Construction Machinery ME March 2022

ISSUE 122 22 MARCH 20

PLUS

IT’S ON YLOOU

H4 THE NEW SOR EN HELMET S G LIVES SAVIN

SAFETY

R E T T BE E F A S Y R R O S N TH A

ISK R E T I S N HO T I W G N I L DEA R O F W O IS N E M I T E H T

ALBA

SPIERINGS

MEADA

JASO Kanoo Cranes offers engineered solutions for any lifting requirements with knowledgeable experts engaged in the field of lifting with Mobile cranes,Crawler cranes, Tower cranes and passenger hoists with a combined experience of more than 50 years and we continue to retain an excellent reputation alliance agreements with: • • • • •

JASO SMIE-Anti collision MEADA SPIERINGS ALBA

Our Focus is to provide engineered crane solutions to the Construction, Oil and Gas and Industrial markets.

SMIE

KANOO CRANES L.L.C P.O.Box: 290, Dubai, United Arab Emirates info@kanoocranes.com www.kanoocranes.com T: +971 4 446 5532 F: +971 4 446 5538

CONTENTS MARCH 2022

6_NEWS The latest news from across the region and further afield.

14_ IT’S ON YOU The H4LO helmet sensor is a classic example of product innovation that reduces the risk of entrapment and fatal injury when working at height on a MEWP. CMME speaks to its creator Peter Ellis.

18_CAN WE KEEP OUR OPERATORS SAFE? Dust, vibration and kickbacks are all major health hazards when using handheld equipment. Husqvarna Construction explains to CMME how they are keeping operators safe in the region.

22_WHEN SAFETY GETS EXCITING

18

10

The new generation of construction machinery safety features are set to transform everyone’s expectations and make safe operation the touchstone priority of the next decade.

PROJECT FOCUS et

R E W O RAW P

10 ery.

ELEASES on machin 28_NEW R s from the world of constructi release EL The latest NEXT LEV e region.

E H T O T ETY dards in th safety stan TING SAF 30_ ELEVA cturer Manitou Group raises

ammo AMS and M how they tell CMME challenges h c u s d e c fa finity on Dubai In Bridge

r manufa Telehandle

AY E AUGER Wallenges of the future.

H T T I O D ch 36_ take on the ue ready to Auger Torq ALLENGE e.

H C R O T A ER r’ titl LOBAL OP pete for ‘world’s best operato m 40_CAT G d to co vite perators in

Machine o

30

14

36

22

2

EDITORIAL M ARCH 2022

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5471 MANAGING PARTNER VIJAYA CHERIAN vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5713 DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & BUSINESS OPERATIONS SHIYAS KAREEM shiyas.kareem@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5474 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR ANDY PITOIS andy.pitois@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5473 EDITORIAL

SAFETY DOESN’T SELL – OR DOES IT?

ACTING EDITOR PAUL GODFREY paul.godfrey@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5470 ASSISTANT EDITOR MARK DOWDALL mark.dowdall@cpitrademedia.com

I’m writing this Editor’s letter fresh from having presented the inaugural edition of the Truck and Fleet ME Awards. During the preparation for that event it occurred to me how massively one particular theme is common to both the Trucking industry and the Construction Machinery sphere: that theme is Safety. The reason for this is that the heavy equipment shared by these sectors can - especially for the poorly-trained or newly-recruited - present inordinate dangers. For example, heavy dump trucks (of the kind you’d see on every large-scale construction site, delivering large tonnages of sand and composites) figure prominently in the lamentable statistics that show how more than 20% of Construction fatalities globally involve equipment of some sort. That figure also involves the generous assumption that machinery and equipment weren’t involved at all in the sector’s leading cause of death, ie, falling from heights.

In the United States - a nation generally seen to lead the world in terms of accurate safety records - heavy equipment and machinery accounts for the deaths of more than 400 workers annually. We simply have no precise data for what that figure might be in the developing nations within Africa, the GCC and SE Asia, where the cluster of mega-projects is the most ambitious, challenging and labourintensive in the world.

All of which is precisely why this edition of CMME has Safety as its main theme.

Now, it was of course Henry Ford who said “safety doesn’t sell”, so I’m not going to labour the point and detail here all the safety angles you’ll be able to read about.

Rather, I’d like to highlight one feature in

particular, which looks at how the realm of safety might look in the coming decade, and the ways in which technology, AI and the IoT are set to transform the level of proactivity that machinery manufacturers and contractors can dial in to their most challenging projects.

Of course, it’s important to mention how the majority of manufacturers are doing their utmost to create ever-safer equipment - the installation of sensors on the handrails of MEWPs is a classic example of the top echelons of manufacturers leading the way and tackling a problematic and identifiable risk. Ironically, as global economies have changed, it is often the regions which have the least experience of safety management that now have the finances to build the next generation of giga-projects - and the ever-growing onsite accident and fatality statistics can all too easily be swerved by endemic lack of training and safety awareness. It’s against this background that manufacturers face their toughest-ever challenge: they must be trainers and tutors as much as worksite facilitators. No easy remit, but - surely the only way to put Safety concerns front and centre wherever people are using the equipment that has been created to make their lives easier and more productive.

+971 4 375 5496 ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER BRIAN FERNANDES brian.fernandes@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5479 DESIGN ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON simon.cobon@cpitrademedia.com DESIGNER PERCIVAL MANALAYSAY percival.manalaysay@cpitrademedia.com MARKETING EVENTS & CONFERENCE PRODUCER PAUL GODFREY paul.godfrey@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5470 EVENTS EXECUTIVE MINARA SALAKHI minara.s@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 433 2856 SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING EXECUTIVE GLADYS DSOUZA gladys.dsouza@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5478 CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION DATA & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER PHINSON MATHEW GEORGE phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5476 WEB DEVELOPMENT ABDUL BAEIS SADIQ SIDDIQUI FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015) PUBLISHED BY

The publisher of this magazine has made every effort to ensure the content is accurate on the date of publication. The opinions and views expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the publisher and editor. The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content are published in good faith. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publisher in writing. Publication licensed by Dubai Development Authority to CPI Trade Publishing FZ LLC. Printed by Printwell Printing Press LLC.

Paul Godfrey Acting Editor, CMME

CPI Trade Media. PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE. +971 4 375 5470 cpitrademedia.com © Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

Cover image: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool.

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4

ONLINE M ARCH 2022

MOST POPULAR

FEATURED

READERS’ COMMENTS

CONSTRUCTION

ALDAR AWARDED $2.3BN

30% of construction works across key projects complete says Azizi Developments

WORTH OF CONTRACTS IN 2021

Really interesting couple of weeks of news from Aldar.

Securing the funding from Apollo Group Management, nearly $1.5 billion in total, should be a significant influx of cash. The $500

CONSTRUCTION

million to be dropped into

ADNOC and Borealis break ground on $6.2bn polyolefin expansion project

a land joint-venture should allow the Abu Dhabi firm to kick-start a significant phase of development around the UAE capital (no pun intended) which

ANALYSIS: Dubai market review and forecast

is bound to be a boost for the construction sector.

CONSTRUCTION

Stating the obvious here,

ALEC appoints new digitalisation head to steer construction company’s technology charge

but we need developers to keep on developing now that we are looking beyond Expo 2020 Dubai event. You only have to look at the Aldar financial reports that released at the same time this month to see the difference it

CONSULTANT

can make. 16 contracts

IDC and Naseej begin construction of Nadeen School Dilmunia in Bahrain

totalling $2.3 billion is a huge sum but the fact that 14 UAE-based firms were appointed means a raft of opportunities at the Subcontracting level. This is a top-down industry and the money needs to keep

MACHINERY

NMDC and Daewoo Engineering & Construction sign MoU to grow regional business opportunities

flowing if we are all going to grow in the market.

INSIGHT: Solitaire Riyadh – Giving retail a new face

Name withheld by request

Date

25 May

Venue

Radisson Red

RADISSON RED / DUBAI / UAE

Honouring the Machinery at the heart of every project, rewarding outstanding performance 25 May 2022

About

Annual Event

Judged

Winning an inaugural Construction Machinery ME Award will be a recognised badge of excellence amongst clients and peers.

Given that the awards are targeted at the machinery industry, the editorial team take considerable efforts to ensure that nominees are assessed by the appropriate experts who have a chance to assess nominations both individually, and in a group discussion. This ensures that winners are chosen on the basis of the work they do over the course of the year, and on the reputations, they develop with the industry.

By Professionals

These awards celebrate the champions whose machinery plays a key role on-site in the projects at the heart of the GCC economy. They award the manufacturers and dealers whose equipment leads the way – whose out-of-the-box innovations deliver critical commercial ‘edge’, day in, day out. They honour the achievements of the key players responsible for the industry’s dramatic post-Covid re-set.

The inaugural Construction Machinery ME Awards is brought to you by Construction Machinery ME, one of the leading trade titles in the region.

Most importantly of all, in a competitive and contract-driven environment, the Awards are a snapshot of the touchstone equipment enabling operational performance and safety.

At CPI Trade Media, we are proud to state that our awards are unbiased, transparent and fair, with no external influences on the decision-making process.

To ensure complete objectivity, the Awards are judged by a mixture of public votes and a specially recruited judging panel; they are influenced by one criteria only – the informed decision that they are truly the best-in-class.

Scan here

Nominate

now

We look forward to honouring your business in the days to come.

Get in touch

Contact us

Award Nomination Enquiries

Sponsorship

Paul Godfrey | +971 55 472 9717 paul.godfrey@cpitrademedia.com

Brian Fernandes | +971 4 375 5479 brian.fernandes@cpitrademedia.com

Event Partners

GOLD SPONSOR

JLG

PRESENTED BY

Construction Machinery ME

PRESENTED BY

ME Construction News

Thank you to all our amazing partners and sponsors for your support.

© 2022 CPI Trade Media. All rights reserved.

