EGA’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery project passes 20m hours work without a Lost Time Injury

Emirates Global Aluminium has passed 20m hours work on its Al Taweelah alumina refinery construction project without a single Lost Time Injury (LTI). The refinery, located next to EGA’s aluminium smelter in Abu Dhabi, is one of the largest industrial construction sites in the UAE, with more than 11,000 people working on site. The budgeted project cost amount to around UDD3.3 billion. First alumina from the Al Taweelah refinery is expected during the first half of 2019. When fully operational, the refinery is expected to produce 2m tpy of alumina, covering 40% of EGA’s alumina requirements.

Abdulla Kalban, EGA’s chief executive, said: “Safety is the first priority of everyone at EGA, regardless of their position in the organisation. This safety record is the result of intense effort throughout the alumina refinery project team.” An important focus has been tackling language barriers on a site where the cosmopolitan workforce speaks 44 different languages. Training is conducted in multiple languages, and risk assessments and other key safety documents are largely pictorial rather than using words.

Workers are encouraged to report anything they perceive could be a safety hazard so it can be investigated and action taken to prevent any incident happening. So far over 36,000 reports have been made and action taken. EGA rewards workers financially for choosing safe behaviours at work, with the rewards increasing in value as more are earned.

First alumina from the Al Taweelah refinery is expected during the first half of 2019.

Once full ramp up is achieved, Al Taweelah alumina refinery is expected to produce 2 million tonnes of alumina per year, meeting 40 per cent of EGA’s alumina requirements and helping to secure the competitive supply of the feedstock for aluminium smelters.