that don’t lead to injuries.
Wrapping up
Research shows that most construction zone accidents result from poor lighting systems and the lack of proper warning signs, leading to vehicles crashing into temporary road construction areas.
Following local laws besides proper planning is significant to protect the lives of your workers. Roadwork traffic lights and signs are crucial to protect your workers and the public.
Secure safe working conditions for your employees by providing important road signage and traffic light systems. Learn more about traffic light systems and road signage services from Premel.
