David Bailey [operations manager, Arabian Bureau of Services] states that a #7 licence in Dubai allows you to operate any piece of heavy equipment. Not so, the #8 is for heavy plant.
The major companies here put their operators through a third-party competency course, generally carried out by a western expat with the necessary qualifications and experience. If necessary, a translator will be used. About one in ten will pass my initial test of a basic understanding of English, and the ability to read load charts.
At the end of the day, safety is the priority, and believe me any mishaps resulting in injuries, death, or loss of property are met by a court case, and potential jail time for negligence. The big local and international companies, specifically in Dubai, have made major improvements, not only in safety but in workers’ welfare. Unfortunately the construction boom has left scope for one-man bands to buy substandard equipment and put it to work. Tower cranes have always been a strange one here. There is no licensing. Only if the company and client is professional will there be a third party competency test and certificate.
Even if the operatives are given proper training they still tend to go by the seat of the pants with their work practices, which is a constant battle on the training and education front. I live in hope that things will continually improve the way they have done from a safety point of view. As for changing cultures, that’s going to be a tough one.
The Road Transport Authority has recently been given the control of heavy goods and plant operating licensing from the police. Now, anyone coming in to Dubai has to take anywhere between 20–30 lessons and a test before they are allowed on the road or to operate plant. It is still true, though, that the plant licence will allow a guy to operate a crane of any size after he has passed the test on a shovel or self propelled compactor.
Still, you would have to be pretty stupid to allow a guy without the proper crane training to operate a piece of equipment worth half a million pounds, wouldn’t you think?
The author has asked to remain anonymous
