PMV Middle East gathers together representatives from MAN, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Trimble, and Hitachi to discuss safe practice on the GCC’s roads and worksites
When it comes to productivity, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are the fiercest of rivals. Year in, year out, these firms work tirelessly to produce machines and vehicles that outperform those of their competitors.
The rate of innovation within the field of safety, meanwhile, is no less brisk, yet competition is not necessarily the primary driving force. The preservation of life has the ability to transcend commercial boundaries. When it comes to safety, everybody is playing on the same team.
The universal nature of this pursuit was evident at PMV Middle East’s latest roundtable discussion. Representatives from MAN, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Trimble, and Hitachi gathered at The Ivy restaurant in Dubai, UAE, to debate the ways in which the GCC can bridge the safety gap with regions such as Europe, North America, and Japan.
The atmosphere during the event was as optimistic as it was collaborative. Whilst the group agreed that there remains much work to be done, nobody was of the opinion that the task ahead lies beyond the region’s capabilities.
Inevitably, construction and transportation activities involve a certain level of risk. Whether you’re using a tower crane to lift a 45-tonne load 20m above a building site, or carrying a 45-tonne load at 100km per hour down a GCC highway, there is potential for things to go awry.
It might well be impossible to completely eliminate the element of risk, but this hasn’t stopped firms from working diligently to minimise the threat.
In the arena of safety, the Middle East has benefitted massively from the efforts of OEMs. By investing heavily in research and development, the leading companies have successfully transferred a raft of safety-related features to the machines and vehicles on sale across the region.
Collectively, the firms in attendance at PMV’s roundtable discussion have been responsible for the introduction of some of the industry’s most notable safety advances. Technologies such as ABS/EBS, tyre sensors, operator monitoring, and proximity control are now commonplace on the brands’ regional product offerings.
Moreover, these technologies are continuing to advance. Machine control and telematics, for example, are becoming increasingly prevalent in the GCC.
As one participant pointed out, not only has our ability to monitor the activities of machines and vehicles improved dramatically during the last decade, but advancements within the field of telecommunications have made it possible for data to be transmitted in real time.
Today, fleet managers have access to detailed, daily reports, and can intervene accordingly to ensure that safe practice is being followed by their operators.
Some technologies, such as automatic and automated transmission systems on heavy vehicles, have been introduced in a bid to simplify operation. The ability to replace 18-speed manual gearboxes, for example, offers clear benefits in terms of safety and efficiency.
The latest transmission systems not only reduce the skill barrier for new drivers, but they also remove the distraction of having to change gear by hand.
In the field of construction, meanwhile, machine control and monitoring technologies are helping to compensate for operator error, especially within the arena of excavation. Sensors can be used to regulate the height to which a boom will reach when working within the vicinity of power cables, for instance.
As impressive as these technological advances are, the best systems in the world cannot completely guard against human error. One participant pointed out that only 10% of road accidents involving trucks are due to the vehicles themselves; environmental and human-related factors account for the remainder. With this in mind, attendees highlighted the need for effective operator training.
In this area, however, typical staffing demographics in the GCC bring with them challenges not necessarily encountered in territories like Europe. Due to factors such as high staff turnover, multilingual workforces, and inconsistent levels of driver competence, training in this region is not a simple matter of communicating best practice.
Fortunately, OEMs and their Middle Eastern distributors have developed an array of strategies to overcome such obstacles.
In order to account for high turnover amongst operators, it is now common to “train the trainers” of fleet firms. Instructors also tend to be fluent in the languages most commonly spoken by expat operators, and some manufacturers produce pictorial instructions to circumvent language barriers.
Several participants pointed out that compensating for the operational differences between the GCC region and operators’ home countries often represents the most significant challenge. In many cases, operators are used to manning smaller vehicles at slower speeds. Terrain-related problems have also been known to occur; operators sometimes strand vehicles in soft sand when driving off-road to rest.
In terms of both technology and training, the panellists agreed that they must work to convince GCC fleet owners and contractors to invest at the outset. Several members of the group mentioned the regional tendency to focus on initial outlays rather than on the total cost of ownership (TCO).
Whilst arguments of safety have been somewhat effective in changing this mindset, the general consensus was that this battle will ultimately be won by proving the cost-related benefits that result from safe operation.
The group highlighted the importance of demonstrating the ways in which technologically advanced equipment and competent operators can improve an outfit’s bottom line. Data from machine control and telematics systems will play a vital role in this respect, providing tangible evidence of improved efficiency and productivity, and enabling targeted feedback for individual operators.
One participant pointed out that a strong, single example of how this type of investment is financially worthwhile could be enough to encourage other players to follow suit.
Despite the importance of technology and education, all of those present were of the opinion that manufacturers will be unable to drive change unilaterally. The improvement of safety on GCC worksites and roads, they agreed, requires a concerted effort from OEMs, local authorities, fleet owners, and the drivers and operators themselves. With this in mind, legislation was identified as a vital catalyst for progress.
Firstly, the group identified the GCC’s second-hand machinery and vehicles sectors as deserving of regulatory attention. Whilst new equipment imported to the region is subject to stringent checks, the standards relating to used units tend to be more relaxed. In some cases, this situation is allowing unsafe units to enter the region.
Several participants suggested that the introduction of a maximum age limit for second-hand machines and vehicles would represent a sensible first step. One participant said that this measure would also have the knock-on effect of improving safety on the African market – the final destination for much of the PMV kit that passes through the Middle East.
The issue of workers’ hours also represented a major concern for the group. One participant said that existing technologies, such as digital tachographs, could be implemented immediately across the region, and in conjunction with fresh legislation, would help to combat the dangers posed by driver fatigue.
Annual equipment safety checks were identified as an important tool for the promotion of PMV safety, but some attendees raised concerns over the ease with which they can be circumvented. Several panellists highlighted the efficacy of onsite and roadside inspections in ensuring that fleet operators are using safe machines and vehicles throughout the year.
To this end, the group agreed that the UAE – in the form of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport (DoT) and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) – has invested heavily, and has achieved significant success.
However, it was suggested that the region as a whole should look to join up national legislation with GSO standards. As several members of the panel pointed out, in many cases, relevant regulatory foundations already exist; improving safety, therefore, will be a matter of implementation and enforcement.
Looking forward, the general consensus was that the Middle East’s PMV industry has made – and is continuing to make – significant strides in the pursuit of safety.
Whilst widespread legislative and behavioural change will not happen overnight, panellists agreed that there are certain measures that local stakeholders can take in order to quicken the pace of change.
Manufacturers and distributors, meanwhile, should continue to encourage a shift away from the widespread focus on initial costs towards the TCO model. The group agreed that GCC authorities are moving in the right direction. As such, OEMs must continue to support their efforts through research, development, and operator training.
