Sharjah building owners to pay Dh10,000 fine for neglect

Sharjah - It is the duty of the building owners to ensure that the buildings meet all safety requirements and follow the fire protection rules.

The Sharjah Municipality and civil defence department have asked the owners of residential buildings to ensure periodical maintenance of the buildings to avoid tough penalties.
At a forum organised by the municipality and the civil defence, officials said it's the duty of the building owners to ensure that the buildings meet all safety requirements and follow the fire protection rules and regulations.
The forum was held under the slogan, Building Safety is the Responsibility of All, to educate the owners of residential buildings about the importance of following safety procedure to prevent fire accidents. It was attended by 300 owners of residential, commercial and industrial buildings in the emirate.
The owners were also asked to ensure maintenance contract to provide periodical maintenance of fire safety equipment in the building premises, the violation of which will bring a fine of Dh10,000 on the owner.
"The owners are responsible to provide all kinds of maintenance inside and outside the buildings in order to ensure the safety of buildings, avoid fire accidents and fall of children from balcony, and maintain the cultural and aesthetic appearance of the city. The periodical maintenance will extend validity of the building for long years and ensure the safety of its tenants," said Yakoub Al Zarouni, director of the engineering department at the municipality.
It has been noticed that the owners of some buildings ignore maintenance requirements and force the tenants to take care of it, which is against the regulations and tenancy contracts, he said. He also pointed out that the civic body is conducting continuous inspections throughout the year, targeting the buildings located in main streets of the city with the aim of improving the facades.
"The recent inspection campaign resulted in fines and warnings being issued to buildings that required maintenance. There are cases that require issuance of a maintenance permit by the municipality to fix the damage caused by exposure to natural factors such as heat, cold or fire exposure. Permits are required for cleaning and washing façades of the building or for execution of roofing works, replacement of water pipes, repairing cracks and fall of concrete cover," he added.
Lt-Col Ibrahim Saeed Saif, director of the safety and protection division of the Sharjah Civil Defence, said that most common violations detected during the inspection were storing stuff in the electricity room or blocking the exits and stairways with furniture or other stuff.
The inspections will be continued and the owners will be obliged to bear the expense of firefighting operation and pay fines, if the building caught fire due to negligence or lack of safety and preventing procedures.
Colonel Sami Khamis Al Naqbi, Director-General of Sharjah Civil Defence, confirmed that the workshop is an achievement of the vision of the Ministry of the Interior and its strategic objectives of enhancing safety and civil protection and ensuring readiness.
Colonel Al Naqbi stressed on the importance of involving the private sector in taking responsibility for maintaining the safety of the residents.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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