environmental & social management plan 2021
TRANSCRIPT
Outline
Environmental & Social Management Plan Addendum
Environmental & Social Management Plan
Grievance Redress Mechanism
Background● Oman Broadband is:
○ a Company established in 2015 to support the implementation of the National Broadband
● Strategy
○ Wholly-owned by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman
○ Focused on the deployment of a broadband infrastructure
Background● Oman Broadband’s objectives comprise of:
○ Construction and maintenance of a broadband infrastructure for service providers in the
Sultanate
○ Works in co-operation with other infrastructure service providers such as water, electricity,
gas and sanitation companies to unlock the potential of amenities available in the
Sultanate
○ Achieve the optimal use of existing unused infrastructure such as fiber optic lines,
networks and national assets in partnership with the Government and private investors
● Oman Broadband has contracted Environmental Resources Management to conduct an
independent Environmental and Social Assessment (ESA) of its current and planned
activities in adherence to the Omani laws and regulations, and the Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank (AIIB) Environmental and Social Policy.
● Oman Broad band's policies, this ESMP and relevant procedures are applicable to all its
activities and its contractors' activities.
Overview
● Oman Broadband Company SAOC (Oman Broadband) is investing in the rollout of a fiber
optic broadband cable network to an estimated 369,439 homes/premises by the end of
2021. It is comprised of laying cables of c. 4,097 km and drop cables of c. 9,535 km, and
installing supporting infrastructure such as fiber distribution hubs.
● Fiber Network Roll-out Plan: Oman Broadband’s nationwide fiber optic rollout plans have
been designed using two principles:
○ Impact based Roll-out: Oman Broadband will consider key usage patterns, population
densities and projected statistics that chart the future demand for high speed broadband
services in the Sultanate.
○ Efficient Roll-out: Oman Broadband will work with other Government owned entities to
decrease cost of infrastructure deployment, taking into account already available
infrastructure that can be commercially utilized.
Overview
● Oman Broadband operates by covering the
country area by area, i.e. passing in front of
each house before releasing one given
area (Homes Passed). Once an area is
released, service operators can offer
broadband services within the area. Oman
Broadband then has 10 days to provide
final connection to the end user (Home
connection).
ActivitiesProject activities consist of laying optic fiber cables, connecting individual users and maintaining
the network.
● Oman Broadband outsources all civil work and fiber deployment to numerous companies
(contractors), selected according to an open tender process :
○ In order to utilize synergies with other state- owned entities and in case excavations are
planned in certain areas by such entities (e.g. Haya Waters), civil work is excluded from
Oman Broadband’s scope and only fiber cable deployment is conducted by Oman
Broadband’s direct contractors.
○ Where necessary, Oman Broadband directly appoints contractors to trench and lay
cabling ducts and oversees the connection to the end user (home/facility).
○ Service Operations Centre (SOC) and Network Operations Centre (NOC) are fully
insourced, while field maintenance is again outsourced to subcontractors.
Environmental and Social Management Plan
● The management of the ESMP will be done through an Environmental and Social
Management System (ESMS). The main elements of an ESMS comprise the following four
phases:
○ Planning: Establishing the objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in
accordance with the Oman Broadband EHS Policy.
○ Doing: Implementing the processes through defining mitigation measures and assigning
responsibilities for undertaking or implementing such mitigation measures.
○ Checking: Monitoring and measuring these processes against the policy, objectives and
targets, legal and other requirements (such as those of the AIIB, IFC, etc.), and reporting
of the results.
○ Acting: Taking actions to continually improve performance of the ESMS through the
training of personnel and auditing of results.
● The ESMP includes the mitigation, monitoring and management measures detailed in the
slides below, and include also training, audits, inspections and reporting.
Environmental and Social Management Plan
(ESMP)● The ESMP includes the mitigation,
monitoring and management
measures detailed in the slides below,
and include also training, audits,
inspections and reporting.
● The Documents are posted on our
website at :
○ https://omanbroadband.om/Environ
mental+%26+Social+Management
+Plan.html
ESMP implementation institutional
arrangements
● Oman Broadband has issued relevant Policies and selected Procedures, in addition to this
ESMP which will be subject to regular review to assess their efficiency and suitability in
complying with the relevant regulations and standards.
● Oman Broadband meets potential contractors as part of its selection process and
introduce them to its EHS requirements.
