The “Haram Crane” incident, which claimed the lives of more than 100 people and injured at least 250 others, sparked widespread debate regarding the safety and security standards adopted by companies when implementing their large-scale projects. A number of safety and security experts have called for the implementation of proactive measures to enhance safety during and after project execution. The experts emphasized the need for technical inspections of all machinery used in the project, particularly those operating at great heights and of large size, They also stressed the importance of workers wearing protective clothing, headgear, and other safety precautions.

Call for Agencies: Government Projects and Safety

For his part, Mamdouh Al-Shammari, an engineer specializing in safety, called for the establishment of two specialized agencies: the first to oversee government projects, and the other to oversee safety in mega-projects and ensure the implementation of safety standards in addition to other technical standards.

Mr. Al-Shammari stated that the implementation of safety standards is one of the most important steps that must be taken in any project; the greater the number of workers and the larger the scale of the project, the higher the number of safety standards that must be applied during the project phases and before the project actually begins.

Implementing Safety Precautions in the Workplace

Al-Shammari highlighted the importance of implementing safety standards to protect lives and property and save time, while emphasizing that some companies and organizations operating in the contracting sector do not give safety sufficient attention; their safety standards are limited to hard hats, safety shoes, and protective eyewear for workers, while workplace safety is neglected. Furthermore, more than 50% of construction firms in the Kingdom do not apply safety standards in the projects they on.

There are priorities that must be addressed in the workplace, including ensuring the safety of the entire work environment and verifying the safety of the equipment used—such as cranes, cutting tools, electrical devices, and other machinery and equipment— Equipment safety is considered a top priority in the implementation of other safety standards, as any failure will directly endanger project personnel, The safety of equipment and machinery can be ensured by conducting periodic inspections before use, which must be signed off by equipment or machinery safety specialists and directly approved by the project manager; responsibility lies with the person conducting the inspection.

Responsibilities of Project Managers

Regarding the responsibilities of project managers, Eng. Mamdouh said: Project managers bear very significant responsibilities regarding safety. The project manager must directly supervise safety operations and the implementation of safety standards in the project they manage, and establish strict rules for everyone to follow to ensure safety standards are applied in the project.

Regarding what happened at the Grand Mosque, Al-Shammari said, “What occurred was a human error for which the project manager and those responsible for crane safety bear primary responsibility.” The investigation committees’ work begins by reviewing the crane’s periodic inspection report, as well as the risk analysis report for the crane’s location—to verify whether it identified all risks at the site, and the potential scenarios in the event of an accident—God forbid—including, without a doubt, the consequences of a crane collapse for any reason, the direction of the fall, the loads placed on the crane, and the weights the crane is designed to carry—these are just some of the many questions that must be addressed in the risk analysis report for any work area, as well as for large equipment such as giant cranes.