The crane was being used to install a directional signboard on the Al Ittihad Road in February last year. The contractor was carrying out an overnight lift and moving the gantry into place when an operator error caused the crane to lose balance and flip, RTA said. This closed Al Ittihad Road for 10 hours and affected traffic flow and caused congestions on several other important roads in the area such as Abu Hail Road, Al Quds Road and Al Nahda Road.
RTA said its investigation showed that the contractor did not have consent to work overnight and this resulted in the company failing to comply with technical specifications and stipulations, safety procedures and precautions for the work.
“Investigations revealed that the flipping of the crane was caused by the contractor’s violation of work instructions and procedures without securing the consent of the consultant to work overnight; which is attributed to the failure of the company to comply with the technical specifications and stipulations, safety procedures and precautions required for doing such a job,” said Maitha bin Adai, CEO of RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency.
RTA added it has taken a tough stance with this case to highlight to contractors and other construction companies the importance of complying with conditions and standards of work.
“The underlying objective of imposing fines and taking tough measures against offenders causing damage to roads and public properties and negatively impacting the traffic flow is to urge contractors and other construction companies to exercise more caution and care, and fully comply with the conditions and standards to ensure both safety and seamless traffic flow,” bin Adai said.
