In a sign that it is taking workplace safety seriously, the real estate group that is developing Qatar’s newest town has decided to temporarily stop construction at Lusail City following an accident that injured 18 of its workers.

The accident, which happened on Thursday evening, has been attributed to the collapse of a partially constructed bridge, which caused injury to construction workers after steel rods fell on top of them.

The contractor on the particular site where the accident occurred, MIDMAC, was not available for comment.

Speaking to Doha News, a Lusail spokesman declined to go into details of the accident, but said, “All construction is on hold pending a thorough investigation into what happened.”

He added that 15 of the 18 men injured in the accident have been released from Hamad Hospital and advised to take rest. The other three remain in stable condition at HMC.

In a statement, the Lusail Real Estate Development Company said:

“Both CEO of Qatari Diar and CEO of Lusail Real Estate Development Company visited our injured colleagues on Friday at the hospital and offered them the needed support.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and their families. We are providing all necessary support to those affected.”

Qatar’s construction safety record has been in the spotlight recently as international groups pressure the country to improve its treatment of unskilled migrant workers.

Reports of expats being injured at construction sites are common here, with the most recent high-profile accident occurring in Bin Mahmoud last month. During that incident, an Indian worker was killed after a pile of cement blocks he was working near fell onto his head.

Earlier this year, an assurance director for the 2022 World Cup said that hundreds of workers could die while working on Qatar’s megaprojects, unless companies start conforming to better safety standards.

Thoughts?

Credit: Photo for illustrative purposes only by Cassim Shepard