S W NE 6

DEALER ANNOUNCEMENT

CLARK EXPANDS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

JECTS, O R P W E N OFFICES, W E N , S E HIN AROUND K O NEW MAC O L E IVES – W T A MONTH I T S I I N H I T W E NE W WHAT’S N T A N O I G THE RE TEREX APPOINTS

Clark Europe has signed a new

DUTCH

sales partner for Qatar, Rumaillah

DISTRIBUTOR

Motors, further expanding the Clark

Terex Cranes

sales network in the Middle East.

has announced

Rolf Eiten, President & CEO at Clark

of Troost

Europe said “We are delighted to

Machinehandel

have found an experienced partner

as the authorised

for the sale and service of Clark

distributor for The

materials handling vehicles in Qatar

Netherlands. Troost

in Rumaillah Motors, who will

Machinehandel

provide our customers with reliable

will supply the full

and competent local support.”

line of Terex RT

10 JLG Scissors for Johnson Arabia Johnson Arabia Crane and AWP equipment rental company have taken delivery of 10 brand new JLG R1932 electric scissors as part of an expansion of its AWP business.

With over 22-years’ experience in the Middle East market, Johnson Arabia runs one of the largest and most comprehensive fleets in the region and is further investing in its capability as an industry leading equipment supply company. This investment in ten new JLG R1932s is just the start of an expansion which will see additional core and specialist products entering the Johnson Arabia rental fleet in response to demand from new and existing customers who are looking for the specialist work at height capabilities offered by the rental company.

The R1932 is not a new model to the Johnson Arabia fleet, but these new units have expanded an already

popular product line with additional capabilities and efficiencies designed to improve the experience of the end user.

Joe Keely, Executive Manager of AWP says, “This delivery is just part of an investment strategy which focusses on the growth of our existing business, while also expanding our electric product range. These machines have already been delivered to one of our existing customers and I’m sure will continue to be popular on the various projects we are supporting in the UAE and around the region” Martin Kirby, Managing Director added: “As a working at height equipment specialist, we are responding to the demand for our core AWP offering and these ten JLG R1932 scissors are just one part of enabling the business to provide our clients with the classleading service and support they have come to expect of Johnson Arabia.” added Managing Director, Martin Kirby.

Speaking on the announcement

the appointment

“In today’s business world, it is

cranes, along with

important to find a strong partner

offering genuine

you can trust. A partner that has the

spare parts and

equipment, the human resources

professional

and the extensive expertise to

service.

respond to each customer’s

“I’m very

needs; Rumaillah Motors is that

delighted we

partner,” said Rauf Malik, General

signed a new

Manager, Rumaillah Motors.

dealership

Through the partnership with

agreement

Clark Europe, customers in Qatar

with Troost

will have access to all forklift classes

Machinehandel;

and warehouse trucks as well as

it is an important

access to a range of Clark services

step for a strategic

including rental, financing and

Country as The

area-wide service for new and used

Netherlands”

Clark materials handling vehicles.

said Giancarlo

Rumaillah Motors is part of

Montanari, Terex

the Rumaillah Group Holding

RT Business

and operates as an independent

Line Leader.

subsidiary with its own locations

As a machines

in the most important economic

importer, Troost

zones of Doha. Among their range

Machinehandel BV

of products are IC engine-powered

also responsible

and electric counterbalanced trucks,

for the rental and

narrow-aisle trucks, telescopic

sale of excavators,

handlers, mobile cranes, aerial work

wheel loaders and

platforms and machines for container

mobile excavators.

and port handling. The service portfolio of the logistics specialist includes maintenance and servcice, financing, spare parts supply, and operator training. Customers in Qatar will now have complete access.

WA480-6R WA470-6R

More productive, reliable, comfortable The new Komatsu WA470/480-6R with quality for improved productivity. Selectable two models specializing versatility and loading ability, with more comfort and reliability to support customer needs.

For more information, please contact your local distributor Bahrain Y.K Almoayyed & Sons +973 17 730 698

Egypt Egyptian International Motors Co. LTD. (E.I.M.) +20 2 506 1600

Jordan The Near East Equipment Co. (NEEC) +962 6 581 2816

Kuwait Dar Al Hai General Trading & Investment Co. +965 247 12905

Oman Saud Bahwan Projects & Equipment +968 245 78000

Qatar Jaidah Motors & Trading Co. +974 4463 8804

Saudi Arabia Abdul Latif Jameel Machinery Trading Co. +966 9200 25543

United Arab Emirates Galadari Trucks & Heavy Equipment Co. +971 4 338 8800

8

NEWS ROUND-UP M ARCH 2022

TRAINING

IPAF LAUNCHES NEW MCWP COURSE

Jaso develops safe crane climbing system

PAUL HILTON JOINS MOTT MACDONALD Consulting engineer Mott MacDonald

Jaso Cranes have developed a new Lift Shaft system, also known as a three-beam climbing system, to be used in the construction of large skyscrapers in cities where development is becoming increasingly vertical.

Developed together with Titan Cranes, their distributor in Australia, the manufacturer says it is a climbing system that allows a rapid ascent with the greatest safety guarantees..

It has been introduced to combat the effects of accelerating urbanization and the demand for taller buildings in everexpanding urban centres.

The innovation was presented at a Tower Crane Virtual Conference

by Bosko Mujika, Technical Director, JASO Tower Cranes, and Andrew Coffin, Cost and Engineering Manager, Titan.

According to Jaso, in the Lift Shaft system the

crane is placed within the concrete core of the building and climbs using a three-beam climbing system with no need to move the collars between different levels while the hydraulic system has been designed with safety and serviceability in mind.

An example of the Lift Shaft system is the International Towers Sydney project.In this case, LendLease contracted Titan to provide the entire lifting scheme which involved a guiding system based on adjustable rollers located in the shaft corners of the elevator along with attachment chocks to transfer the loads from the crane to the building under service conditions. The aim was to adsorb core construction deviations during internal climbing.

EXCLUSIVE DEALERSHIP WOLFFKRAN and Verhelst Machines have signed an agreement granting Verhelst exclusive distribution rights for WOLFF tower cranes in Belgium and non-exclusive distribution rights in the Netherlands, strenghtening the brand further in both countries.

LIEBHERR DELIVERS E BIL 1000TH MO CRANE TION CONSTRUCered its 1000th mobile

deliv hich Liebherr has 140 Plus, w e - the MK an cr ce, n rá io p ct constru řábnické of Hany-Je t ee the fl e in th es s ic e serv expand vider of cran ro p nd t ki es s rg it f la t crane o s.r.o. the d is the firs an e lic th b u in K ep Czech R owerful M The most p s y. n o tr ti n u lu co so in the t design several smar s se re u u at le fe ib series ncept (flex Vario Jib co such as the odes), radio d luffing m an y lle o tr f o elevating trol and an remote con cab. operator’s

has appointed Paul Hilton as Managing

A new course aimed at those managing,

Director of its

planning or commissioning the use

900-strong Middle

of Mast Climbing Work Platforms

East business.

(MCWPs) or Construction Hoists (CHs)

He moves there

has been launched by the International

from Singapore,

Powered Access Federation (IPAF).

where he was

The course has been made available

the company’s

following intensive development

advisory and

and is designed to mirror the popular

international

MEWPs for Managers course currently

development lead

available as eLearning, classroom-

for Southeast Asia.

based or instructor-led remote learning

Since starting

via IPAF approved Training Centres.

his career at

Speaking on the announcement,

Mott MacDonald

Paul Roddis, IPAF Training Manager,

in 2002, the

said “Candidates will learn the

chartered civil

differences between categories,

engineer has

limitations and advantages of each,

worked in Europe,

and how to select a suitable supplier.

North America

The course also covers how to manage

and Asia Pacific.

installation, use, maintenance, training, inspection, thorough examination, and dismantling of MCWPs and hoists, safely and effectively.

He added that the course would initially be available in instructor-led format before being developed further.

9

UAE issues new decree for safety The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has issued a decree aimed at improving worker safety in construction sites and providing labourer accommodation for establishments, with 50 or more workers, where the wage of each worker is less than Dh1,500 per month.

Also, as part of the decree, construction and industrial workers are not permitted to work outdoors or in places under the sun from 12:30pm to 3:00pm from June 15 to September 15.

In a statement, the ministry said that companies with 100 or more employees are now required to hire a health and safety officer to ensure

laborers are protected from various risks in the workplace.

Workers should be provided with safety gear and suitable clothing to protect them from any injuries on site, the statement said, while first aid kits and

fire extinguishers shall be placed in construction premises, along with a specialist on site to deliver first aid when needed.

The decree details that employers must take all necessary measures

CUMMINS TO

ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGY

RE2 ROBOTICS FOR JLG LIFTS

ACQUIRE MERITOR Cummins and Meritor have

JLG has announced a

and industrial applications

entered into

partnership with RE2

today is remote operation

a definitive

Robotics, a leading

of equipment that keeps

agreement under

developer of intelligent

workers out of harm’s way.”

which Cummins

robotic mobile manipulation

Nerenhausen explained:

NEW DATES FOR MACHINERY SHOW The organisers of Samoter, the Italian construction machinery show and one of the largest in Europe, have announced May 3-7, 2023, as the dates for the next edition of the show, which is held in Verona, Italy. The event last took place in 2017. Veronfiere had previously postponed the event.

Bobcat Launches Machine IQ

will acquire

systems. The collaboration

“While JLG has been

Meritor for a total

of these two companies is

leveraging and developing

transaction value

intended to advance the

robotics in specific areas

of approximately

integration of robotics

of our business for quite

$3.7 billion ($36.50

with access equipment to

some time, our focus has

in cash per Meritor

deliver improved operator

shifted to developing and

share), including

safety and enhanced

incorporating solutions that

assumed debt and

productivity on job sites.

integrate with our lifts to

net of acquired

help offset labor shortages

cash. It allows

have long been used in

and provide assistive

Cummins to be

a variety of industries,”

technologies to a now

one of the few

said Frank Nerenhausen,

5-generation workforce.

companies able to

Oshkosh Corporation

The relationship with RE2

provide integrated

executive vice president

allows us to partner with an

powertrain

and president, JLG

organization who has the

solutions across

Industries. “The productivity

same drive for excellence

combustion and

imperative, along with the

as JLG, enabling us to

electric power

COVID-19 pandemic have

accelerate the integration of

applications.

accelerated the need for

robotics across our product

and adoption of robotic

line to move the access

technologies beyond the

industry forward.” There

factory floor. In fact, a large

are plans for a concept

focal area in construction

machine soon, he added.

“Robotic technologies

to ensure the safety and protection of employees against injuries, diseases or any hazards in the workplace such as sharp objects, explosive or inflammable materials, electric circuits and compressed gases.

Before working on site, employees need to be briefed of any potential dangers that the job requires.