● Oman Broadband also engages with its ‘partners’ such as Haya Water, and other utilities
companies to inform them of their commitments and discuss alignment on QHSE
standards for shared civil work construction.
● Oman Broadband is committed to conducting training for its staff and contractor, and to
conduct internal reporting on its EHS performances.
ESMP implementation institutional
arrangements
● In practice, the following engagement activities ensure the implementation and monitoring
of this ESMP:
○ Meetings at all level within Company and with Contractors on a regular basis.
○ Toolbox talks will be conducted by Contractors on a daily basis.
○ Regular reporting and monitoring of performances and compliance with applicable
standards (e.g. Laws, Regulations, AIIB’s ESP, etc.) will be conducted.
The main Project activities resulting air emissions include:
○ Fuel combustion in engines (vehicles, generators, excavators, etc.) emitting gaseous
pollutants (including CO2 NO2, SO2, CO and PM10/2.5),
○ Movement of soils during excavations, grading, and cut and fill activities
○ Transportation (of people, equipment, waste, etc.) along roads in residential areas/close to
settlements
Physical Impact :
Impact on Ambient Air
Measure & Monitoring
Requirements
● The EPC contractors shall use vehicles, generators and equipment with exhausts emissions
compliant with local and international emission standards, and conduct regular
maintenance of all combustion engines
● Use ONLY low-sulfur content diesel (≤0.5% sulfur by weight) as fuel for power generator,
heavy machinery as well as vehicles.
● All work sites and stockpiles will be regularly sprinkled with water throughout construction
& rehabilitation
Measure & Monitoring
Requirements
● A maximum speed limit of 30 km per hour will be applied when traveling on unpaved road,
and when transporting friable material (e.g. soil), which must be covered by tarp during
storage and transportation;
● Provide onsite staff with visible emissions observation training (EPA Method 9) prior to
taking on duties, and halt construction activities when visible fugitive dust emissions exceed
20% opacity;
● Ambient air quality at receptor shall be tested at representative location/times no less than
3 times a year
Physical Impact :
Impact from Noise and Vibration
● Construction noise:
○ Operation of light and heavy vehicles and construction equipment (including excavators,
generators, etc.) on site will lead to generation of noise in their vicinity. Construction traffic
(deliveries, transport of personnel etc.) will have the potential to impact residents and
visitors to nearby areas by potential increases in traffic noise.
Measure & Monitoring
Requirements
● Where possible noisy equipment shall be housed within acoustic enclosures (e.g.
generators).
● Machinery, equipment and vehicles shall be regularly inspected and conservatively
maintained.
● Dropping from height, metal to metal contact, clustering of equipment near sensible
receptors avoided.
● Throttle settings on plant and machinery shall be reduced and equipment and plant shall be
turned off when not being used, noise monitoring implemented and noise emissions on
site kept below 85dB.
Measure & Monitoring
Requirements
● Speed limit of 30Kph for all type of project related vehicles in residential area, limit the size
of night time (9:00pm – 6:00am) fleet to not exceed three trucks in populated areas and
establishment of a detailed traffic management plan for both construction phase and
operation phase.
● Implement noise monitoring against the performance criteria (55 dB(A) LAeq daytime and
45 dB(A) LAeq,15min nighttime at receptor) if persistent noise complaints are received
through the Grievance Mechanism, and no less than 4 times a year (one/quarter) are
representative locations
Physical Impact :
Impact from Waste Generation
● The proposed Project will generate wastes including soil, domestic wastes, industrial non
hazardous wastes (e.g. packaging), recyclables, and may generate waste oils (lubricants),
wastewater, batteries, contaminated packaging, and splicing waste.
Measure & Monitoring
Requirements ● Install temporary waste sorting and storage facilities at all main construction sites and
worker accommodation sites during construction and manned facilities during operations
considering climatic factors
● During the construction phase wastewater will be handled a portable integrated biological
treatment unit before being transported to a local WWTP via tanker.
● The hazardous splicing waste must be collected using masking tapes and these tapes
must be carefully disposed after completion of splicing activities.
● Liquid waste container shall be stored in a bunded area. This area shall be 110% greater in
volume that the largest container.
