Stadium Safety
At Aramco Stadium project, safety is job one
Global April 24, 2025 - By
Mohammad A. Al Ghamdi, an LPD field operations advisor, reviews the day’s work permits on the Aramco Stadium site.
Safety Heroes
From the first breaking of ground at the site to first cheers of opening day, safety standards stand at the fore of our efforts to build a world-class stadium.
In the very near future, al-Khobar’s skyline will feature an iconic whirlpool-shaped stadium that will be a hub for major international competitions such as the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and the 2034 FIFA World Cup, local sports matches, entertainment events, and public health and wellness programs.
As the developer, we promote the same rigorous health and safety standards at the 47,000-seat Aramco Stadium sports complex as we have employed in oil and gas mega-projects Kingdomwide. From the first shovel of dirt at ground-breaking to the first cheers of opening day, we aspire to build a world-class stadium in accordance with the strictest safety standards in the world.
It’s a daunting task, but critical to the project’s success. After all, safety culture is about ensuring everyone returns home safely.
Safety culture
In the construction phase, the project site bristles with 74 cranes lifting and putting into place concrete and steel components that one day will host tens of thousands of sports fans from around the world.
Currently, more than 6,000 workers operate in shifts, 24 hours a day, performing tasks such as welding, operating heavy equipment, and guiding massive components into place, logging an astounding 6.38 million manhours of work toward the goal of project completion by 2026.
In addition to this impressive work, our project workforce is building something equally powerful: a unified culture of safety among thousands of workers working for 32 separate subcontractors.
You see this safety mindset in the daily rhythm of safety briefings, from the 4,000 training sessions conducted to date, to the structured safety induction for new workers, the daily pre-task safety briefings, and the toolbox talks, all focusing not only on the task ahead, but on the careful, responsible, disciplined way in which that task is carried out.
Knowledge is power, and all workers on site – our employees and contractors alike – are empowered to intervene, correct, and recognize safe practices, reinforcing the culture from the ground up.
Leveraging technology
The project’s safety culture is also being shaped by technology. At its heart is a smart Safety Command Center (SCC) outfitted with AI-based monitoring. The ongoing implementation of 360-degree proximity cameras, anti-collision crane systems, and hook-mounted cameras continues to enhance real-time situational awareness.
In the SCC, safety coordinators or observers monitor a wall of television screens with live camera feeds from all parts of the stadium worksite. The cameras have 360-degree viewing, which provides real-time visibility of safety observations and inspections. If a workman on site neglects to wear a helmet, or is working at height without a harness, an alarm will sound.
The SCC will call the man’s supervisor to remediate the situation. The system has the capacity to provide smart helmets to every worker, allowing SCC officers to contact workers directly, telling them to stop work, meet with their supervisor, and receive instruction on proper safety practices.
Through the OASIS digital platform, the team maintains real-time visibility across inspections, audits, and safety observations, allowing swift action and system-wide learning.
For inspections, we are mitigating risks to our people by utilizing drones to monitor the quality of work that is completed at height.
One team, one standard
Aramco safety officers are present on site monitoring the implementation of safety procedures in critical tasks, such as the movement of heavy equipment, heavy lifts, and rigging.
With 32 separate subcontractor companies on site, each with their own safety procedures, our safety officers make sure that all work on site is aligned by the same safety standards. Safety requires buy-in more than mere compliance, so Aramco and its partners hold recognition ceremonies to recognize positive behaviors, giving awards and incentives to teams that lead by example.
Safety beyond the site
Health and safety is not confined to the construction zone. Aramco and its subcontractors carry out regular meetings to align on health and wellness for the workforce, which at the project peak may number more than 10,000. Aramco has held training sessions for workers and supervisors to be vigilant about working in high temperatures. Workers are trained to recognize the signs of heat stress, take actions to avoid it, know when to rest or seek shelter, and understand the steps to take if a member of their team needs medical assistance.
Aramco and its partners have installed a network of temperature sensors with alarms to warn when dangerous heat levels could impact the health of workers. Electrical water coolers, water thermoses, and portable fans, shaded rest areas, and air-conditioned cabins have been installed, while Aramco and its partners also distribute water bottles and electrolyte sachets to workers.
Off site, Aramco carries out regular inspections of worker accommodation will ensure that workers’ well-being is looked after, both on and off the worksite.
