SHAH ALAM: Setia City Mall, currently under construction by WTW Bovis and due to open mid 2012, has been honoured with a Gold Award by the Malaysian Society for Occupational Health and Safety.

The award is in its 40th year, and recognises projects that demonstrate outstanding implementation of health and safety systems, exemplary consideration for the safety of the surrounding public and for exceeding both local practice and industry requirements.

The Setia City Mall team was recognised for its highly effective implementation of both the Environment, Health and Safety system, as well as the Personal Protective Equipment initiative.

Setia City Mall is the third WTW Bovis construction management project in Malaysia to win the award. Prior to this, they won the award for Menara Perak in 2007 and the Australian High Commission in 2008.

At the annual awards ceremony held on July 22, WTW Bovis managing director Dinesh Nambiar said, "Our commitment to safety is unrelenting; it drives our vision to operate incident and injury free wherever we have a presence. This award reflects the hard work and dedication of our team, our contractors and our supply chain. We are extremely proud that our efforts have been recognised."

Among the safety initiatives successfully implemented by WTW Bovis include the introduction of perimeter safety screens, safer methods for installing façade panels at height and having a Personal Protective Equipment system that goes beyond industry standards. Perimeter safety screens are used to enhance the safety of workers working at height on high-rise buildings. The initiative was first introduced by WTW Bovis during the construction of Menara Perak and has now been adopted by major contractors in Malaysia.

The Personal Protective Equipment initiative is where the company goes over and above the industry standards regarding the wearing of protective clothing. According to the company, at Lend Lease (the parent company of WTW Bovis), safety is non-negotiable as they are recognised as a leader in safety within the building industry in setting standards and benchmarks.

Setia City Mall is being developed by a joint venture between S P Setia Bhd and the Asian Retail Investment Fund, a fund managed by Lend Lease. The mall is located at the heart of leading Malaysian property developer S P Setia's thriving 4,000 acre Setia Alam township.

In 2010, S P Setia was ranked No 1 in The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers Awards for the fifth time, the only developer to have achieved this feat since the inception of the awards. The mall is designed by Lend Lease in conjunction with Archicentre and will be marketed and managed by Greenhill Resources Sdn Bhd.

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