Special Supplement · 2018. 9. 6. · Special Supplement Interview with H.E. Mr. Nehme Tohmé, Chairman of Almabani IOSH "Directing Safely" Course for Senior Executives Peter Graham

EditorialSafety First

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HSE DepartmentCurrent Status

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Riyadh Metro Project

New Sites...New Encounters

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King Khalid International

Airport ProjectsQ&A with Samer

Beyrouthy, Project Manager

p.22

KAIA Apron 6 Fuel Hydrant

SystemAn In-House Scope

from A to Zp.25

Issue No. 9 . February - March 2015

Almabani HeadquartersAlmabani Building

Hail Street, Ruwais DistrictP.O.Box. No. 2781

Jeddah 21461Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Almabani [email protected]

Tel:(+966 12) 614 7800

ext: 2822 / 2706Fax:

(+966 12) 651 9180

www.almabani.coAlmabani General Contractors

Almabani Media Department PublicationAlmabani General Contractors . All Rights Reserved ©2015

The Almabani Golden Safety Rules

Special Supplement

Interview with H.E. Mr. Nehme Tohmé,Chairman of Almabani

IOSH "Directing Safely" Course for Senior Executives

Peter Graham Corporate HSE Manager

p. 5

"I am looking now to reinforce our safety management teams and I have already set a minimum standard" p. 10

p. 3

At the request of the Top Management, the Almabani Media Department is pleased to dedicate this issue of "The Almabani Journal" to the occupational health and safety area that is witnessing a major corporate restructuring within Almabani.

In order to foster a safe and healthy work environment, Almabani’s Corporate HSE Department has been introducing serious measures and sets of laws that are concerned with the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in Almabani’s various construction sites.

In conjunction with the workplace safety notices at construction sites, Almabani’s Corporate HSE is getting more and more oriented toward the individual responsibility and man-to-man communication.

For this purpose, the Media Department, in collaboration with the HSE Department, has gladly contributed in this field by producing two short orientation films that are ready to be employed for the sake of raising awareness among Almabani’s labor force.

Stay Safe,

John A. El KhouryMedia Department Manager

2The Almabani Journal . Issue No. 9 . February - March 2015

Safety First Next Issue Editorial Preview

BACS Tunnel Boring Machines Assembly & Deployment

Insight Coverage

& Interview with Mr. Wadih FaresPMV Manager

Riyadh Metro Project

Bahra Workshop


Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH)"Directing Safely" Course for Senior Executives

Appreciating the fact that health and safety is a main line management function, originating from the top layers of management and descending through the organization, Almabani’s Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Department has successfully organized and delivered the IOSH "Directing Safely" course for senior executives through BSI Group (accredited by IOSH) on February 19, 2015 in Riyadh.The excellent attendance of senior executives showed the Top Management’s commitment, leaving the positive impact in the area of health, safety and environment.

The "Directing Safely" course was conducted to ensure that the Top Management personnel are aware of their legal duties as a result of developments in legislation and is regarded as the best practice to ensure compliance with these duties, in addition to its contribution in having and understanding of the principles of health and safety management at the most senior level.The course was attended by Almabani’s Vice Chairman Mr. Youssef Tohmé, Almabani’s CEO Mr. Joseph Daher and all the EVPs and Senior Directors of the company.

- Riyadh, KSA -

JOSEPH DAHER, CEO & YOUSSEF TOHMÉ, VICE CHAIRMAN OF ALMABANI

BSI GROUP REPRESENTATIVE DELIVERING THE COURSE

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Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH)"Directing Safely" Course for Senior Executives

Course Overview

The Almabani Journal . Issue No. 9 . February - March 2015

Aims & ObjectivesThis course aims to provide Senior Executives of large businesses (with 250 or more employees) with an understanding of the moral, legal and business case for proactive health and safety management and give guidance on effective risk management. The importance of health and safety in the day-to-day running of a company dictates that senior members of management need to be very aware of their responsibilities.

Course ContentThe course reflects the principles embodied in:- The Health and Safety Executive’s guidance. ‘Successful Health and Safety Management’ (HSG65)- The Turnbull report (‘Internal controls: Guidance for Directors on the Combined Code’)- The DETS/HEC’s ‘Revitalizing Health and Safety’ strategy statement.

The course covers:- The importance of strategic health and safety management and its interaction with other business systems- Senior Executives’ and employers’ statutory duties- Accident causes and their prevention- Consequences of failing to manage health and safety effectively- The effect of human factors on health and safety- Importance of consultation and communication with employees on health and safety issues- Performance monitoring and continual improvement

Target AudienceThis course is designed for people with strategic responsibility for determining and implementing effective health and safety management within an organization of 250 or more employees.

DELEGATES WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE END OF COURSE ASSESSMENT WILL BE AWARDED AN IOSH SAFETY FOR SENIOR EXECUTIVES CERTIFICATE.

