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"Challenge accepted" is a call to action. It's a commitment to growth, innovation and excellence. It's about pushing boundaries, embracing new ideas and not shying away from obstacles. For Guhan Sankar, that meant helping transform safety standards in the United Arab Emirates.

Our people accept the challenge every single day – and we're showcasing a few of their stories. Today, we connected with Guhan Sankar, our regional health, safety and environment manager for the Middle East in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to discuss how he's collaborating with regulatory authorities to shape safety standards across the region.

The challenge: 

For more than 30 years, Ò»ÌÇÐÄlogoÃ×·ÆÍà has maintained a strong presence in the Emirate of Sharjah, consistently delivering significant projects where safety has been a top priority. However, 2021 marked a pivotal moment in the city's health, safety and environment (HSE) landscape with the introduction of the occupational safety and health system (OSHJ) by the . The OSHJ system promotes safe practices in Sharjah by enabling risk monitoring, analysis and preventive measures. It applies to all establishments operating in the Emirate—whether licensed locally or elsewhere—including those registered with the Sharjah Economic Development Department, Sharjah International Airport Free Zone, Hamriyah Free Zone and all government entities. Recognizing the need for expert guidance on consulting supervision services project, SPSA sought a partnership with a leading HSE consultancy to support this critical transformation. 

Tell us more about this challenge

Ò»ÌÇÐÄlogoÃ×·ÆÍÃ’ strong safety culture and trusted track record in the UAE proved to be a key differentiator. ARADA, one of our master developer clients in Sharjah, has recognized Ò»ÌÇÐÄlogoÃ×·ÆÍÃ’ ongoing commitment to excellence. Since 2019, Ò»ÌÇÐÄlogoÃ×·ÆÍà has been delivering design and construction supervision services for the overall infrastructure of the Al Jada master community development. In acknowledgment of this work, ARADA strongly recommended Ò»ÌÇÐÄlogoÃ×·ÆÍà to the SPSA for contributing to their code of practice. Impressed by our proactive approach to safety on our projects, the SPSA team reached out to leverage our deep expertise in navigating this evolving regulatory environment. 

In November 2024, we began collaborating with the SPSA representative to provide comprehensive insights into construction supervision and management projects. This was a valuable opportunity for us to share our industry-leading safety practices directly with the regulatory authority.

What’s the hardest part of this? 

The most challenging aspect of this engagement was establishing a rapport with new stakeholders and effectively presenting tailored safety solutions. In many ways, HSE professionals often function as sales advocates, requiring resilience and an openness to scrutiny. Fortunately, my experience on numerous complex and high-risk infrastructure projects for Ò»ÌÇÐÄlogoÃ×·ÆÍà in Sharjah has equipped me with a proven track record of success.

Can you share an example of how you’re approaching this?

To address SPSA's concerns regarding consultant HSE roles on Sharjah projects, my experience developing Qatar's Ashghal Public Works Authority (PWA) road safety standards was instrumental. My perspective, enhanced by our company’s diverse regional portfolio, enabled practical discussions on effective safety strategies.

We discussed how safety in design helps prevent construction risks and demonstrated how Ò»ÌÇÐÄlogoÃ×·ÆÍà drives a strong safety culture through visible engagement, thorough incident investigations and initiatives like HSE StepBack – a temporary work stoppage where Ò»ÌÇÐÄlogoÃ×·ÆÍà leaders and employees discuss health, safety, security and environment (HSSE) issues and initiatives. It's a chance to review procedures, address hazards and reinforce the importance of HSSE practices.

How do you define success?

True success is achieved when we strive for higher standards and challenge the status quo. A collaborative spirit is essential, where team members complement each other's strengths. Our collaboration with SPSA exemplifies this, demonstrating our significant contribution to embedding and elevating HSE standards within the region.