The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) has refuted the allegations made by Human Rights Watch (HRW) over the safety of construction workers at stadium sites for FIFA World Cup 2022.
"SC is committed to promoting and protecting the welfare, health and safety of all workers building stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We acknowledge the concerns raised by HRW, which we have discussed at length with HRW representatives over the last few weeks. However, we wholeheartedly refute the suggestion the SC has 'abdicated responsibility' or that the SC has failed to protect the lives of workers on our projects," SC said on Wednesday.
The statement added: "We have received constructive feedback from HRW on the Humidex system. We are continuously striving to enhance the system and are exploring new approaches, such as capturing data on a year-long basis. In addition, as we communicated to HRW, we are also considering their recommendations in relation to the Wet Globe Bulb Temperature (WBGT) system. However, we remain of the view that the Humidex system, which is internationally recognised, is an accurate and effective method of monitoring work conditions on site.
"To date there have been two work-related fatalities and nine non-work related deaths of workers engaged in our projects. The SC profoundly regrets the death of any worker, and we treat every incident with the utmost seriousness.
"The role of the SC is to oversee health and safety on our sites and ensure our Workers' Welfare Standards (WWS) are implemented. The SC investigates all fatalities on stadium sites to establish whether they could have been prevented and, if so, to identify improvements for the future. We not only strive to ensure high health and safety standards on our sites, but also invest in initiatives to improve and enhance workers' welfare."
SC reiterated that its commitment to the safety of workers will never diminish.