ALMABANI'S SENIOR EXECUTIVES

PETER GRAHAM, ALMABANI'S CORPORATE HSE MANAGER, BRIEFING THE AUDIENCE

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THE ALMABANI SAFETY POLICY STATES THAT “HEALTH AND SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.” EVERYONE WHO WORKS FOR OR ON BEHALF OF ALMABANI IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THOSE AROUND THEM.

Almabani's safety rules will be strictly enforced to ensure the safety of our people and our communities.Almabani’s Top Management is accountable for communicating, training, implementing and auditing these rules to assure compliance and performance.Although embedded in each of these rules, it is important to emphasize that:- Work will not be conducted without pre-risk assessment and a safety discussion appropriate

for the level of risk.- All persons will be trained and competent in the work they conduct.- Personal protection equipment will be worn as per risk assessment and minimum site requirement.- Emergency response plans, developed from a review of potential emergency scenarios, will be in place before commencement of work.- Everyone has an obligation to stop work that is unsafe.

LIFTING ACTIVITY

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PERMIT TO WORKBefore conducting work that involves confined space entry, work on energy systems, ground disturbance in locations where buried hazards may exist or hot work, a permit must be obtained that:- Defines the scope of work.- Identifies hazards and assesses the risks.- Establishes control measures to eliminate or

WORKING AT HEIGHTSWork at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury cannot proceed unless:- A fixed platform is used with guard or hand rails, verified by a competent person.- Fall restraint/arrest equipment is used that is capable of supporting at least a 2,275 kg (5,000 lbs) static load per person and has: * A proper anchor mounted. * Full five-point body harness using double-latch self-locking snap hooks at each connection.

mitigate hazards.- Links the work to other associated work permits or simultaneous operations.- Is authorized by the responsible person(s).- Communicates above information to all involved in the work- Ensures adequate control over the return to normal operations.

* Synthetic fiber lanyards. * Shock absorber. * Rescue procedure.- Fall restraint equipment will restrict access to the leading edge.- A visual inspection of the fall arrest equipment and system is completed and any equipment that is damaged or has been activated is taken out of service.- Persons are competent to perform the work.

WORKING AT HEIGHTS

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ENERGY ISOLATIONAny isolation of energy systems; mechanical, electrical, process, hydraulic and others, cannot proceed unless:- Permit is issued with authorization by a responsible person.- The method of isolation and discharge of stored energy are agreed and executed by a competent person(s).

VEHICLE SAFETYVehicles will not be operated unless:- Vehicle is inspected and confirmed to be in safe working order.- Drivers are trained and certified to operate the class of vehicle.- Plant is equipped with a flashing beacon and adequate mirrors.

- Any stored energy is discharged.- A system of locks and tags is utilized at isolation points.- A test is conducted to ensure the isolation is effective.- Isolation effectiveness is periodically monitored.

- Seat belts are worn.- Hand-held cell phones and radios are not in use by driver.- Equipment is secured, locked and immobilized when not in use.

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EXCAVATIONS

EXCAVATIONSWork that involves a man-made cut, cavity, trench or depression in the earth’s surface formed by earth removal cannot proceed unless:- A risk assessment of the work site and permit to excavate is completed by the competent person(s).- All underground hazards, i.e. pipelines, electric cables, etc., have been identified, located and if necessary, isolated.

CONFINED SPACE ENTRYEntry into any confined space cannot proceed unless:- All other options have been ruled out.- Permit is issued with authorization by a responsible person.- Permit is communicated to all affected personnel and posted, as required.- All persons involved are competent to do the work.

When persons are to enter an excavation:- A confined space entry permit shall be issued if the entry meets the confined space definition.- Ground movement is controlled and collapse is prevented by systematically shoring, sloping, benching, etc., as appropriate.- Ground and environmental conditions are continuously monitored for change.

- All sources of energy affecting the space have been isolated.- Testing of atmosphere is conducted, verified and repeated as often as defined by the risk assessment.- Stand-by person is stationed.- Unauthorized entry is prevented.

ON-SITE SAFETY TOOLBOX TALK

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LIFTING OPERATIONSUtilizing cranes, hoists, or other mechanical lifting devices will not commence unless:- An assessment of the lift has been completed and the lift method and equipment has been determined by a competent person(s). - Operators of powered lifting devices are trained and certified for that equipment.- Rigging of the load is carried out by a competent person(s).- Lifting devices has been certified for use

within the last 12 months and 6 months (at a minimum) for ancillary equipment or equipment used to lift people.- Load does not exceed dynamic and/or static capacities of the lifting equipment.- Any safety devices installed on lifting equipment are operational.- All lifting devices and equipment have been visually examined before each lift by a competent person(s).