Measure & Monitoring
Requirements ● Wastes should be reused, recycle, treated on site or exported to existing government-
licensed/approved recycling facilities / landfill in Oman by the end of each shift and no later
than within 48h during hot season.
● Waste transportation shall be carried out by licensed transportation (and disposal)
contractors.
Socio-Economic Impact : Impact to
Workers’ Health and Safety (OHS)
● The principal construction related occupational health and safety impacts are :
○ Working in proximity to traffic axis.
○ Slip, trip and fall: Generally, excavation and trenching activities pose serious hazards to
the workers involved. The depth of the excavation trenches within the current scope of
the Project is mostly of 65 cm and therefore the risk of cave-in and hazardous
atmosphere is considerably reduced.
○ Other potential hazards associated with trenching and duct laying work include falling
loads, noise/dust exposure, electrical hazards, mechanical hazards and hazards from
mobile equipment.
○ Heat Stress
Measure & Monitoring Requirements ● Contractors will develop their own EHS Management System (including Policies,
Procedures, Standard Operating Procedure and Records) in accordance with the policies of
the Company and develop an effective Risk Assessment (or HSE Plan) for all tasks at
different locations.
● Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment and Training will be provided to all employees
of Company, Contractors and their Subcontractors. Records of PPE issuance and trainings
will be kept for inspection.
● All near-misses, incidents and accidents will be recorded, investigated and accounted for on
a bi- yearly basis.
● Workers will be provided with primary health care and basic first aid at construction camps /
worksites.
● All employees will undergo pre-employment screening which will include testing for TB and
other communicable diseases and voluntary testing for sexually transmitted diseases. No
worker will be denied employment on the basis of the testing (as long as they are fit to
work).
Socio-Economic Impact : Impact
on Community Health and Safety
● The construction activities will result in impacts to community health, safety and security
including:
○ Site trespass: at work fronts in particular where trenching, cable pulling or connecting.
○ Increased vehicle movements.
○ Annoyance: associated with temporary construction noise, dust and disruption to access.
○ Increased disease transmission: due to the presence of an external workforce living
nearby communities
● The Workers Code of Conduct will establish guidelines for engagement with communities
to limit and prevent transmission of disease and other unsafe interactions.
● Signage warning of dangers and communicating requirements, and adequate fencing shall
be in place at all construction sites. All signs shall be in diagram form to ensure those with
low levels of literacy understand the signs.
● The EPC contractor shall make all necessary efforts to avoid possible community exposure
to health and safety risks, including developing a Health and Safety Management Plan,
Emergency Response Plan and Traffic Management Plan, training workers on how to
control and mitigate any unexpected situations, including spills or road accidents.
Measure & Monitoring Requirements
Socio-Economic Impact : Impact on
Labor and Working Conditions
● The construction activities will present the following Labor and Working Conditions risks to
Company, Contractors and sub-Contractors’ employees:
○ Worker recruitment and employment criteria and procedures,
○ Workers’ freedom of association
○ Workers’ supervision and management,
○ Workers’ occupational health and safety training and conditions,
○ Working area conditions (accommodation camps, workshops, equipment, working hours,
heat stress, etc.)
○ Workers’ retrenchment and dismissal.
● Company, contractors and subcontractors shall develop and implement a labor policy and
procedures in line with the Omani legislation and ratified ILO conventions, and develop
means to monitor their and their suppliers’ compliance at all time. Quarterly Company
monitoring and yearly third-party monitoring is scheduled
● All workers shall be sensitized on their responsibilities and rights and their conditions of
employment (inc.: representation & collective bargaining, wages, working hours and leave,
welfare facilities at site, adequate accommodation, timelines of Project activities), and shall
be engaged from an early stage about any impending retrenchments or termination of
employment.
● Contractors shall develop health and safety policy and procedures consistent with the
Company OHS requirements. The policy and procedures shall cover all risks related to the
Project and provide adequate measures, including budget allocation and recruitment of
competent personnel
Measure & Monitoring Requirements
● The Company, contractors, and their sub-contractors shall ensure that location, sanitation,
safety and quality of accommodation camps, working areas and equipment shall be
adequately satisfactory, and that contracted and temporary employees are provided with
appropriate first aid on site, medical insurance and access to medical treatment for work
related injuries.
● The EPC contractor and sub-contractors shall develop and implement effective grievance
mechanism accessible to all employees (including anonymously).
