The Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Department on Sunday, 11th December, 2005 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nakheel to enforce safety regulations at the Dubai-based property developer’s prestigious The Palm Jumeirah project.
Formerly a business unit of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, the EHS was recently restructured to become a full-fledged wing, in view of the widening scope of the department’s activities and the high standards of service it has been providing to the industry and the public. As part of the restructuring process, Ahmed Abdul Hussain was appointed CEO of EHS.
The MoU was signed between James Wilson, CEO of Nakheel, and Ahmed Abdul Hussain, CEO of EHS at the Sheraton, Jumeirah. With this MoU, EHS officially assumes responsibility for safety at The Palm Jumeirah, and will be in charge of safety enforcement in the all Nakheel projects construction in accordance with legal requirements. A team of EHS safety professionals will be based at the project site, working closely with Nakheel’s Programme Management Team.
EHS will undertake regular site safety reviews and measure the performance of the contractors engaged with the project against statutory requirements. In the event of any contractor’s performance being found to be below the legally required level, the EHS team will identify areas for improvement and outline timescales for corrective or preventive action to be taken.
“EHS has a proven track record in efficiently enforcing safety regulations. By assigning the responsibility for safety of The Palm Jumeirah to a credible organization like EHS, Nakheel can be confident that the project meets the most stringent safety prescriptions,” said James Wilson. “Across its projects, Nakheel accords the highest priority to the aspects of safety and environmental protection, and we will work together with EHS to ensure that The Palm Jumeirah adheres to strict safety norms.”
Commenting on the MoU, EHS CEO Ahmed Abdul Hussain said, “The agreement with Nakheel marks an important step in EHS’ operations. The Palm Jumeirah is a landmark project; and Nakheel’s decision to entrust us with the project’s safety indicates the confidence they have in our ability to meticulously enforce the prescribed safety regulations. EHS will carry out regular inspections and ensure continuous monitoring of all aspects of construction at The Palm Jumeirah, making sure that all legal requirements are met.”