LIFTING ACTIVITY

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Guest of the JournalPeter Graham, Corporate HSE Manager

- Jeddah, KSA - Interviewed by: Nassim Arabi

Nassim Arabi: Thank you Mr. Graham for giving us the chance to interview your good self as the Guest of the Journal of this issue. Completing your first year at Almabani, how do you assess your experience till now?Peter Graham: Thank you. Having left El Seif in March 2014, I moved to Almabani seeking new challenges. I was impressed by the family spirit in a company that wants to expand itself to become more and more aware of health and safety, and also put itself in the market of health and safety. My experience with Almabani has been very good so far.

NA: We have witnessed a remarkable evolution in the role of HSE managers in the recent years. How do you explain this evolving evolution?PG: Basically, most of the companies -especially construction companies- decided now that in order to get better projects, they need to have the proper health and safety policies implemented and get the

DEDICATING THIS ISSUE TO THE HSE NEWLY IMPLEMENTED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN ALMABANI, OUR GUEST OF THE JOURNAL IS MR. PETER GRAHAM, CORPORATE HSE MANAGER, WHO SUMMARIZES HIS ASSESSMENT OF HIS FIRST YEAR IN ALMABANI, ENVISIONING THE IMPACT OF THE HSE CORPORATE POLICY ON ALMABANI’S OVERALL TRACK OF DEVELOPMENT.


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international standards certification. The biggest companies in Europe, America and Asia are all driven by the international standards concerning HSE. Therefore, in order to be qualified for JVs with such companies, we need to have strong safety and production teams that are capable of implementing good HSE policies. In these days of litigation, we need to put great efforts on HSE, and that’s where health and safety managers are really born from. We monitor and report to make sure that the company is working safely on the legal and moral aspects, and to continually improve our safety culture.

NA: What are the key policies that has to be implemented by a company that seeks to keep up to date with HSE?PG: Firstly, we should talk about having an image. For instance, here in Almabani, we are looking to join the British Safety Council, which is a charitable organization founded in 1957 and is one of the world’s leading health and safety organizations.

Among its members are Bechtel, Bouygues, Skanska, CCC, etc. those are well-known companies in both the Middle East and Europe. Every year, a gathering and a seminar is organized by this organization whereby HSE-related innovations are exhibited and awards are distributed. For instance, Bechtel has lately won an award for their management system that made them capable of predicting what accidents are going to happen. As for us in Almabani, I consider that we also have our innovations in the scope of airways and taxiways. My job will be then to introduce Almabani’s innovations to the common marketplace in order to bring awards for the company.

NA: Where does Almabani stand in this regard?PG: Almabani is currently expanding. At HSE level, we have all the basics in place: we have the Almabani HSE policy, which is the commitment. We also have the HSE manual which has been signed off and is considered as the complete policies and procedures of Almabani’s HSE commitments in the way we deal safely with our works i.e. airways, infrastructure, BACS, etc.

This manual will be implemented in all the newly-awarded projects and with that comes the forms. At the moment, implementation is ongoing in King Khalid International Airport’s “Airfield Upgrade Project”, which is a new project in Riyadh. I believe this will be the benchmark for the company. Moreover, we are going to improve the management systems in Riyadh’s roads projects. As for KAIA project here in Jeddah, we are also looking to improve the management system of a project which is already embedded. Moving to Dhahran project, which consists of building a governmental facility in King Abdul-Aziz Air Base, I consider it a key project and also a benchmark for us to implement our management system.

Later on in the year, we will invite a consultant to come in and carry out what we call gap analysis. Provided that we have all the data and the policy and procedures are implemented fully, we will do 'stage one' audit, which consists of auditing of the Head Office and possibly two projects yet to be decided. Provided all goes well and we pass stage one, we will look to do 'stage two' audit for certification in early 2016.


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In order to be recognized and to be competing in better tenders, we must give a greater attention to our implemented health and safety and management systems and when I say management systems I imply the commitment from the Top Management down to the foremen. I would look to benchmark our performance against other companies.

Almabani, being a company that is looking to expand and broaden itself in the construction industry, has a great quality-wise reputation so far. What we are looking to do now is to get recognized for our health and safety policies and our management system and that is why we are willing to join the British Safety Council. Such membership reflects the company’s commitment and work standards and thus attracting the clients’ attention.

NA: In order to influence HSE initiatives effectively, what do you believe are the most important aspects of HSE to present to the Top Management of Almabani? And how do you describe their engagement in this field so far?PG: Well, I was taken on to do the role of the corporate HSE. Part of that role is to develop the HSE department. The only reason that encouraged me to join Almabani is the fact that the Top Management assured me and said “We will get all what is required for us to progress forward”. Our CEO, Mr. Daher, and our EVP-Operations, Mr. Akari, have been extremely supportive and I believe and I know that they have a strong stance in pushing that commitment forward.

