Georgetown University: School of Foreign Service in Qatar

Doha, Qatar - - Mr. Bassam Chami, Supervisor with responsibility for the ground floor decking in the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar building, now under construction in Education City, has won the first Certificate for Safety and cash prize of QR250. Construction of ground floor decking, which has just begun on the Georgetown University site, is a particularly high risk activity, and Mr. Bassam was recognized for his careful planning and work place organization in the initial stages of this activity. He supervises a total of 200 men and has a reputation for his proactive approach and willingness to help out in all safety issues.

In order to ensure the highest standards of safety, Qatar Foundation has established a Safety Committee for Georgetown University Building Construction, chaired by Mr. Mohammed Abu Ghazala, Contract Administrator of Qatar Foundation, and including representatives of Qatar Petroleum, KEO, Georgetown University and URS, an independent consulting firm that conducts on-site inspections and quarterly audits covering all aspects of safety on the Georgetown site. The Georgetown building is being built by the Midmac Contracting Company.

James Reardon-Anderson, dean of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar, who presented the first award to Mr. Bassam, noted that “This is the first safety assurance system of its kind on a civil construction project in Qatar and testifies to the commitment of Qatar Foundation to raising the standards of construction safety in Qatar and throughout the region. Georgetown University is very proud to be a partner with Qatar Foundation in this historic undertaking.”

At the end of January, after completing more than 500,000 man-hours of work, the Georgetown construction project has still has zero lost time due to accidents.