FEDERAL

Police Academy Annex
at Camp JSS Shield

Baghdad, Iraq

Pernix’s team was awarded The Baghdad Police Academy Annex (BPAX) Task Order. The site, approximately 26 acres, is a U.S. Forces-Iraq military compound. The project included new construction of office buildings, CACs, foundations, structures, building envelopes, exterior and interior finishes, MEP and life safety, telecom and Technical Security Systems (TSS) systems, utilities, infrastructure, and landscaping.

The core of the project scope involved installing government-furnished containerized housing units (CHU) in groups called pods and erecting overhead protective cover (OPC) systems. The CHU pods also have infrastructure for potable and waste water, fire protection, telecom and cable television. There are two types of CHU pods:

“Dry” pods: each housing unit (40 foot containers) contains two beds in each of three rooms, and all share a common ablutions facility. A typical “dry” pod accommodates 168 personnel.

“Wet” pods: each housing unit (20 foot containers) contains one single occupancy bedroom with its own en-suite. A “wet” pod accommodates 84.

Both pods feature central “safe havens” which are doors and walls capable of resisting forced entry for five minutes.

Shield 1
Shield 2-blue sky
Shield 7
Shield 8
Shield
Owner
Department Of State,
Overseas Buildings
Operations

Project Type
Design/Build

Safety Challenges

The peak number of employees working on this job site totalled 450. Training for the different competencies was a challenge due to working in a remote war zone, with congested work areas. However, Pernix’s extended training sessions provided mentorship and coaching for local labor–ensuring a safe work environment for everyone associated with the Police Academy Annex project.

Safety Highlights

A comprehensive management approach and controls to safety were implemented, including frequent training (in English, Turkish and local language as needed), orientation, qualified personnel oversight, supervisor training, Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA) and Total Safety Task Instruction (TSTI), daily inspections, fall protection plans and excavation plans.
All personnel on the job site participated in an incentive plan for Weekly Safe Employee Awards and Monthly Safe Employee Awards
A total of 787,982 man-hours were expended with a schedule duration of ten (10) months. Pernix, inclusive of all subcontractors, had no Lost Time Incidents on this project,with only two recordable incidents for a rate of 0.50.
The Overseas Building Operations Safety Audit resulted in Pernix earning an excellent overall safety rating.
quote

[Pernix] has one of the best Safety Programs that I’ve seen in Iraq. The teamwork between [Safety Health Program Manager] and [Safety Manager] is reflected in the results of their Safety Inspections. There is a sense of pride and ownership when it comes to directing the workers on the day to day operations of the project. [Pernix] team displays the three key elements of Construction Safety: Training, Documentation, and Enforcement.

- OBO Safety Inspector, Jamie Hampton

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