I also noticed throughout my first year here that every person I meet from day to day wants Almabani to improve its HSE culture. Implementation wise, we still have a way to go, but I can assure you that the support is there from every project director, every project manager and every engineer. The thing I like about Almabani as a whole is that everybody is willing to go forward and improve in order to reach our goal which is the BS OHSAS 18001:2007, an internationally applied British Standard for occupational health and safety management.

NA: As Almabani’s Corporate HSE Manager, how do you integrate HSE policies into projects’ sites? And how do you overcome HSE objections when you face lack of cooperation?PG: At present, I am not really facing any lack of cooperation. Every person on the projects realizes that we are striving for the certification goal. I think the only thing that we must do is to make everybody aware of their roles and responsibilities toward this goal. In this regard, we have started by evaluating ourselves and then developed from there the “Directing Safely, Managing Safely and Supervising Safely” training program. Through that we then put together workshops where we invited BSI (British Standards Institute), an internationally-recognized business standards company, to visit Almabani and conduct a workshop for our EVPs and senior executives.

I was fortunate in recruiting an accredited training manager because we could make our own in-house training to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), a British organization for health and safety professionals. We have started in the program of training all our managers to the IOSH Managing Safely Course and this will be done by the end of May 2015. After that, we are going to introduce the



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IOSH Supervising Safely Course for our engineers, supervisors and foremen. Once we are done with that, we will then evaluate ourselves to see where we are, and if we see that we need more training we will not hesitate prior to the start of the audit cycle, to see exactly how well we are implementing our health and safety policies.

NA: What can you tell us about the near-future task list of the HSE Department?PG: Almabani’s HSE Department is expanding. I am looking now to reinforce our safety management teams and I have already set a minimum standard. Therefore, all the safety inspectors, officers, engineers and managers that are going to join us, will have to meet a criteria. This is to enhance what we already have in order to strengthen the department in all its facets. As I said before, our essential target is to turn ourselves from being a reactive company to a proactive company.

NA: Is there anything that you would like to add at the end of this interview?PG: I would like to say that my first year in Almabani has been great in the fact that I found commitment from every person that I have met so far in the Almabani family, from our Chairman right down to the laborers. My job now is to train and get everyone to realize that safety is everyone’s responsibility. My team is doing extremely well in pushing forward the HSE culture in the company and I should not forget here to pay tribute to all our project directors and managers who are helping us in our mission. Hopefully by the end of this year we will be half way to getting certified. Thank you!



PETER GRAHAM AT A SAFETY INDUCTION COURSE

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HSE Department Current Status


ALMABANI'S SAFETY OFFICERS ON A REGULAR MISSION

Where We Are NowPerceptions: Health and Safety across the company has improved. Top and Senior Management are taking the lead.Behavioral: Everyone in striving to improve their health and safety and this is visually seen on projects. We still have a lot to improve on but we are getting there.

Where We Want to Be in the Short TermIn the short term, training is ongoing. The Top Management’s Directing Safely Course is completed and awards were achieved. Moreover, recruitment of the right HSE teams is ongoing.

The Medium TermThe company’s HSE manual is now developed and signed off by the CEO and the EVP-Operations along with the procedures.Training is ongoing to all projects and departments.Training audits to begin across the whole company.

The Long TermFull company audit with Consultant.Full management review HSE with Top Management.Stage One audit for certification by Certification Body.

The Core HSE Team

CEOJoseph Daher

HSE Coordinator Engineer H.O.Vacant

Regional HSE ManagerWest / North

Muhammad Sharif

HSE Training ManagerKashif Muneer

Regional HSE ManagerCentral / South

Gaudencio Monares

Technical Administrator H.O.Muhammad Zareen

Regional HSE ManagerEast

Vacant

Corporate HSE ManagerPeter Graham

EVP - OperationsJean Akari

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Riyadh Metro ProjectNew Sites... New Encounters

THE ONGOING CONSTRUCTION WORK AT THE RMP SITES ARE WITNESSED IN ALMOST EACH AND EVERY DISTRICT OF THE SAUDI CAPITAL. IN THIS ISSUE’S RMP SITES TOUR, THE ALMABANI MEDIA DEPARTMENT PAID A VISIT TO SOME OF THE BUSIEST SITES AND CAME BACK WITH THE FOLLOWING REPORT.