This includes safety and prevention guidelines, and recovery tips, which must be clearly detailed around the premises on signboards in Arabic and other languages that workers understand.

The new labour law gives employers the right to impose penalties for each worker who violates safety measures.

Bobcat have launched their Machine IQ Wireless Communication mobile app, giving equipment owners and fleet managers a new way to stay connected to their machines.

Machine and fleet information can now be accessed by operators through two options: the existing Bobcat Owner Portal and from the new Bobcat Machine IQ mobile platform which allows information on the machine’s health, maintenance, security and performance to be

tracked remotely from their mobile phones.

“Operators need quick, seamless access to their machine’s telematics no matter where the job takes them, and our Bobcat Machine IQ packages are designed to put all that information at their fingertips,” said Wendi Majerus, digital business product manager at Doosan Bobcat North America. On offer will be the Machine IQ Basics Package and the more advanced Machine IQ Health and Security Package.

10

PROJECT FOCUS M ARCH 2022

PROJECT FOCUS:

INFINITY BRIDGE

EVERY PROJECT BRINGS ITS OWN SAFETY CHALLENGES AND RISKS. CRANE SERVICE PROVIDERS AMS AND MAMMOET TELL CMME HOW THEY FACED SUCH CHALLENGES ON DUBAI’S INFINITY BRIDGE

W

hen it comes to heavy lifting projects one of the most vital baseline safety measures that can be taken is to ensure that correct equipment is used for the job. The Infinity Bridge, which opened at the beginning of this year and can accommodate 24,000 vehicles per hour in both directions can be distinguished by its arch inspired by the concept of infinity. It is a classic example of a project where only very specific equipment can safely be used to execute the required task. In this case, the arch had to be lifted into place, by installing forty steel segments, ranging in weight

up to 130t, over a period of six months, over Dubai creek and above the bridge deck.

Due its very unique water-filled landscape underneath, a suitably sized crane could not be supported for the job and so Mammoet and AMS had to team up, relying on a duo of powerful Demag lattice boom crawler cranes: Aertssen with its CC 3800, positioned at the northern side of the creek and Mammoet with its CC 8800-1, positioned on the southern bank.

According to Alrose Tugadi, Project Services Co-ordinator at AMS for this project, the Demag CC-3800 was chosen because of its extra capacity improvements on the previous model, added strength and improved section weights, but mostly for its design that allows it to perform jobs within tight operating areas.

“The CC-3800 was assembled into a 66+60m SWSL configuration and operated up to 83 m radius

lifting 68m ton bridge elements. As seen in pictures, the project was performed from both banks of the Dubai creek, both sides of the bridge. Whilst the CC38 was deployed on the Deira side, on the Bur Dubai side we operated a Demag CC88, 1600t capacity crawler crane. This unit was assembled into a 90+108m SWSL configuration, being the best choice for lifting up to 84 tons at 110m radius. At this side of the job site, the major challenge was the spacing for the crane erection and movement along with the underground facilities.”

This project also exemplified the importance of carrying out a unique location-based assessment to establish what is needed to execute each task safely. As Somnath Bhattacharjee, Crane Manager at Mammoet explains, although regular safety procedures will always apply, these need to be tailored given the particular environment that they are in.

11 “For this job we had to build the crane on a live road with traffic diversions in place and with a restricted work area, which posed challenges to us and our client. Extensive ground works and double matting also had to be completed to allow our crane to be setup near the water to achieve the required ground bearing capacity due to underground services. Other changes to the standard procedures were the restrictions to where we could pick up the segments, some were picked from a barge on the water, some were picked off the road due to not being able to lift them from the bridge.”

As part of the regular procedures, Tugadi adds that Nebosh certified personnel were appointed as well as duly certified personnel for each role.

“Accurate lifting plans and task risk assessments were completed and constantly updated in joint forces between all parties while toolbox talks were conducted twice daily. All works were conducted by implementing a safe system, a safe place and safe equipment and in accordance with the RTA’s OSHA standards. These described are standard procedures for any kind of critical lifting job, becoming however more stringent at times specially if the works are performed within Oil & Gas or Nuclear sites.

Currently and specifically within the UAE, the general workplace safety has considerably improved in the past decade. The UAE has affirmed the importance of OHS through recent efforts combined under the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) National Standard 71000, thus becoming a leading example within the Middle East Region, where lack of proper safety governance, inadequate safety planning, and poor safety culture are still a trend.

Commenting on how workplace safety can continue to move forward Tugadi says: “Language barrier is still, in our view, representing an issue, where recruitment must ensure minimal capabilities for the sake of clear communication at all times.”

Craig Anderson, SHEQ Manager at Mammoet adds that at Mammoet, “safety is a top priority and this is promoted and supported by the global top management. We implement the same safety rules whether we are operating in a highly regulated country or ones that are not so high regulated.’

“As technology evolves, the systems in which we prepare, operate and train in are improving.

Enhanced technology is enabling us to prepare for the job more accurately with engineering studies.

Having a modern crane fleet enables us to take advantages of the latest crane safety features and technology is also assisting us to provide greater training options for our workforce.”

Built by BESIX Construct LLC, a Middle Eastern subsidiary of Belgian company BESIX, the Infinity Bridge is 300 metres long and 22 metres wide. Its infinity arch rises higher; some 42m above the creek.

The landmark is part of Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority’s Shindagha Corridor Improvement project and features a combined three-metre-wide track for pedestrians and cyclists.

40

ents, Steel segm to weight up ranging in d e ll a st in 130t, were riod of e p a r e ov six months

12

FIRE SAFETY M ARCH 2022

WHAT IS THE REAL COST?

CRAIG MURPHY, LEAD FIRE SAFETY CONSULTANT AT SOCOTEC GCC, EVALUATES THE COST OF BUILDING FIRE SAFETY

C

ost, cost is something we’re all trying to save whether it’s in our personal lives to save some money to do something with the family, save for retirement or a holiday; it’s something we try to save at work to make our business or project a little bit more profitable, it helps us win new projects and makes us competitive as a business. But what is the real cost of the driving down of price when it comes to Fire Safety and the way our homes and workplaces are built? How does the lowering of cost and price effect those assets long term and what is the cost to make those problems that arise right?

The problem Buildings here in the Middle East grow and raise to the sky so fast that the time pressures and the need to get the job done within a cost that is suitable to

the Developers and the stakeholders for the project is leading to problems in Fire Safety that at some point are going to have an impact and in the worst cases have the potential for a Grenfell in the Middle East.

The design of the building is like a chain on a boat, each link is important and links to the next, as one long piece of chain, when used correctly, raises the anchor to the boat, but if you put a poorly made or substandard link in that chain you then have a weak link that can fail at the crucial time losing your anchor to the depths of the ocean never to be seen again. The same is true of a building, all parts of the design, construction and fit out stages need to be top quality to ensure the longevity of the structure and the safety of its occupants. A question that raises in my mind through inspections I carry out is “Why when we create the buildings that are so magnificent, with a skyline that we’re proud of and is iconic to the world do we use poorly skilled labour to install essential equipment or build our buildings which makes our Middle Eastern cities so iconic?”

As a Fire Safety Consultant I am fortunate that I

get to see all areas of a large number of buildings in many industries, I get to see it from both the front of house experience through to the internal rear of house areas that few people other than the Facilities Management teams and contractors get to visit within a building. I witness firsthand the finished structure of the building and the installed equipment of the tower and how each part of the design process is affected by each other and how these are installed into the Fire Safety strategy of the building to the extent that they will limit the effects of fire and smoke.

Within any given high-rise or super high-rise tower on any given day I am able to find where a corner has been cut, where a part of the building’s Fire Safety systems have not been installed correctly or they conflict with another part of a building system such as an item of Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing equipment or simply when constructed the fire stopping between compartments was not placed correctly to limit fire and smoke spread. The range of issues I find are all at some point driven by

13 the cost to save a Dirham to make the project more profitable but with this cost saving it has another side that at some point needs to be addressed.

Areas where fire stopping isn’t installed within some buildings should be identified through inspections not found years later from a Fire Risk Assessment, installed equipment should be fully functioning and of a quality that lasts not just gets the building ready to open but then degrades and requires repair within a few years. Equipment installed should last a significant amount of time if maintained properly but I am beginning to find in buildings that are just 10 - 15 years old serious issues with equipment installed that, if they were maintained correctly, would not be evident but now are becoming all too common.

Paying a lower cost usually means a lower level of skill and ability, this is known the world over that a lower class of service is given when prices are low and a higher level for services with a high price point but even at the lower price point the minimum level of compliance should be achieved. The labour force employed, particularly at the construction and maintenance stages of the asset lifecycle are generally unskilled and untrained, they have limited knowledge of Fire Code requirements and the expected standards of safety, even in a general term, in the Middle East. The workers are skilled from years of working but not in formal training of their role, it’s a workforce that has picked up their knowledge through years of working a role or various roles within construction sites across their own countries and the region.

The workers that come to this part of the world come from a multitude of backgrounds bringing their understanding of what is acceptable, in terms of differing building codes if they even exist, from their home countries to what is acceptable in the region. The same is found of the workers’ understanding of what is acceptable installation and maintenance of essential services and equipment even down to not understanding how to wire a basic plug correctly.

The solution So how can we make the changes necessary without creating a huge additional cost to projects at the early stages and avoid the costly retrofitting needed to fix the problems I identify years later at a Fire Risk Assessment?

My opinion is that there are several areas to address, the first being something the Developer and Project Management teams need to address by having a pool of experts whether they are third party or in house teams that can be on hand at key dates or through random inspections to ensure compliance to the fire codes, to ensure the correct placement and installation of fire equipment and systems to avoid conflict with other services like MEP equipment. They can identify any issues with installation before it’s too late before costly changes need to be made, they can ensure that the

contractors installing the systems are following fire code requirements and NFPA standards. This then has a longer term effect of the systems functioning as they should from the start resulting in less cost for the Owner and Developer to update and repair.

The second to address is one of education and training, the workers employed are unskilled and bring with them their knowledge from their country of origin on what they consider is acceptable, this cultural issue needs to be addressed to teach them and raise the standard within our construction industry. By teaching them a basic understanding of what fire stopping is and how compartmentlisation works, how signage is to be installed and its basic requirements or other important subjects, they can gain an understanding of what is needed and over time make improvements. Facilities Management teams should be educated on basic Fire Safety and how building systems work, or should work, so they can begin to highlight issues and monitor

“Workers at all levels need to be empowered to speak up if they think a design or something doesn’t look right”

contractors more effectively increasing the lifetime of equipment and the need for repairs.

