UK-based consultant Atkins has won a contract from Al-Ain Municipality to establish an environment, health and safety (EHS) department for the city’s construction industry.

The new department will be tasked with promoting safe and healthy workplaces, minimising pollution, and encouraging sustainable development by ensuring that EHS management systems are used on construction sites in the surrounding region by 2012.

Atkins’ role will involve the recruitment and training of inspectors and other support staff, the establishment of an IT system for registration and reporting, and the development of an enforcement strategy under the supervision of the municipality.

Research recently carried out by UAE University found that about two-thirds of occupational-injury admissions at AI-Ain Hospital in 2008 involved construction accidents.