- Riyadh, KSA -

The labor section of the South Camp, located in Al-Ha’ir district, has a current capacity of 10,250 and will expand to the maximum load of 12,500 on later stages. This camp was built to accommodate the workforce of all the southern sites of the RMP. In this section, each unit will be shared by four workers. At the moment, 3,500 workers coming from several countries are living in the camp. For cultural purposes, the labor section is divided by nationality. Thus, promenading in the area will lead you to the Pakistani quarter, Indian quarter, Nepalese quarter, Sri Lankan quarter, Filipino quarter and Arab quarter.Workers socialize and eat at the mess, which is also the place where food will be prepared and sent to the workers on lunch breaks. Currently, the kitchen is still under preparation and

South Camp - Labor Section Interviewee: Maroun Khairallah, Camp Boss - Labor

therefore food is purchased through a catering company.Concerning health, a clinic run by two physicians and one registered nurse is devoted to the primary health care needs of the workers. In addition, an ambulance is always available for transportation of sick or injured workers to the hospitals.Lately, works were completed for the self-service laundry, whereby washing machines and clothes dryers were procured in order to be put under the service of the workers.Moreover, a number of entertainment, sports and other facilities are still under construction. Those facilities consists of a football pitch, four basketball/volleyball courts, a health club, a grocery store and a recreation room, in addition to the mosque.

BACS SOUTH CAMP LABOR SECTION

MAROUN KHAIRALLAH, CAMP BOSS OF THE LABOR SECTION - BACS SOUTH CAMP


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South Camp - Juniors & Seniors Section Interviewee: Rabih G. Merheb, Camp BossJuniors & Seniors Section

BACS SOUTH CAMP - JUNIORS & SENIORS SECTION

ONGOING ACTIVITY AT THE JUNIORS & SENIORS SECTION

RABIH G. MERHEB, CAMP BOSS OF THE JUNIORS & SENIORS SECTION - BACS SOUTH CAMP

The Juniors & Seniors section is expected to accommodate 368 junior staff and 659 senior staff divided by job grades. Almost 95% of the construction is completed, and mockups are being inspected by BACS delegates in order to proceed with the furniture procurement.This section will feature:- Two recreation rooms that contain table tennis, pool tables, display devices, internet café,

coffeemakers, etc. in addition to a health club.- Two basketball courts and two football pitches.- Kitchens and a messes.- Three guest houses: each guest house consists of four rooms, four toilets, one kitchen, one living room and a basement. Those guest houses will host all the senior visitors who come from abroad.- One mosque.


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South Camp - Site Area Interviewee: Jehad Qasem, Electrical Construction Manager

PRECAST CONCRETE YARD

JEHAD QASEM, ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Precast Concrete YardThe precast concrete yard mainly supplies the viaduct scope of the Riyadh Metro Project. All the segments of the viaducts, as well as all the needed concrete for the southern elevated stations will be poured here. It consists of 28 molds, some of which are still under construction, while others are used for casting the first segment. Sizes of the molds vary based on the sizes of the viaducts’ segments.Concerning the concrete production, two batch plants were constructed in the south camp, commissioned and are now operating to produce all the needed quantity of concrete. Each batch plant is capable of producing up to 90m3 per hour, which is enough to supply all the viaducts. In addition, the batch plants are supplying the south camp facilities, therefore, no concrete products are purchased from outside sources.The precast concrete yard also features aggregate bins of different sizes. These bins are almost

completed, waiting for the roofs to be installed.Moving to the batch plants’ water supply, two Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants produce up to 2,000m3 per day, using water from six wells that were drilled for this purpose.Additional features of the precast yard are:- Four gantry cranes.- Two tower cranes.

Sewage Treatment PlantThe sewage treatment plant of the south camp will help in reducing the consumption of water, whereby the treated water will be used for flush toilets, irrigation and dust proofing.

PMV Workshop and WarehousesThe PMV workshop is 100% completed and all the vehicles’ maintenance is taking place here.As for the warehouses, the south camp has three warehouses for storage of materials. Each warehouse is spread on an area 3,200m2.


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South Depot Interviewee: Mohammed Al-Rifai, Site Engineer

EARTHWORKS AT THE SOUTH DEPOT

EARTHWORKS AT THE SOUTH DEPOT

MOHAMMED AL-RIFAI, SOUTH DEPOT SITE ENGINEER

The South Depot is located in Al-Hair district as well and is the place where the tracks will be maintained and repaired. The depot will also be used as administration and security point for controlling all the surrounding area related to the metro.It has four main gates and is the largest depot of the project. It features:- Workshop - Light maintenance- Paint workshop - Car wash- Administration, security booths and related facilities- Water stops and pumps

Current Activity

Having demolished around 120 blocks, mass earthworks have started on a fast pace, consisting of cutting and filling. Up to now, 50% of the mass works are done and mobilization of workers will reach the number of 1,000 workers on this site. Therefore, it is a priority now to ensure that the facilities have this capacity, such as the mess, warehouse and site office.