To accompany this workers at all levels need to be empowered to speak up if they think a design or something doesn’t look right When it comes to maintenance and increasing the lifecycle of the equipment and the building the selecting of contractors needs to be more rigorous not just driven by the cheapest price. The training and education certificates of the contractor staff need to be checked to ensure the competence of those workers whilst the companies installing the equipment also need to be more active in educating their staff, which in the long term benefits the company as well as giving pride to workers, increasing business reputation and brand awareness as a quality provider.

Overall it requires a cultural shift from changing the mindset of workers from one of ‘they are there to work’ to one of teaching and empowerment, overseen by expert advice which can really change the face of Fire Safety. Cost will always be a factor but the long term the driving down of these costs from the past 10 – 20 years is now beginning to become apparent through the inspections I carry out with the now identified problems becoming harder and more expensive to rectify. The companies that step out of the norm and the cultural way of just ‘having boots on the ground’ and ‘getting the job done’ needs to change, by aiming a bit higher and aiming to be the best practice site, the best practice Developer or the best practice tower through education, training and oversight. Over time this culture can change and can grow with our cities and our skylines which will lower the cost of maintaining the building and its systems in the long term and improve Fire Safety for the region we call home.

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WORKING AT HEIGHT M ARCH 2022

“There is still a lot of progress to be made, because all too many businesses still put money ahead of safety; we see this internationally, not just here in the region”

Peter Ellis launched H4LO last summer as an innovative way to reduce the risk of entrapment and injury when working at height on a MEWP.

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“IT’S ON YOU”

THE H4LO HELMET SENSOR IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF PRODUCT INNOVATION THAT REDUCES THE RISK OF ENTRAPMENT AND FATAL INJURY WHEN WORKING AT HEIGHT ON A MEWP; HERE, WE SPEAK TO ITS CREATOR, PETER ELLIS, WHOSE CONSIDERABLE SAFETY CREDENTIALS INCLUDE BEING CHAIRMAN, IPAF MIDDLE EAST REGION

M

EWPs - mobile elevated work platforms have come a long way.

F ro m the relatively simple ‘up and down’ and scissor lifts of a few years ago to today’s multi-articulated boom machines, extending 50 metres - and beyond - and able to navigate through the most complex overhead installations. Yet they all have one thing in common: users are exposed to the risks of head and upper body injury, with the dangers often further compounded by lack of professional training and the improper use of machines on infirm ground or in unsuitable environments.

As Peter Ellis comments: “Even with an articulated boom lift - a fantastic piece of kit - you won’t always be able to see everything around you. You haven’t got eyes in the back of your head. If you do collide with something and get trapped, the machine will generate about 3000 pounds of pressure; and to crush you it will only take 50! Everything above the handrails gets exposed, and if you do come into contact with an obstruction, the user is pushed forward onto the control panel, meaning that a lot of fatalities are because of asphyxiation. You’re reliant on someone on the ground, what we call ‘the

ground controls’, to get you down. There’s an alarm system, but you probably only have 5 minutes to get out!”

Yet surely, at least on the more sophisticated machines, there must be some kind of sensor system to forewarn the operators that they are in risk of collision and potential head injury? “A few years ago”, says Peter, “the leading manufacturers started putting sensors on the MEWP’s handrails, fixed into the handrail itself. We call this kind of installation “Antientrapment”. The sensors work upwards, not horizontally. Yet the problem is that the handrails are generally where people will place items while carrying goods or fittings up to the worksite - which means that the sensors can get damaged or they will be covered up and won’t work. What’s more, to put a system on as an extra will cost you US$4,500!

“There are 1.5 million MEWPs in rental fleets around the world - and probably 98% don’t have any anti-entrapment devices fitted at all. The challenge for a manufacturer is that once you start installing safety features, you’re into a whole new level of complex responsibilities and risk management and not every manufacturer wants to take that step. You also have to bear in mind that in any typical rental fleet, there will be diverse products from six or seven different manufacturers and only some will be brand new; anything before this won’t have the option of including Antientrapment devices.”

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WORKING AT HEIGHT M ARCH 2022

Enter H4LO! As Peter explains: “H4LO is the only attachment in the world that goes on the user, not the machine. When I saw how every fleet has such a broad mix of equipment, I had something of a ‘lightbulb’ moment: I thought ‘what can they do?’ I realised that the answer wasn’t to think in terms of the machine, but what you can do for the user.

“H4LO works like a car sensor; it’s ultrasonic and triggers at 1.5 metres away from the incoming surface. Note that because it sits across the top of the helmet, it avoids having to drill into the helmet body, which can cause weakness.

When we put the sensor over the helmet, suddenly we had the name!

“We launched H4LO last summer. The helmet is one of the lightest you can get, and it has most of the world’s safety accreditations from the UK to Australia.

For example, it fully complies with EN397.

We have customers as far afield as South Africa, Singapore and India - and it’s currently on trial with the Singapore government.

“The real ‘USP’ of H4LO is that it’s completely proactive and designed to avert the danger before anything can happen; it’s also highly affordable - one unit costs only US$450 and there’s no minimum order.

Just compare that to the US$4,500 you’ll need to spend to install Anti-entrapment on a machine’s handrail.

It is one of the lighter helmets around and in contrast to other attachments, it goes on the user rather than the machine itself allwoing it to be used with a range of equipment.

‘It’s on you!’

Peter has a long track record in worksite safety; while he’s Chairman, IPAF Middle East region, his initial interest in the safety agenda for MEWPs came about when he went up on a scissor lift for the first time - “I felt so vulnerable - because they do move around a little! This made me start to think… Plus, I had seen all the statistics from UK surveys analysing accidents caused by working at heights, and they showed categorically that there is a disproportionate

risk when you’re working at a low height.

Even if you’re two metres off the ground, you can fall and kill yourself.

“The fact is, if you’re going to be 30 metres up, you might follow a good many safety procedures, but if you’re fixing a light bulb, for example, you might just decide to put a chair on a table and say “I won’t be up there for very long and everything will be OK”. Unfortunately, the statistics say otherwise.

“You simply can’t be too careful when working at heights. For example, we insist that when you use H4LO, you wear a chinstrap. If a helmet falls off and falls down on you from a height, you’ll really feel it!

In fact, for all work on a MEWP, a fastened chin strap needs to be compulsory.

“This is really all about taking responsibility for one’s own actions: our tagline for H4LO is ‘It’s on you’ - because, quite literally, it is! The H4LO device is on you, not the machine, and it empowers you to take the right amount of care; but also, there’s the broader level of responsibility you carry as a MEWP user, always to be aware of the risks not only to yourself, but to others.

“Similarly, we’ve made sure that it’s easy to use H4LO and get the right induction, so you’re ready to work safely from Day One. There’s a convenient QR code on the unit that every user can easily scan; then you’ll see the complete operational video and all the instructions you need to follow in order to get the best and safest user experience with the device.”

The importance of training As Chairman of the regional office of IPAF - the International Powered Access Federation - how would Peter gauge the level of commitment to safety here in the GCC? “Well, let me give you an example of how things have changed. With IPAF here in the UAE in 2013, we had only 600800 PAL cards produced per year; now it’s over 8,000! In fact, now there are 14 training centres across the UAE delivering IPAF courses.

“On the other hand, there is still a lot of progress to be made, because all too many businesses still put money ahead of safety; we see this internationally, not just here in the region. So for example, the so-called ‘A Grade’ contractors will have Health &Safety comprehensively built into their everyday operations; if you work with them, you need to have an IPAF card before you can use a MEWP. Meanwhile, Grade B and C contractors will have cheaper pricing, and in turn, they don’t have as much cash. The result

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is that all too often, they can’t afford to invest in the right Health & Safety training.

“One example of this is that more than 50% of MEWPs being used in the UAE have operators who don’t have an IPAF card they just have an attendance certificate they got because they went to a random course for a couple of hours. Courses of this kind tend not to be very specific at all - and they might not even have mentioned MEWPs. So you could be getting on a 150ft. boom with little or no relevant training!”

“You haven’t got eyes in the back of your head. If you do collide with something and get trapped, the machine will generate about 3000 pounds of pressure; and to crush you it will only take 50!”

The three key priorities What are the absolute safety priorities when working on MEWPs? Peter believes that: “The three most important safety criteria are: • Make sure you have professional training to use the product. Before you get on the platform, understand how a MEWP works.

• Note whether you need more protection for the environments you are working in. For example, in a damp environment where you are working near to electricity,

One of the key safety priorities when working at height is to have professional training and understand how a MEWP works before using the access equipment.

you may need the protection of a fibre glass cage, not a metal one.

• Then, understand the surroundings you’re working in - walk the areas around you and understand the possible risks and dangers. There might be loose gravel, hollow ground or subsidence.

Above all, take any kind of working at heights seriously; make sure that the MEWP is a valuable tool for you getting a job done safely and efficiently - not an accident risk waiting to happen.

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WORKPLACE SAFETY M ARCH 2022

CAN WE KEEP OUR OPERATORS SAFE?

DUST, VIBRATION AND KICKBACKS ARE ALL MAJOR HEALTH HAZARDS WHEN USING POWER TOOLS AND HANDHELD EQUIPMENT. HUSQVARNA PRODUCT SPECIALIST, JOHAN EKSTROM TELLS CMME’S MARK DOWDALL HOW TO CREATE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT

T

he roots of Husqvarna Construction go all the way back to 1689 when a metal-working company called Husqvarna was founded in a southern Swedish town of the same name. Even then, you could say it played a role in keeping its people safe, producing muzzleloaded long guns, more commonly known as muskets, that were used in the Swedish Army. It is a product that inspired the classic “gun sight” logo, which is still in use today. Over the years,

Husqvarna has branched out to produce an array of new products from sewing machines, hunting weapons, wooden stoves and the first Swedish typewriter in 1895, to the first motorized mowers and chainsaws in the mid-20th Century. Today it has two main divisions - Husqvarna Forest & Garden and Husqvarna Construction and being human centric is the one thing that remains in its DNA. As pointed out by Johan Ekstrom, Senior Application and Product Specialist at Husqvarna Construction when he spoke to CMME: “Whilst there will always be a desire to use technology to make products more efficient, a big part of our mantra is to

19 first produce operator centric equipment in terms of both safety and ease of use.”

