A new initiative from Manitowoc and its Egyptian Potain dealer IDP saw representatives from both companies visit local jobsites to highlight the importance of good practice and safe operation of cranes to operators and others.
Potain and IDP representatives promoted worker safety culture across construction developments in Egypt, including ZED West Towers, Maspero Triangle and Noor City.
Representatives from Potain and its dealer for Egypt, International Development Programmes (IDP), embarked on a joint initiative to enhance worker safety culture by visiting jobsites across the country. Together the delegation toured projects such as the ZED West Towers, Maspero Triangle, and Noor City developments. The team met with crane operators, banksmen, engineers, and safety managers with the aim of improving awareness to help drive the highest standards of occupational health and safety.
In addition to reiterating the need for proper crane installation and wearing of PPE, the visits also focused on the advanced features of Potain cranes that help projects maintain good discipline. In addition to speaking with the IDP and Potain representatives, workers were given Potain gift bags designed to promote wellbeing and self-protection. Given Egypt’s often hot and dusty jobsites, the giveaways included a thermic water bottle, safety sunglasses, cagoule, mini torch, gloves, first aid kit, safety book, and a lunch box.
“When work on a project continues without incident for months there is a risk of complacency setting in. Which is why we wanted to remind customers and teams on site of the need for vigilance and to stress the importance of ongoing good practice,” said Carina El Rkaiby, regional sales manager – Middle East, CIS & Africa, at Manitowoc. “Potain cranes have many class-leading features, so it’s important that operators understand how to use these effectively and do so whenever necessary. This was our first campaign of this type in Egypt, and it was really encouraging to receive positive feedback from the people using our cranes.”
The visits also focused on the advanced features of Potain cranes that help projects achieve and maintain operational excellence.
Where the high things are
At the sites visited during the initiative, there were multiple Potain cranes in action. A group of Potain cranes are in use by REDCON Construction Co. S.A.E and Rowad Modern Engineering on the ZED West Towers luxury residences project in El Sheikh Zayed City, where the contractors have installed K12 and K16 variants of the MC 310, MDT 218 plus an older H30/30, for construction of the 20-story towers.
ORASCOM Construction, meanwhile, has MCR 295 H16 as well as MC 310 K12 cranes working on Maspero Triangle. This development is located on the Nile Corniche in Cairo, with a direct view of the pyramids. It three 30-story towers are connected by a suspended structure that begins at the 26th floor, and this section also includes eight large apartments and two distinct villas. The project has a an 80 MW power station too.
Finally, at the Noor City development on the outskirts of Egypt’s new administrative capital, many Potain MC 235C cranes are at work for ATRIUM Quality Contractors. Here development will eventually incorporate villas, townhouses, and apartments, alongside large stretches of greenery, plus newly developed venues and transport links. This smart, eco-friendly, 21 km² urban development is the first of its kind in the region.