Measure & Monitoring Requirements
Socio-Economic Impact : Impact to
Employment and Economic Development
● Positive impacts will occur during the construction phase through the employment of
workers and procurement of goods and services by Company, Contractors and Sub-
Contractors. It also includes jobs supplying goods and services needed to support the
construction process. Induced economic effects include spending by employees, and
payment of taxes and fees to the government.
● Disclose the employment and procurement procedures publicly.
● Provide clear information on employment and procurement opportunities available along
with any minimum standards to enable local supplier companies and individuals to acquire
the required skills.
● Ensure compliance with Omanizaton Law and
● Review positive impacts for affected communities through the accounting of local Omani
employees at Company, Contractors and suppliers (number of local employees involved in
Project), and percentage of capital and operational costs spent on local contractors and
suppliers.
● Set yearly targets for percentage of contribution to local economy and capacity building.
Measure & Monitoring Requirements
Introduction
● OBB now intends to undertake the Phase-II of the project extending the broadband
infrastructures in the remaining areas including the rural communities of Oman.
● The existing ESMP stands mostly valid for OBIP-II since its activities are quite similar to the
original project activities. However, the present Addendum to ESMP has been prepared to
address a few gaps that have been identified in the existing ESMP.
Project Overview
● The Project involves two phases.
○ In Phase 1 of OBC’s roll-out plan, it has been focused primarily on providing fiber-to-the-
home (FTTH) coverage in Muscat plus some urban areas outside Muscat. This involved
the installation of fiber optic cables and associated infrastructure, such as telephone
exchange nodes (transmitters and receivers), remote integrated multiplexers (RIM) or
customer multiplexers (CMUX), and premises receivers, covering Muscat and other urban
areas of Oman under OBIP-I.
○ In Phase 2 of OBC’s roll-out plan, it is focused on providing coverage outside Muscat
using a mix of FTTH and 5G fixed-wireless access (FWA) technologies in appropriate
areas. FWA is considered to be a complimentary technology to FTTH, and used to expand
the coverage of broadband in areas where FTTH would prove to be too expensive in the
short term.
Environmental and Social
Impacts● The potential impacts of the Projects activities include the following:
○ Air emissions
○ Noise
○ Wastes including hazardous wastes
○ Road traffic
○ Occupational health and safety (OHS)
○ Community health and safety (CHS)
○ Labor and working conditions
○ Cultural heritage
○ Employment and economic development.
● In addition, the construction work can potentially cause access restriction to general public.
Environmental and Social Management● Various management plans have been presented in original ESMP and they remain valid.
These include the following specific plans:
○ Air quality management plan
○ Soil and groundwater management plan
○ Noise and vibration management plans
○ Waste management plan
○ Workforce management plan
○ Community health and safety management plan
○ Cultural heritage management plan
○ Occupational health and safety plan (measures for health, safety and labor).
● In addition to the above, the contractors will ensure the following:
○ Covid-19 guidelines as defined by the Sultanate of Oman
(https://www.moh.gov.om/en/corona) and international organizations.
○ The contractors will ensure that the construction activities do not cause any access
restriction to general public (residential, commercial or public).
Grievance Management Procedure
● Grievances can be received orally or in written at all construction sites, at Company’s
office(s), at Contractors’ office(s), through official channels (authorities), or social media
● Grievances can be communicated in person, by telephone, through paper (letter) or
electronic (email, message, communication
● Grievances need to be addressed in a consistent and verifiable manner
● In order for grievances to be recorded and responded to, grieving person’s or entity’s
contacts will be required
● Grievances may be linked to actual incidents, in which case the incident also need to be
reported and captured within the operation’s Incident Reporting System
● Grievances will all be responded to within the agreed, determined timeframe
● Grievances' validity (and receivability) will be evaluated as per established categories, for
which a processing time (from receipt to close-out) is allocated
Way Forward
● All documents are/will be posted on Oman Broadband’s web page
○ Final ESM Plan (In English with short version in Arabic)
○ ESMP Addendum (In English with short version in Arabic)
○ This presentation (English and Arabic version)
○ Grievance Redress Mechanism (English and Arabic version)
● Feedback is important to Oman Broadband – until November 22nd
○ Today from the feedback form
○ In person or by email/telephone in Oman Broadband
○ [email protected] – 80090000