Ekstrom has been with the manufacturer for 24 years and having spent thirteen of these in the United States, he has been on enough job sites around the world to reflect on what needs to be done, not only to make job sites more efficient, but safer too.

“We have a lot of regulations in Europe and US, but it is true that it is still lacking a bit here in this region. For example, slurry bags, which are produced by Husqvarna, have been around for many years. We bought a company three years ago as we found it necessary to supply the customer with these bags when selling certain equipment so now we can provide total solutions for the customer. That is where we want to go from cutting, to taking care of all the debris, and then transporting it safely away. In this region it is slow but in Europe and US for every machine you sell, you sell one of these bags too. For example, you can’t sweep a floor with a broom anymore on job sites, you need to use a bag because when you sweep it you collect a lot of dust. All brooms are banned – in US it happened around six or seven years ago – so this is something that is really important.”

“Whilst there will always be a desire to use technology to make products more efficient, a big part of our mantra is to first produce operator centric equipment in terms of both safety and ease of use”

Dust An even more serious health hazard than slurry is dust, of which there are two types - the dust you can touch and see in the air but also the dust you don’t see which is fine enough to get deep into your lungs. This dust is called Silica which is a constituent of construction materials such as bricks, tiles, concrete and mortar and is generated during many common construction tasks such as cutting, drilling, grinding and polishing.

Joint estimates from the World Health organization (WHO) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) reveal that 1.9 million people died, worldwide, from work-related diseases and injuries in one year alone. Of this, the majority of workrelated deaths were due to respiratory and cardiovascular disease. The greatest causes of deaths were as follows• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (450,000 deaths) • Stroke (400,000 deaths) • Ischaemia heart disease (350,000 deaths) • Occupational Injuries (360,000 deaths) (All statistics courtesy of WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury, 2000-2016: Global Monitoring Report) The study considered 19 occupational

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WORKPLACE SAFETY M ARCH 2022

risk factors, including exposure to long working hours and workplace exposure to air pollution, asthmagens, carcinogens, ergonomic risk factors, and noise.

Workplace exposure to air pollution was found to be responsible for 450,000 deaths.

Ekstrom is fully aware of the dangers that dust can pose and says this is something they are also trying to prevent.

“What we have done is when we use the diamond tools or cutting discs either we use a dust collector or we use water to prevent this. You put a device on a saw and connect that to a bag and the bag takes care of the rest.

He adds: “For our bigger machines, the demolition robots we also use water because when you use a breaker which is a two-tonne machine, to break down a wall it creates a lot of dust so we have spray system on the breaker that sprays water all the time to keep the dust down.

Depending on what kind of equipment you use we provide bags for slurry or dust. As well as a dust control system, you have an air scrubber in the room, which is a box with a filter in. This pushes the air around,

sucks it in and collects all those particles.

And depending on how big the room is the more of those you put in.”

Hand-arm vibration syndrome is a common health hazard when using hand-guided power tools such as drilling and cutting equipment.

Vibration Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is a disorder that workers in construction can be at risk of if they use vibrating tools for long periods of time. It is one of the most common health hazards when using handheld and hand-guided power tools, and although preventable, the damage caused

“When you are using our equipment, white fingers is something that never happens. If you do need to hold it, we have safety handles which have been tested and you can work with these for eight hours, if necessary, as that is the working day”

to fingers, hands and arms is permanent.

A common effect is white fingers which never goes away.

Reducing this risk can happen in two ways; first with the design of the machine, and second through the way in which the machine is operated.

At Husqvarna, Ekstrom says they have developed and patented a padded rubber handle that absorbs most of the vibration before it reaches the operator, and this is used on a variety of their concrete place placement equipment.

“When you are using our equipment, white fingers is something that never happens. Firstly, when we make a foundation, before pouring the concrete we need to work on the soil. Here we start with equipment that can be controlled remotely - so you don’t hold it. If you do need to hold it, we have safety handles which have been tested and you can work with these for eight hours, if necessary, as that is the working day.”

He adds: “The handle is a very simple function and this is something we have worked on the past five years. So, this is part of what we do to eliminate hand vibration injury.”

Once the concrete is poured it is polished and levelled using a power trowel consisting of multiple rotating blades. On the trowel, if an operator takes his hand away from the handle the handle will keep turning.

“Normally, you hold the handle and the body will turn” says Ekstrom “but if you drop the handle this is glued to the concrete and the handle will turn. So this is also a thing that we have put in production now. The handheld is probably the most dangerous part because you are holding something that has a rotating blade or you have a rotating chain that could be damaged so you need to be careful. We train the operator and work really hard to make sure our customer is aware how to operate this. It could be the end user or it could be dealer as well but we talk a lot about the importance of this” Kickbacks In terms of power tools, another issue is kickbacks on wooden chainsaws and blades, and it can be on any cutting equipment even small grinders for example.

This is related not necessarily to the product but the way of using equipment.

“At Husqvarna we preach that there needs to be a cutting area and kickback area but this is not always the case,” says Ekstrom. “Therefore, we came up with a new bladeguard that prevents them from

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“Labour costs here are pretty low which means that the workforce can work two days here and then go somewhere else and work two days; so if now you train this guy and say this is how you use this machine, then two days later he can be somewhere else” using that piece of the blade. We also have devices that can fix machines on a wall or a floor so you don’t have a kickback. When cutting pipes, for example, there is a huge risk of kickback, so we provide a clamp for something like this to help prevent these kind of accidents. The kickback attachment reduces the risk of kickback and injury.”

Training Challenges Once a machine has been designed and manufactured, training needs to be a priority to make sure it is used in the right way. As Ekstrom points out, there also needs to be a machine-specific approach taken to training especially in the Middle East.

“Another reflection I have is that labour costs here are pretty low which means that the workforce can work two days here and then go somewhere else and work two days, so if now you train this guy and say this is how you use this machine, then two days later he can be somewhere else. It’s common here for people to move around to different companies so that means it is hard to keep up with the training.

“You train one guy and then he goes away so we need to be on site more or less everyday to train guys and we can’t do that. The people leaving don’t always train the people coming in to take over. So that’s another effect compared to USA or Europe, the labour costs are higher there and there

is more pride in relation to operating a piece of equipment.”

Weight of Equipment One of the notable trends that has occurred in handheld equipment over the past two decades is the change in its size and weight. Ekstrom says that when he started at Husqvarna, in 1998, they just had diamond tools, of which there were only a limited number of vendors on the market at the time. Down the road, when

For bigger machines such as demolition robots which are used for breaking down concrete walls a spray system is used to keep dust levels down.

they had more equipment, however, the main thing for safety and operators’ safety became the weight of equipment, which changed a lot.

“When I started the equipment was very heavy, for example, it would be 50kg to 60kg for a saw head that we would lift up on to the wall. That has been reduced to half today with the different technology helping it to reduce by going from hydraulic to electric. Also, at one time the power packs we used could be up to two tonnes. Now, they are down to 25kg on power packs.

So, that’s a major step in terms of getting a better environment for the operator.”

Moving forward, increased automation and more battery-powered equipment will have a significant part to play ensuring the accident rate on construction sites comes down, especially when using handheld saws and cutting equipment that can be deadly dangerous. Not only does battery powered equipment drastically reduce the weight, making these tools more convenient and easier to use, but on certain machines automation can take the user away too, which can be equally as important. Being around for a long time, Husqvarna say they have learned how to survive in the business and make sure their customers are safe. Over 300 years on from producing the first muskets their DNA is still the same, and their human-centric approach is not likely to change.

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TECHNOLOGY M ARCH 2022

WHEN SAFETY GETS EXCITING HENRY FORD FAMOUSLY COMMENTED THAT “SAFETY DOESN’T SELL”. BUT THE NEW GENERATION OF CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY SAFETY FEATURES ARE SET TO TRANSFORM EVERYONE’S EXPECTATIONS - AND MAKE SAFE OPERATION THE TOUCHSTONE PRIORITY OF THE NEXT DECADE. PAUL GODFREY ASSESSES THE KEY TRENDS

F

irst things first. Many construction professionals take the view that the industry has reached a critical turning point. We’ll shortly see the completion of Generation 1.0 of Saudi Arabia’s mega-projects and in the UAE, for example, a host of currentlyblueprinted plans linked to UAE Centennial 2071 will already be in the first phases of development.

These will not only require perhaps the largest order books of construction machinery ever seen, but demand and epitomise global-leading standards of Health & Safety best practice.

There is also no doubt that after an inevitable bout of gloom and despondency around the Covid era, construction machinery sales are now on the up-and up. In fact, the figures from Q3 2021 tell a powerful story: • China’s market growth was up 148% • Asia Pacific (excluding China) was up 19% • South America was up 41% from Q3 2020

• North America was up 9% from Q3 2020, largely due to news about fresh government infrastructure investment (All statistics courtesy of Hayes Report) All in all, we find that the global construction machinery market has been thriving for the past few years, due to growth of urban development worldwide - particularly in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America - and the rush to improve infrastructures.

In fact, the construction equipment market size is on course to grow at a CAGR of 7.58% between 2019 and 2024 - despite the obvious flattening of the market at the height of the Pandemic.

It’s also the case that in this burgeoning climate, the new generation of construction machinery is offering a raft of neverseen-before safety features. Yet to be fair, many of these are already fairly common knowledge; the question is, what are going to be the larger, more quantum advances in machinery safety that we’ll see taking place in the immediate future? The following examples aren’t science fiction - they’re already becoming science fact.

23 Designed for autonomous operation and multi-unit communication, the CX01 concept is already influencing future Volvo CE machine design.

“AI-powered machines can pave the way for faster and more precise on-site assembly, thereby reducing production costs and development time – and greatly lessening the labour-intensiveness (and hence associated risks) of the worksite”

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TECHNOLOGY M ARCH 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) IoT on-site means wireless connectivity and automated communication between the cluster of important devices operational at any one moment (or between those set to work sequentially across a given timeframe). This in effect means Smart devices and equipment capable of cross-communication in real-time, identifying potential hazards, malfunctions, and even job-site challenges - all without the need for any human intervention.