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East Depot Interviewee: Mahfouz Mahafza, Construction Manager

EARTHWORKS AT THE EAST DEPOT

MAHFOUZ MAHAFZA, EAST DEPOT CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

The East Depot is one of the three depots under the “Tracks & Depots Department”, along with the North Depot and the South Depot. It will be home for a stabling building, a workshop, and an administration buildingWorks on the East Depot have started three-to-four months ago. Once the site was handed over, BACS workforce started with the three-month grubbing phase, preceding construction, in order for the site to be ready to receive the backfill material. Once completed, the 1.5km perimeter fence was installed to circle the perimeter of the site and to prevent access.The major ongoing activity is the earthwork, whereby day and night shifts are worked for the cutting and backfilling activities. Overall, 110 is the

number of manpower assigned to the East Depot. This number includes construction managers, site engineers, quality control engineers, safety officers, foremen and workers. On the equipment level, 40 to 45 light and heavy vehicles are deployed in this site.The total volume of backfilling is 300,000 – 320,000m3 (Currently, 55,000m3 backfilled). The target is to finish the earthwork by the end of May, in order to start the works related to the utilities networks and the concrete foundation.Concerning the steel structure, work will start by mid-August. The work package was already signed and the contract was awarded to one of the approved sub-contractors, therefore fabrication will start very soon.

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King Khalid International Airport ProjectsQ&A with Samer Beyrouthy, Project Manager


- Riyadh, KSA - Interviewed by: Nassim Arabi

Nassim Arabi: How do you assess your personal experience as Project Manager of “KKIA New Aprons Project” that was completed on August 31, 2014?Samer Beyrouthy: Welcome to Almabani’s refurbished and renewed KKIA site office. Every new project brings with it new challenges and exploring the ins and outs of these challenges polishes one’s experience, whether he is a project manager or not. Basically, the New Aprons Project was my second project as a Project Manager after completing the “Construction of Maintenance Workshop for the Third Line & Development Project” in Tabuk.The Aprons Project mainly consisted of aprons and taxiways with related drainage works and airfield lighting -which is the bread and butter of Almabani’s business- yet the jet fuel system scope was a remarkable added feature. This was a new element that Almabani had limited exposure to in past projects, and we had to explore all its aspects ranging from design to procurement to execution.On the personal level, the project has given me better insight to project management in general. Being involved in every single detail of the planning, phasing, executing, and handing over of the project is quite a challenging and demanding task even for the most experienced. However, I believe I have gained a better know-how in dealing with the project components, managing the subcontractors which can be a real headache, and most importantly, having faith in my team. Together, we were able to meet our deadlines, and crown the project with success. As a result, we have been awarded the Airfield Upgrade Project within KKIA. All the lessons we have learned in the New Aprons Project will serve as a foundation for the bigger experience we are aspiring to in the new Airfield Upgrade Project.

NA: What about the relationship with the client – General Authority of Civil Aviation? SB: The relationship between the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and Almabani has been established long before the launching of the KKIA New Aprons Project. However, GACA had recently founded a Project Management Office for the upgrade and development of KKIA, which is kind of a

ALMABANI HAS HANDED OVER THE “KKIA NEW APRONS PROJECT” ON AUGUST 31, 2014. HOWEVER, ITS KKIA SITE OFFICE IS STILL OPERATIONAL AND THE TEAM IS GEARING UP FOR THE EXECUTION OF A NEWLY AWARDED PROJECT, THE “KKIA AIRFIELD UPGRADE PROJECT”. IN THIS REGARD, THE MEDIA DEPARTMENT PAID A VISIT TO MR. SAMER BEYROUTHY’S OFFICE TO ASK HIM ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE NEW APRONS PROJECT AND HIS OBJECTIVES AND ASPIRATIONS FOR THE NEW PROJECT.

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Q&A with Samer Beyrouthy, Project ManagerKing Khalid International Airport Projects


standalone structure that works in parallel with the airport administration. We succeeded in building up a level of trust and communication between the GACA/PMO and the GACA/KKIA on one side and Almabani on the other side. This relationship helped in managing critical issues such as permits, safety, time management, etc., in addition to overcoming major project related obstacles… In brief, it is a very smooth and solid relationship that was build up on a day-by-day basis, and that we are still nurturing for the better of the projects that we are contributing to.

NA: What were the major challenges that you have faced during the execution period? SB: One challenge was the procurement of the seamless pipes for the fuel. These pipes were produced in one location, shipped to other places for internal and external coating, all before being delivered to our site. This had to be coordinated and followed up closely by our team, even though the whole process was not within our hand, in order to ensure the seamless handover of the project. Another hectic challenge was the major shortage of bitumen that affected the Kingdom as a whole…Needless to mention the delays that were faced in the materials supply, the follow up and coordination of daily routine tasks, as well as meeting the regulations that guarantee safe working conditions for our team without affecting the operational side of the airport… Yet the most exhausting challenges faced us whenever we had a tie-in between the project site and the operating airside, whereby we had to accomplish certain tasks within very limited time periods because the taxiway was operational. In short, leading a project to successful completion was a challenge by itself!

