Following the huge fire that destroyed 14 warehouses in Sharjah Industrial Area No12 last Thursday, the Sharjah Civil Defence intensified its inspections in the area.

Officials discuss ways to reduce fire accidents Afkar Abdullah Concerned consultant companies were asked by the Sharjah Civil Defence to present proposals to help minimise fire accidents after witnessing a spate of such incidents in Sharjah. Officials from Sharjah Civil Defence , Specified Technologies, and International FireStop Council (IFC) held a meeting on Tuesday to explain what kind of recommended materials should be used in buildings to enhance their safety. Building fires can turn even the smallest crack around a plumbing drain or the gap between slabs and wall into a conduit for flames or deadly gases. Any in-service penetration of a fire-resistive wall or floor assembly compromises its ability to function as a passive fire barrier. If a building designer chooses a firestop product not approved by an accredited third-party testing agency or a contractor fails to install the product according to the manufacturer’s specifications, the designer or contractor could face significant liability for property damage and personal injury. Building professionals should remember to consult the local or model-building codes of the area, to investigate and to use safety sense in assessing the building codes, local customs, and industry standards prior to undertaking any project. If the project does not call for firestop safety, the building professional should raise the issue with the architect and owner. afkarali@khaleejtimes.com

The move resulted in detecting more dangerous violations by industrial establishments, believed to be the cause of the recent big fire accidents in Sharjah.

Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Director-General of Sharjah Civil Defence, said the civil defence is continuing the inspection campaigns in industrial, commercial areas to ensure they are following the safety rules and to see to it that the violators have made the required changes and improvements to minimise the fire accidents.

He explained that the inspectors first warn the violating firm to make improvement or face penalties during the second inspection based on the gravity of the violation, and in the third time the establishment would be closed down. Al Suwaidi said that the violations detected during the inspections included improper storing of goods, lack of ventilation and fire extinguishers, failure to install fire alarm and failing to conduct periodical maintenance for fire protection equipments to ensure its validity. He pointed out that the civil defence started to implement the new unified fire protection law and would issue fines ranging between Dh50 to 1000 based in the type and size of the violation.

Al Suwaidi said that the inspectors visited 8,000 establishments including factories, warehouses, workshops, labour camps, and offices. Number of industrial and commercial establishments owners said that they are contracting with fire protection companies to install fire protection equipments to avoid fire accidents. — afkarali@khaleejtimes.com