IoT technology promotes Health & Safety in construction by keeping a watchful eye on worksite safety concerns. For example, the physical equipment on-site can utilise onboard sensors to detect hazards and other environmental conditions, and then proactively alert workers via networked applications. Under extreme circumstances, IoT-enabled equipment can shut down operations completely if emergency safety measures are needed.

IoT applications help take costly human error out of the safety equation, giving onsite teams a reliable safety partner around the clock. More than this, they enable site managers and operators to work proactively - not simply taking action once the threat is already happening.

Mammoet is transforming the planning and execution of engineered heavy lifting using digital modelling, making the planning of a heavy lift project simpler and lifts safer.

There is another factor here, too: machine learning and AI are also powerful ways to help manufacturers deal with an ageing workforce and the lack of the right professional talent in the current marketplace. AI-powered machines can pave the way for faster and more precise on-site assembly, thereby reducing production costs and development time – and greatly lessening the labourintensiveness (and hence associated risks) of the worksite.

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Virtual and Augmented Reality are rapidly becoming powerful technologies for advancing Health and Safety. These applications help to reduce the need for faceto-face interactions while vastly upgrading industry capabilities in the process.

Notwithstanding, it’s fair to say that at the moment, Virtual Reality is primarily used as a training tool. It provides employers with a safe alternative to both classroom and on-the-job training, while still providing essential and highly realistic instruction to new teams. Any concerns about social distancing aside, in the months and years to come, Virtual Reality will provide a mobile, adaptable and accurate training method that comprehensively copes with the range of necessary on-the-job briefings while vastly reducing the practicalities of on-site risk.

What about Augmented Reality? It offers a tangible benefit to developers, engineers, and job-site planners. Using tablets and mobile devices with sophisticated cameras, engineers can develop 3D models of their construction project and then transition those objects into their real-world environments. The ability to envision and re-iterate in this way has an immeasurable value from a development standpoint, but also from a health and safety perspective, it can help cut down on the face-to-face manpower and time-spend necessary during project development.

Working with the Cloud Cloud technology means you can manage equipment remotely and share data much faster. It’s already proven increasingly popular with the manufacturers of super-heavy equipment - Cloud-based SaaS solutions are already completely commonplace in the context of apparatus used in ship-yards and mining, for example. It’s also predicted that by the end of 2022, 75% of all Cloud workloads

25 will be SaaS - and it comes as no surprise that construction and equipment companies see it as a key route for innovation and the effective delivery of safe working protocols.

Plus, we’re only just starting to reap the rewards of what’s often known as ‘heavy equipment field service management software’. This can effectively eliminate manual office work and increase the performance efficiency all-round. For example, instead of back office managers needing to make calls and planning staffing schedules and rotas manually, a system of this kind can take care of all administrative tasks, and thread in the full range of safety updates and briefings. Fast-forward several years, and it will be difficult for companies using only labour-intensive, manual systems to compete.

A key example of this is the threat of being unknowingly exposed to dangerous on-site toxins (asbestos is a classic example). Such toxins could cause serious health problems to employees over time.

For this reason, hi-tech sensors have been developed to activate an alarm when they detect any harmful toxins. This will allow all workers to take any necessary precautions to protect themselves in dangerous work environments. Alarms of this kind are available not only for static fixtures around the site perimeter, but can be attached to workers’ clothes and overalls, maximizing ambient protection. It is widely thought that, across the last 30 years, about 60% of all historic claims for emphysema - the chronic lung disease would have been averted if site sensors and alarms had been available and fitted.

The ever-important role of Training While it is of course a truism that investment in safety training saves lives and reduces needless, costly injuries, the actual statistics show that by demonstrating how a worker can do their job safely, you will have a 30% higher likelihood of them actually doing that in practice - and a 35% lower risk of them sustaining injury (figures from HSE, UK).

Given that about 55% of all injuries in the Construction sector happen to workers with less than 12 months’ experience, it’s logical that training reaps rich rewards particularly with newer employees. Furthermore, this need not always involve costly training programmes: there are in fact two highly effective ways of delivering training on-site. These are: • Conducting a comprehensive walkthrough of the employee’s responsibilities.

This should provide all the necessary information and knowledge they will need to get the job done. For this training, com-panies provide new workers with information on equipment, safety and compliance procedures, and general operations.

• Developing a Mentoring system. This is where the more experienced workers spend time enforcing procedures and policies on-site. As a result, companies can decrease the risk of a new employee developing bad or unsafe habits on the job, thereby delivering far better risk management.

Both of these methods should be regularly substituted with verbal and online testing (which can conveniently be delivered via a shared tablet). Again, the facts speak for themselves: regular testing improves compe-tency and reduces on-the-job risk by up to 28%.

Better than before In conclusion, does all this mean that in the next decade we will see the end of construction site risk due to better and more comprehensive machinery safety protocols?

Of course not. Yet what it does mean is that we will see machinery manufacturers tackle safety in entirely new ways, as the new era of technology enables safeguards to be implemented more cheaply and more successfully than ever before. This will not only be on the worksite (the ‘front line’) itself, but in the back office, where the job is planned - and where digital work platforms will proactively minimise risks and put Health & Safety concerns front and centre with the project’s planning and economics.

Note that neither of these approaches is at all high-tech; yet they are both examples of the rapidly-appearing ‘new normal’, whereby a safety-led culture is becoming more and more standard.

Alarm Systems How do you cope with the unknown? This has been the concern of risk managers for decades - and for good reason, because one of the most dangerous factors for any construction worker is the on-site unknown.

Applications, such as paving specialist Vogele’s Jobsite Temp app, help take costly human error out of the safety equation, giving on-site teams a reliable safety partner around the clock.

Date

24 May

Venue

Radisson RED

RADISSON RED / DUBAI / UAE

Preparing fleet in the GCC for a sustainable future 24 May 2022

About the

T&F Conference

2022

The event to fine tune your fleet for the future

This year’s one-day Truck & Fleet conference will include a unique blend of insight from world’s leading vehicle-makers, thought leaders from the regional Truck & Fleet industry, and a raft of technical and solutions experts serving the region.

The third edition of our flagship conference and unique test drive programme returns and sets out to help fleets face up to the challenge of succeeding in a rapidly changing landscape while planning for the future.

The Truck and Fleet Conference continues to help fleets in the UAE run leaner, safer, more efficiently. Now an established fixture on the transport and logistics calendar, the third conference returns in 2022 with the demands on fleets to be key players in the region never being greater, this is also an exciting time where opportunities such as e-commerce, last mile delivery services and digitalisation can take an operation to another level.

Agenda

Following a morning of industry roundtables, on-stage interviews and showcases, the event will uniquely provide a platform for delegates to see and experience world-class vehicles through the new truck walkround sessions and post-event test drives.

The Truck & Fleet conference helps businesses to succeed in this changing environment with unique blend of insight from world’s leading vehicle-makers, thought leaders from the regional Truck & Fleet sectors, test drives and vehicle demonstrations, and a raft of technical and solutions from experts serving the region.

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Content

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© 2022 CPI Trade Media. All rights reserved.

27

R E W O P RAW EED TO N U O Y G N I EVERY TH

KNOW

34

CTION CONSTRU RY ME MACHINE AWARDS

28_NEW RELEASES

oting and Full list of v categories nomination w! vote no

The latest releases from the world of construction machinery.

30_ELEVATING SAFETY TO THE NEXT LEVEL Telehandler manufacturer Manitou Group raises safety standards in the region.

36_DO IT THE AUGER WAY Auger Torque ready to take on the challenges of the future.

40_CAT GLOBAL OPERATOR CHALLENGE Machine operators invited to compete for ‘world’s best operator’ title.

28

NEW RELEASES M ARCH 2022

NEW TADANO AC 2.040-1 ALL TERRAIN CRANE WHY GET IT? DESIGNED TO MAKE USE OF MAXIMUM AVAILABLE LIFTING CAPACITY WITH ANY OUTRIGGER CONFIGURATION Tadano has launched its AC 2.040-1 the first all-terrain crane to be developed jointly by Tadano’s Lauf and Zweibrücken locations in Germany, and also the very first member of the future Tadano AC family. It signals the completion of the announced brand merger where all Tadano Group cranes will be sold exclusively under the Tadano brand name.

Like all future models, it features the innovative IC 1 Plus control system with automatic counterweight detection, a capacity radar, and a work area display.

The system determines the crane’s lifting capacity for every boom position as a function of the superstructure’s slewing angle. This enables the AC 2.040-1 to always make use of the maximum available lifting capacity with any outrigger configuration, including asymmetrical ones. This advantage is literally maximized when combined with the Flex Base system, which makes it possible to extend the outriggers to any point within their range.

In addition, the crane features the one-of-a-kind Tadano Surround View camera system, which shows both the maximum possible extension lengths for the outriggers and the counterweight tailswing radius. As a result, Tadano Surround View makes it significantly easier to optimally position the crane at work sites. The 2.040-1 also comes with the IC 1 Remote telematics solution, which makes efficient crane and fleet management possible and shows both the location of the crane and all its operating information on the monitor. This system helps with scheduling projects and routine maintenance, ensuring that the crane will have the highest possible availability for assignments. Moreover, it can be used to read error codes so that service team members can read the corresponding data “remotely” and run fault analyses to quickly diagnose and fix problems.

The ESTA-award-winning E-Pack with its 32-kW electric motor is also optionally available and enables the AC 2.040-1 to work whisper-quiet and with zero emissions indoors and at nighttime in residential areas, for example. This makes the two-axle crane the third Tadano AC to be compatible with the E-Pack, with the two others being the AC 3.045-1 City and the AC 4.080-1. Finally, like all future Tadano cranes, it comes with the particularly ergonomic cab, previously only used on Zweibrücken produced all terrain cranes.

DINGLI INTRODUCES 32M ROUGH-TERRAIN SCISSORS WHY GET IT? HAS A WIDER DECK AND ROLL OUT DECK EXTENSION WITH A PLATFORM CAPACTIY OF 1000KG/FOUR PEOPLE Dingli has launched the wide versions of its biggest scissor lift model, in the form of the JCPT3225DC and the JCPT3225RT. The new machines offer a working height of 32 metres and utilise the same scissor stack as the 86 and 99ft narrow – 1.4 metre wide JCPT3214DC slab electric models unveiled in January however, the heavy duty stack is mounted on a 2.5 metre wide chassis with four wheel direct electric drive on the DC model and Hydraulic wheel motors on the RT. Rough Terrain non marking tyres and four wheel steer are standard on both.