NA: What are the major achievements that were made while executing this project?SB: I believe that the major achievement is our ability to deliver the project on time despite all the obstacles and challenges that have faced us.Being awarded the new AFU project is also an important achievement, and we seek continuous excellence in order to be awarded additional projects within the GACA’s big plan of the KKIA upgrades.

NA: Can you please give us a brief on the new AFU Project? SB: The official name of the new project is “Upgrade of Runway, Taxiway and Aircraft Parking at KKIA”, also known as the AFU project in Almabani’s dictionary. It is one of many upgrade and development projects that are running in KKIA. We are working in a completely different concept in comparison to the New Aprons Project.Technically, the project consists of refurbishment of taxiways, the construction of new taxiways,

NEW KKIA SITE OFFICES


King Khalid International Airport ProjectsQ&A with Samer Beyrouthy, Project Manager

establishing a new main fuel line, and building a new airfield ground lighting system associated with a control and monitoring system. It is a design and build project, so we are responsible for the design, procurement, as well as the execution. In this project, we are dealing with a new consultant (AECOM), whereas the client is partially the same (considering there are additional stakeholders). The New AFU is a more challenging and a more critical project. We are surrounded by the airport’s operating premises i.e. we are building a new taxiway between the operating runway and the existing taxiway. Therefore, our work must be studied extensively, phased properly, and reviewed sufficiently before we start the execution, in order to avoid any false steps.I would also like to draw the attention to the tight engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) schedule of this project since we are heavily dependent on procurement (such as the fuel pipes, valves, and airfield lighting items).

NA: When do you think we will be able to visit the project site again to talk about certain accomplishments?SB: Right now we are still in the design phase. The execution period is planned to start in April. The project is phased, therefore we cannot spread all our resources for all activities. We will start with the eastern part of the airport, tackling several activities such as milling, backfilling and earthwork for the new taxiway, in addition to the airfield lighting and drainage excavation. Thus, by mid-April you can come and document all the activities that are taking place on site. And if we want to talk about accomplishments, our first checkpoint is finishing the eastern part by September 2015… and we will succeed in meeting our target!

NEW KKIA PROJECT INFORMATION

• PROJECT NAME: KKIA AFU PROJECT (UPGRADE OF RUNWAY, TAXIWAY & AIRPLANE PARKING IN KKIA)

• CLIENT NAME: GACA (GENERAL AUTHORITY OF CIVIL AVIATION)

• PROJECT LOCATION: KING KHALID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KKIA) – RIYADH

• PROJECT VALUE: 396,597,946 SAUDI RIYALS

• STARTING DATE: DECEMBER 2014

• COMPLETION DATE: MAY 2016

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- Jeddah, KSA -

An In-House Scope from A to ZKAIA Apron 6 Fuel Hydrant System


Nassim Arabi: Thank you Mr. Khalife for this interview. Would you please give us an overview about the scope of Fuel Hydrant System within the Apron 6 Expansion Project?Antoine Khalife: Fuel Hydrant Systems are considered an essential factor in the airports projects that saves a lot of time for the airport operations wherever it is available.In general, the Fuel Hydrant System is a combination of an underground network and a fuel depot or fuel farm. All the fuel is stored in the farm in above ground steel tanks and distributed to the aircrafts by special pumping and filtering systems through an underground network with all the necessary and highly safe, secure and sensitive types of valves.In our Apron 6 project we will be building a new underground carbon steel network with main distribution pits, hydrants distribution pits as well as isolation valve pits. The network is spread under the asphalt and PCC areas and it has branches on which 3rd version hydrant valves (API approved) are installed and located in the aircraft parking stands situated under the aircraft wings depending on its type: Code A, B, E, etc.In addition, the network has a leak detection system and it is fully controlled by a SCADA system to be located inside the existing fuel depot. Our main challenge here lies in tying into the existing fuel lines in KAIA which will require cold cutting, draining and purging of the fuel in the existing lines prior to completing the tie-in works.Another challenge will be filling the fuel into the network and flushing it prior to linking it to the existing operational network. It is important to mention here that all these works are expected to be done without cutting the fuel supply to any of the aprons in KAIA project.

NA: What were the measures taken by Almabani when executing such scope prior to the current Apron 6 experience?AK: In 2006 Almabani was awarded a scope of work in KAIA which included the design, supply and installation of a total of 14 km of jet fuel network, split into main supply lines and distribution lines. At

ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SCOPES UNDERTAKEN BY ALMABANI IN THE KAIA APRON 6 EXPANSION PROJECT IS THE FUEL HYDRANT SYSTEM. THIS SCOPE IS BEING EXECUTED BY ALMABANI FROM A TO Z FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE COMPANY. TO GO INTO DETAILS OF THIS SUBJECT, WE HAD THIS CHAT WITH ALMABANI’S HEAD OF MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT, MR. ANTOINE KHALIFE.

