ecchelmet To execute one of the world’s largest solar power projects, EHS needs to be top notch. Always!
The Ministry of Energy, Industry, and Mineral Resources (MEIM), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, launched the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) to implement 9.5 GW of renewable power by 2023 through the Renewable Energy Project Development Office (REPDO) to rapidly diversify the Kingdom’s domestic power supply. PT&D IC is executing the 1.6 GWac / 1.8 GWp Sudair PV IPP Project, the first renewable energy project in the Public Investment Fund (PIF) Renewable Energy Program, which represents 70% of the KSA 2030 National Renewable Energy Program.
This project will be capable of powering 185,000 homes and offsetting nearly 2.9 million tons of emissions per annum, making it one of the world’s largest solar power projects by capacity. Situated in the Riyadh Province, some 166 km from the capital city of Riyadh, and approximately 29 km west of Sudair Industrial City, the project primarily involves the construction of 4 blocks of 453 MWp Solar PV (B1+2, B3, & B4), 1,500 MWac maximum dispatchable limit, two blocks each of 750 MWac & 375 MWac, two 33/380 kV Pooling Stations (PS), and a 380 kV underground cable between the PS & ESF gantries.
Safety walkdown at the site
Putting systems in place
“Since the project is financed by international financing institutions, the required management plans far exceeded the standard project documentation requirements,” shares Project Manager Bharathi Kumar. Therefore, in addition to their plans for Health, Safety, and Security Management, Construction Environmental and Social Management, Heat Stress Management, and Emergency Response, typically required for all projects, the project team had to prepare a host of new documents that included plans to manage Influx, Grievances, Logistics and Traffic, Security, Waste, Chance Find, COVID-19, Fire Prevention, and EHS Commissioning. “Over and above all these, we developed over 30 customized safety procedures, considering site-specific conditions, customer and contractual requirements, lender requirements, specifications, and standards,” Bharathi adds.
Since the project is financed by international financing institutions, the required management plans far exceeded the standard project documentation requirements. We developed over 30 customized safety procedures, considering sitespecific conditions, customer and contractual requirements, lender requirements, specifications, and standards.
Bharathi Kumar
Project Manager
Ensuring that systems & processes are implemented
“Currently, we employ 1,700+ employees and workmen, including subcontractor employees, and with several simultaneous activities happening in a site that is spread over approximately 36 km², it was essential to set up a dedicated Permit to Work (PTW) office, managed by a qualified PTW Coordinator,” points out Bharathi. The PTW system is operated by Construction Managers, Site Engineers, and Supervisors who have been assigned the roles of Permit Issuers and Permit Receivers, trained in the PTW system requirements by passing a written multiple-choice examination followed by an interview with the Client. All works carried out are subject to a PTW: less hazardous activities require a General PTW, while more hazardous activities such as hot work, work at height, confined space entry, lifting lockout/tagout, etc., a specialized PTW.
First, the Permit Issuer and Receiver conduct a site inspection to ensure that all control measures are in place and appropriate to the site conditions and planned work. Once satisfied, they submit a copy to the PTW Coordinator to register the PTW and check whether any other PTW is operating in the same area. If more than one PTW is operational, then the concerned Permit Issuers and Permit Receivers conduct a joint meeting to address interfaces and decide on additional control measures, if required. PTWs have limited validity. While special PTWs are valid for only a single shift, general PTWs are valid for a maximum of six days but must be revalidated daily. All PTWs must be cancelled and closed out when work finishes or the PTW expires, whichever comes first.
Mandatory commissioning PPE compliance and electrical rescuer with rescue stick during energization
Weekly HSSE meetings conducted with the subcontractors’ HSE staff and site supervisors improve coordination between Team L&T and the subcontractors; occupational health and safety concerns are discussed and resolved, and such interactions enhance their familiarity with the project’s HSSE management system requirements. More than 52 such meetings have been held to date.
“Every employee and all visitors at site have the authority, through the official Stop Work Policy, to stop work if they observe unsafe acts and/or conditions,” affirms Safety In-charge Pradeep Kumar. “The associated policy has been communicated to all employees and visitors during inductions and refresher training. Till date, the Stop Work authority has been exercised over 270 times since the inception of the project.”
Every employee and all visitors at site have the authority, through the official Stop Work Policy, to stop work if they observe unsafe acts and/or conditions. Till date, the Stop Work authority has been exercised over 270 times since the inception of the project.
Pradeep Kumar
Safety In-charge
The project management team, together with client representatives, conduct regular safety walkdowns to demonstrate the management’s commitment to safety, build a strong safety culture, and ensure effective HSSE implementation.
100,000 training manhours delivered and counting…
Thus far, over 100,000 training manhours have been delivered for the site team, including toolbox, job-specific, and awareness training sessions. Employees involved in safety-critical activities, such as scaffolding erection and inspection, confined space entry, lifting operations, equipment operation, etc., have attended separate third-pard party training and certifications.
In addition, several awareness campaigns have been conducted, including:
- Road safety campaigns to enhance and emphasize site traffic rules and reduce traffic violations, during which drivers and operators are trained in defensive driving skills as well as road safety.
- Housekeeping campaigns, with the involvement of the top management, to protect the environment, for effective and environment-friendly collection and disposal of waste.
- COVID-19 campaigns to enhance employee awareness and encourage them to abide by recommendations.
- Work-at-height campaigns to enhance awareness of height workers and promote safe working practices.
STOTE – Good cable drum management
Keeping the site clean
The project team has provided more than 90 welfare facilities, including rest & shade shelters and portable toilets, across the construction site, which are maintained and cleaned daily. Water for the portable toilets is replenished daily, and sewage is collected and disposed of daily by a sewage disposal contractor, licensed by the Saudi authorities.
Addressing the softer issues
In the realm of CSR, the project team has recruited Saudi nationals to show L&T’s commitment to act in the interest of society, implemented a grievance mechanism to provide a transparent framework to address community grievances related to the project, and organized a blood donation campaign, in association with King Khalid Hospital in Majmah. These initiatives have received several accolades from various sources like the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, Almajmah, for the employment of Saudis, the Sudair One Renewable Energy Company for empowering Saudi professionals, and the King Khalid Hospital for the blood donation campaign.
Efforts bearing fruit
Pradeep is proud that his project has achieved 4 million safe manhours since inception. Bharathi Kumar chips in, “We have had 19 client corporate audits and environmental and social audits conducted by 5-Capitals, a third-party specialist agency appointed by the Lenders, without any NCRs. All observations recorded by the auditors have been closed out in time, well within the allotted timeframe,” he smiles winningly.