The other major differential between these models and the narrows is, of course, the wide deck – now 6.2 by 2.45 metres when retracted. A powered 2.1 metre roll out deck extension is available which extends the deck length to 8.3 metres.

Platform capacity on both main deck and the extension is 1,000kg / four people Power comes from a choice of All Electric 80V/520Ah high capacity lithium battery pack, or a Deutz Stage V diesel.

Drive at full height is possible on both models, while the levelling jacks feature a ‘one button levelling’ function.

Overall height when stowed is 4.13 metres, which can be reduced to 3.19 metres when lowered. Total weight is 23,400kg for the diesel/RT or 23,900kg for the DC model. The gradeability on the electric drive machine is 30 percent while the diesel RT is 40 percent.

The diesel JCPT3225RT has the same performance as the DC but is 500kg lighter with a little more gradeability.

29

NEW VOLVO EC550E EXCAVATOR FOR MIDDLE EAST WHY GET IT? DESIGNED TO WORK ON MINING, MASS EXCAVATION AND LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WITH HIGH LEVELS OF PRODUCTION The earthmoving segment in the region can finally look forward to seeing the Volvo EC550E crawler excavator, known for its remarkable levels of power and productivity, after it was announced that the manufacturer would be expanding their distribution of the machine, globally, including the Middle East market. Now offered with a Tier 3 engine, the EC550E crawler excavator is perfectly suited for mining, mass excavation and large infrastructure projects and has the durability more commonly expected from larger machines.

Upon making the announcement, Kwangsuk Jee, Global Product Manager, explained: “Delivering the type of durability and performance more commonly expected from a 60/65-tonne machine, the EC550E is a crawler excavator which truly punches above its weight. Customers in Tier 3 markets can get ready for up to 35% more productivity and 22% more fuel efficiency, combined with superb operator comfort and outstanding levels of uptime.”

Volvo Construction Equipment added that, on top of this, short cycle times will further boost productivity, made possible

by digging forces and lifting capacity more commonly found in a 60/65-tonne excavator. Similarly, its ability to fill a 35-40 tonne hauler or highway truck in just four to six buckets allows levels of production at a low cost per tonne.

Away from the machine, the manufacturer revealed that the EC550E is also available with a range of optimum-sized heavyduty rock buckets designed for use in abrasive conditions, in particular the Volvo Tooth System that can make easy work of teeth replacements thanks to its place, push and click functionality. In another feature of the machine’s performance, operators can further take control of their productivity with On-Board Weighing, helping to ensure the optimum amount of material is loaded. It is an optional system provides real-time information to eliminate under and overloading of haul trucks and also records total tonnage for complete production management.

Volvo added the next generation electrohydraulic system with Independent Metering Valve Technology (IMVT) and engine/pump optimization ensures that customers can take fuel optimization to the next level. The manufacturer explained that IMTV, their latest pioneering innovation provides significantly more precise control compared to a conventional system and contributes towards up to a 22% improvement in fuel efficiency.

To support the fuel-efficient performance of the machine, there are a range services to help reduce fuel expenditure and carbon emissions during operations even further, including Fuel Efficiency Reports and operator training initiatives. One example of this is Volvo Site Simulation where Volvo dealers can also help customers to optimize site productivity and lower their total cost of ownership, by providing recommendations on the best fleet configuration and site set-up to maximize profitability.

According to Volvo: “Whether working inside or on the machine, features such as unrivalled visibility and 3-point right-hand side access mean you can be sure that the highest levels of safety have been considered in every design detail of the EC550E.” Due to the 3-point right-hand access operators can reach the UREA/UREA tank more easily than ever before while the UREA tank makes filling quicker and easier, reducing the risk of spillage and subsequent corrosion.

SPECIFICATIONS

VOLVO EC550E EXCAVATOR Operating Weight: 53,740 - 58,000kg Bucket Capacity: 2.4 - 4.2m³ Max Digging Reach: 12,180mm Max Digging Depth: 7,690mm

30

MANITOU M ARCH 2022

ELEVATING SAFETY TO THE NEXT LEVEL

WITH ITS JEBEL ALI OFFICE, MANITOU GROUP IS EXPANDING ITS SOLUTION OFFERING. NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST, BENOIT RENARD, TELLS CMME HOW THE TELEHANDLER MANUFACTURER IS RAISING SAFETY LEVELS IN THE REGION

E

very day, more than 500,000 people around the world use machines made by Manitou Group.

Whether in a factory, on a farm or on a construction site, the main priority remains safe user conditions, which lie at the heart of Manitou Group’s mission. While the machines and services offered by the group’s various brands are inherently safe, there is nevertheless a real risk of accident. Choosing unsuitable equipment, lack of knowledge or improper use of machines are all well-documented risk factors. In combating this, not only does Manitou Group have its own division for CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) but it also has several set “elevation” dates throughout year where all workers, from operator right the way up to high-level

executives, brainstorm ways to improve safety and working conditions.

“We have several groups interacting between each of the regions and looking for elevation – to elevate our level, elevate our commitment and also improve and look for solutions that might fit,” points out Manitou Group’s new Managing Director for the Middle East, Benoit Renard.

“We all share this vision so we have lots of training, meetings as well as external speakers and everyone must attend. From the onboarding to the start of production everyone is involved in safety, as stated in the Manitou Group mission statement “Improve working conditions, safety and performance worldwide; first from the employees and all the way to the customer. We know it’s a matter of training and sharing knowledge. People who are trained and more informed are more able to hit this target of zero accidents in our factories and reach our targets. We aim to

31 Manitou is a French heavy equipment manfacturer that makes a range of equipment including forklifts, cherry pickers and telehandlers.

“We all share this vision so we have lots of training, meetings as well as external speakers and everyone must attend. From the onboarding to the start of production everyone is involved in safety and now it is the motto of Manitou - ‘to make life safe and easy’”

32

MANITOU M ARCH 2022

“People who are trained and more informed are more able to hit this target of zero accidents in our factories and reach our targets” have more active and passive safety, so not just the operator but also people who are working around the machines. Informing and sharing the best practices that we discuss on our elevation days is vital.”

Manitou Group has a strong reputation in promoting the highest possible safety standards, enhanced most notably through the benchmark accolade, ISO 45001 certificate that they have achieved for their French sites. It is no surprise, then, that safety is one of the pillars of its ‘Elevation’ plan.

Manitou Group has been investing heavily in production plants, globally, to make them energy compliant as they look forward to increased use of electric engines for their machines.

Renard has not yet completed a year in his new role at Manitou Group, yet, having previously been in charge of business development globally, including Asia, South America and part of Africa, he is well aware of the challenges of implementing their ideas and culture on a global basis.

“The culture here is different, of course, but we see more and more big companies coming here and safety standards are increasing a lot. We can definitely see it in Saudi with the Neom project. In Europe.

there are lots of tenders who are now asking for low-emissions machines and it’s the same now in Saudi. One of the big challenges is data management and data sharing because there is a common policy in Europe, the GDPR, for example which is not the case here as each and every country has its own rules. So, that is a challenge. People are used to and know our machines and products. We are not selling a concept. But being in line with the requirements of new, proper machines and having the full safety of the operators is a challenge.

In Manitou Group, they have a saying “Innovation is in our DNA and Data is a game changer.” The ability to manage and share data easily is not only a hugely important component when it comes to innovation but also in maintaining the highest possible safety standards. In their Mobile Elevated Work Platform, for example, the Secondary Protection System (SPS) replacing the former Safe Man System (SMS) is the new anti-crushing system that Manitou has redesigned to guarantee the full safety of the operator, without constraining him in his work. This anti-crushing system has a multidirectional detection and cuts the operation before the operator touches the control panel The next thing, Renard adds, is the license.

“We can see in some countries operators are not asked to have any license while operating a machine. I know that it’s mandatory now for the platform for example. But one of the things that we have done in Europe is to work jointly with our closest and biggest customers, so for example, together with a big rental company, we have developed a safety pack that we are offering on the machine as an option. This is something that can be applied and replicated here in this region because we have more and more rental companies and you don’t know who will be operating the machine. It is important to anticipate misusage on our machines to prevent any accidents.”

It is a busy time for Manitou Group.

Aside from putting their stamp on safety in the region, the manufacturer has a huge roadmap of product launches, this year.

While Manitou continues to have a very successful partnership with Al Shirawi Enterprises, their exclusive dealer in the UAE since 2004, the Group is also aiming to develop the activity for its other brand, called Gehl that was acquired in 2008 and established in the USA. In the long term, they are looking ahead to electric engines

33 and also hydrogen, and are investing massively in production plants (80 million Euro for French plants, 70 million Euro for US plants) to adapt and make them compliant to these new energies, develop innovation and enhacne safety.

For now, most of their stock in the region such as skid-steer loaders, backhoe loaders and telehandlers is produced in India, but all their machines comply with their European standards, Renard is keen to point out.

“We are used to having mostly used machines with more gas emissions but now the requirements in this region are very high so all our machines comply with our European standard. They are fully compliant because they are designed in France to our European standards and also, we have also French people in India to ensure that full quality standards are met. We have this offering for the GCC market and Indian market because it is our basic application compared to Europe.

Maybe there was a gap five to ten years ago, but this gap has been filled and it’s very interesting to see these new projects now at the same standard as in Europe.

As for his own role, Renard says that he will be looking to accelerate the business in the region and having a growing local presence will help make the group and their dealer ever more accountable for

The Manitou rotary telescopic telehandler (MRT) is one of the most widely used industrial machines in the construction sector. It is a vital tool for masonry, roofing, cladding and renovation.

their offering of products and solutions.

Dubai is a hub for the Middle East but also for Israel which continues to be one of Manitou Group’s main markets in this area.

“We are fortunate enough to have big partners in the area, but we have new business all the time, and we have a new generation emerging. When you have the new generation, sons of former dealers and so on there is an opportunity to work on new solutions and a new way of approaching the market because the

needs of customers are changing as well.

The requirements such as safety and low-emissions machines are something we need to be prepared for too. It is very challenging because we are now moving from product selling to solution offering.

So, it’s important that everyone shares the same vision, is aligned and offers the same customer experience at the end of the day.