ANTOINE KHALIFE WITH THE APRON 6 MECHANICAL TEAM: AHMAD GHALAYINI, ELIE HAYEK & ZAHER EL HAJJ

Interviewed by: Nassim Arabi

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KAIA Apron 6 Fuel Hydrant SystemAn In-House Scope from A to Z


the time and due to some budgeting matters and after consultation with our Top Management, the decision was taken to split the scope to: • Design and supply of material which will be taken care by Almabani, and • The execution part which will be sublet to a professional experienced contractor.This decision was a turning point for the Mechanical Department since we have been exposed to all criteria based on which such systems are created and at the same time we had to search the international markets to procure the high tech items as well as the other items making up such system.In 2010, and after completing the construction of KAIA project, Almabani had to execute the full scope of testing, soaking and flushing of these fuel lines as per Saudi Aramco procedures. This successful challenge has added determination to Almabani that such type of work should not remain beyond our reach.In 2012, when our Top Management decided to get into this field of business, it was the time when we have embarked on KAIA Development Project (or KAIA 2), where we had a major scope of jet fuel systems. Shortly after that, we were awarded a project in King Khalid International Airport, where another major scope of jet fuel made part.At that time, our Top Management was able to foresee that the trend in the new tenders for airports will be more and more inclined to have jet fuel systems built in most of the tenders.Based on the strategic decision, the operation started to build our capabilities in this field, manpower and equipment. Securing a small scope of work in KAIA back in 2012 made the creation of oil and gas section in the Mechanical Department quickly set up. The thorough follow up of this nucleus and the determination of all its team members gave it no chance to fail.In fact, the proven results made our management confident and proud that from now on, “in-house” is the keyword.

NA: What is significant in the Apron 6 Fuel Hydrant scope? How did Almabani reach this level of significance?AK: Today, having the capabilities of doing all the works in-house, including the jet fuel system, is equivalent to being in full control of all your project activities, every trade, every scope and every part of your work.Having said that, it means that today we can control our schedule of works, our manpower, our equipment, etc., controlling our expenses versus our earnings… in other words, we can make the best efficiency in sharing our resources, decreasing our idle cost and better management of our works in all aspects. This is as far as Apron 6 is concerned. Should we translate this picture to Almabani’s global potential, the translation would be that we will target today new fields, own new techniques, and move to a level that makes it even harder to compete against us… thus it is pure pride.

EXCAVATION AT THE MAIN FUEL RELOCATION PIPELINE

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KAIA Apron 6 Fuel Hydrant SystemsAn In-House Scope from A to Z


In this regard, I would like to note that the jet fuel scope of work has usually its own specialized contractors, who do not interfere in any other facet of a certain project. We are now among few professional contractors executing airports projects in the Kingdom that are capable of handling all the airside infrastructure works in-house with our own teams.This is possible today mainly because of our Top Management’s support and our team’s extensive knowledge and determination to master this field in full, stressing on the quality and safety aspects.

NA: What is the impact of this new achievement on Almabani’s future projects and on the Mechanical Department in particular?AK: In my opinion, the main impact is that the new field of business has added to our initial business, creating and edge in the new airport tenders over our competitors.A recent proof is what happened in the tender of the KKIA Airfield Upgrade Project, where we ended up to be the lowest bidders by far from the second bidder.The second impact lies in opening new horizons for Almabani to penetrate new type of markets, such as the oil and gas, and, subsequently, diversify our business and bid for more projects having a good amount of civil works relevant to mechanical works, unlike our usual trend. This has contributed significantly to the portfolio of Almabani’s accomplishments.As for the Mechanical Department, this new field has made all the team members anxious and thirsty to learn continuously and build their professional life with more solid bases.Today, our Top Management is opening for us all the doors to build and acquire more skills and we know that this is to each and everyone’s advantage. Usually, ambitious people look for opportunities… and I can say that everyone in this department is ambitious.

NA: From your personal position as Head of Mechanical Department, what would you like to say at the end of this chat?AK: This success is the results of an excellent Top Management decision, as I have previously mentioned, and it is the result of a good teamwork within the department.Moreover, this success story could have never been achieved without the efforts of all the team members, namely the labor, the helpers, the riggers, the fitters, the welders, the plumbers, the technicians, the foremen, the supervisors, the secretaries, the QC officers, the HSE officers, and the engineers. To all these people, I humbly say I am proud of being part of this team.Finally, I dedicate this achievement to our Top Management… thank you for giving me the opportunity of being part of it.

FUEL PIPES UNLOADING IN THE APRON 6

www.almabani.co

Documents

Special Supplement · 2018. 9. 6. · Special Supplement Interview with H.E. Mr. Nehme Tohmé, Chairman of Almabani IOSH "Directing Safely" Course for Senior Executives Peter Graham