Since Renard’s arrival several months ago he has been taking the time to visit partners around the region who are now seeing the opportunities in offering solutions and knowing the customer on a deeper level.

To replicate what they have done in Europe getting to know the people is crucial, he says. On a personal level, the new Managing Director adds that what he loves most about living in Dubai, is the diversity, because “there is no other place in the world in terms of the interaction and connection you can have.”

This interaction and continued communication at all levels will continue to play a key role in keeping workers and customers on the same page and making the operation of machinery a safer process in the region will not happen overnight but one thing is certain; more “elevate” days can be expected in the near and long term.

Taking safety to the next level continues to be a priority and a shared vison for all at Manitou.

34

EVENT PREVIEW M ARCH 2022

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36

ATTACHMENTS M ARCH 2022

DO IT THE AUGER WAY

NEW CONCEPTS IN A VARIETY OF TRADE SEGMENTS MEAN AUGER TORQUE ALONG WITH THE KINSHOFER GROUP IS READY TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE

B

y now, the value of Auger Torque is becoming increasingly wellknown in the Middle East market. There is a growing acceptance that what they do works – that not only is the right attachment cost-effective, but it can do the job. What many are starting to truly realize, however, is the sheer scope of an attachment market that, up until now, has barely scratched the surface of what is possible in this segment; and that in fact, this next decade is looking even more promising than the last.

There is perhaps no one more in tune with this and the ever-evolving needs of society than this particular attachment specialist. At Auger Torque, they try to envision how future trends will take shape, knowing that they have a pivotal role to play in responding to each incremental societal change along the way. They do this by doing what they do best - providing new equipment to solve new problems, at that moment in time.

In an exclusive interview with CMME, Rohan Saldanha, International Business Development Manager for Auger Torque, explains how the focus has now shifted to creating awareness to the kind of things that this might entail: Reducing Capex Costs One of the advantages of Auger Torque is that it is part of the Kinshofer group consisting of eight different companies with a wide array of attachments, making it a one-stop shop for all attachment needs. In the Middle East, the company has made a mark with its attachment solutions for applications such as

dewatering, predrilling for sheet piling, micro piling, deep trenching in hard rock, solar panel fencing and fencing. They provide system solutions for a variety of jobs in construction, drilling, pipe-laying, mining, and quarrying segments. It was in 2016 and 2017 when the company first started seeing real growth in the region with the introduction of local stock from Jebel Ali, a growing dealer network and Dubai-based staff. In that time, the company proved that not only do attachments work but that they save money because operators no longer need to rely on big, dedicated capex equipment to do the job.

In the Middle East enhancing and improving the competency of the users and operators is paramount to ensuring optimum productivity as well as safety, and this is something that Auger Torque are continuously working on along with their distributors.

Saldanha uses the example of power rigs that drill all the way down for piling work.

Inside these masts they have got concrete being pumped into the ground and as they pump the concrete, they pull the Auger out and the foundation is built. A steel cage is then put in. Traditionally, to do all this a drilling rig would be required meaning the mobilization of a 50ft trailer to get that equipment there.

Being an innovative company and always responding to market needs, this year Auger Torque have developed larger drives – offering 100,000 and 150,000 Nm of torque as well as, most recently, the development of a cement pumping auger.

“We’re also introducing a cement pumping auger, so where necessary there isn’t a need for a drilling rig;” explains Saldanha. “An earth drill and cement pumping auger means you can build foundations completely with an excavator. This is a concept which we are

37 One of the advantages of Auger Torque attachments is that operators no longer need to rely on big dedicated capex equipment to do the job.

“When you look at an attachment in the Middle East the first idea of an attachment is a bucket or a grab, but now, there is a growing awareness of attachments. For example, people are asking - I have this project or application what attachment is the best solution? That is growing from Jeddah, Riyadh, and across the region, it’s the same thing where people are asking: what else can I do with an attachment now?”

38

ATTACHMENTS M ARCH 2022

developing, using a swivel and auger system with a regular modular drive unit, which can be easily taken out, re-put in, doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, and is functionally easy for the customer to use as you don’t need someone specialized for the task.”

Another timely example comes from Kuwait where up to 54,000 non-biodegrading tyres are buried across the desert Saldanha points out. Instead of using a huge shredding machine with high capex, Auger Torque have been asked to put an attachment on an excavator so the tyres can be cut into smaller sections and then smaller shredding machines can then be used in multiple locations.

Sweeper Brooms Demand for sweeper brooms has grown and is fast becoming a popular attachment in the region especially as “within the UAE, the requirement of Municipalities is to keep jobsites and surrounding areas clean,” explains Saldanha.

“Our distributors in the UAE, Galadari (JCB) and Oriental Trading in Qatar, have recently purchased sweeper brooms as they can see the requirement in the market, along with the versatility and cost-effectiveness of the product. With the football World cup coming, I would imagine demand to increase.”

He adds: “When you look at an attachment in the Middle East the first idea of an attachment is a bucket or a grab, but now, there is a growing awareness of attachments.

For example, people are asking - I have this project or application what attachment is the best solution? That is growing from Jeddah, Riyadh, and across the region, it’s the same

pushed back due to fears of Omicron and potential travel disruptions.

Several new concepts are fast growing in popularity in the Middle East market including sweeper brooms, hedge trimmers, quick hitches and cement pumping augers.

thing where people are asking: what else can I do with an attachment now?”

The sweeper broom can be attached to existing skid-steer loaders, front loaders and telehandlers and according to Auger Torque it makes on-site clean up more efficient than ever. It also includes an option for a high capacity, low profile dust suppression system which keeps airborne dust to a minimum. It will be showcased at their own roadshow in Dubai, in May, an event which had been set to take place this month before it was

“We are moving on to the next phase of bringing in newer technology and we are also trying to bring in some of our sister company products”

Quick Hitches Also on display with be a concept that is used widely in other regions but relatively new to the Middle East – the quick hitch. This is what links the attachment to the parent machine. Quick hitches are an extremely useful accessory that can help to increase the efficiency and safety of the workforce.

Unlike a traditional mount which requires an attachment to be installed manually from the outside of the cab, a quick hitch allows operators to stay inside the cab where they are less exposed to the dangers of the work environment. It also reduces the number of man-hours spent manually attaching plant equipment by hand. With increased safety requirements and the need for enhanced productivity and efficiency demand for this product is likely to grow in this region.

“We are continuously recognizing the moving market and therefore aim to introduce newer technology,” Saldanha points out. If you notice labour is really cheap in the Middle East and the work is quite labour intensive, changing attachments or purely using a bucket could result in three hours lost a day. In the UK we tend to use quick hitches but in the Middle East a guy can be hired to take it out even though it is a huge amount of effort. Also, most of the customers can’t do a hydraulic quick hitch because the Middle East isn’t set up for it.”, Laying Railways It is clear that the ability to innovate is at the very heart of what makes the attachment market so appealing and that now more and more people are starting to ask the question – how can I maximize the use of my parent machine? After all that’s where the capital investment is.

Another example is the construction of railways where the Netherlands have been leading the way with a rather novel approach to laying railway tracks. When laying a railway there are two parts of the process; the two rails and the sleepers, which, are laid horizontally across the ground to help support those rails “China has been offering integrated trackbased machines that lay tracks and sleepers as they slowly move on. These systems are capex intensive. As this machine moves with the track, it lays the steel beams, and it also has the sleepers that are put on. In Europe, however, they maximize productivity through the use of attachments in the railway sector,” notes Saldanha.

The attachment can pick up multiple sleepers, hydraulically preposition them at

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specified distances and lay then below the tracks while clamping the steel beams to the sleepers using pandarol rail clips or fasteners Agriculture Saldanha believes that another trend we are going to see more of in the Middle East is an increasing focus on Agriculture or the Agritech sector with Auger Torque attachments being a vital necessity as countries like the UAE shift from infrastructure building mode to maintenance and aesthetics in terms of REGIONAL PROJECTS

AUGUR TORQUE PROJECTS IN THE GCC • Abu Dhabi: Khalifa B Project –

Light pole foundation • Abu Dhabi: Khalifa port expansion – Micro piling, Casing installation • Dubai: Sustainable City solar project –

Helical pile application with Earth Drills • Kuwait: KNP Sulphur Cracker unit –

Earth drills/300mm auger 18m depth • Oman: Muscat WWTP –

Predrilling sheet piling • Oman: Ibri Highway Street light Drum cutters / Earth drills –

Hard Rock Augers • Saudi Arabia: Aramco Jazan refinery Onshore – Fencing work –

Earth drills and 1.2m Ø/5m depth Auger system • Dewatering application: Various customers – Earth

drills 150mm/6m deep

shrubbery, trees and plants.

“You think in the Middle East there isn’t lot of greenery but think about the amount of money spent on trying to make it green. A standard team to cut hedges using handheld cutters is 10 people. How many of those cuts are perfectly level? The first hedge trimmer attachment is coming to Ajman in March, along with trenching attachments for irrigation and augers, for drilling, for the planting of palm trees, so we can see the growing market with the number of enquiries coming up.”

This year Auger Torque have developed larger drives - offering 100,000 and 150,000 Nm of torque as well as, most recently, the development of a cement pumping auger.

Sheet Piling Sheet piling is used to provide temporary and permanent walls in the construction industry. It is used as excavation support and for soil retention as it creates a border which keeps the soil back, away from the structure.

Permanent sheet piles are designed to provide a long service life; installed with the help of vibratory hammers.

For sheet piling, Saldanha explains that there are two parts to the process. First, the pre-drilling that is required to put in the structural steel members at various intervals and then tying in the sheet pile to those structural beams.

“That whole concept is what we are offering,” he adds. “You have the drill for pre-drilling, then de-couple the drill and connect to the vibro hammer – a complete system solution package. With our vibro hammer you can tilt and maneuver the sheet pile from the floor easily and position it into place, saving of time and money” Awareness of all these innovations and is growing over time, and one thing is for sure – these won’t be the last of the concepts to be introduced into the market by Auger Torque. As the focus shifts to new ideas and new projects, the attachment specialist is well placed to be at the heart of this change.

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HIGH QUALITY ATTACHMENTS TO IMPROVE YOUR EFFICIENCY

Dewatering application Micro Piling Predrilling - sheet piling Street light foundation Solar panel foundation Fencing application Drilling for earth rod installation Deep trenching hard rock

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