Abu Dhabi: The threat of fatal fires to sleeping occupants will not haunt Abu Dhabi residents anymore.
Residents can now sleep soundly without worrying about fires as smoke detectors and fire alarms will be installed in new buildings and during renovations of existing structures thanks to Abu Dhabi's new International Fire Code.
"Smoke detectors will be mandatory in the sleeping quarters [bedrooms] of the buildings, apartments and hotels under the provisions of the new fire code which will come into force early this year," senior officials of the Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA) told Gulf News here in an exclusive interview.
Buildings will be required to have clearly indicated fire exits, smoke detectors, sprinkler systems and alarms that will alert occupants in emergencies, they said.
Requirements
"All these requirements currently exist, but DMA's aim is to make the rules stricter and ensure a consistent level of safety across the emirate.
"You cannot make a ‘no fire situation' in buildings because a fire can break out from a candle, a cigarette butt, a mishandled electric gadget, or any wrongdoing of an absent-minded occupant," they explained.
"But the strict implementation of new codes will reduce the number of fire accidents."
The codes are internationally accepted, said Rashid Al Hajeri, Chairman of the Department of Municipal Affairs and Chairman of the Building Codes Higher Council. They will make the design, construction and inspection process of buildings simpler, more efficient and economical, he said.
Under the new code, regular inspections will play an important role in ensuring compliance, Ahmad Shareef, Under-Secretary of DMA, said
The DMA and the Civil Defence Department will have inspection duties depending on specified responsibilities, he said. Building owners will also have the responsibility to comply with testing and inspecting equipment under the code, he added.
In Nutshell
1. Smoke detectors in bedrooms and fire alarms in all buildings to alert a fire accident.
2. Fire sprinkler protection in specific buildings (see box-2)
3. Fire resistant walls to contain fire in its place of origin.
4. Specific standards for building materials[fire resistant] to be used.
5. Inspection from the stage of construction and regular inspection to ensure maintenance of fire safety equipments and arrangements.
6. Fire safety training for occupants or employees of buildings .
7. New design will decrease cost of construction
Sprinklers
The basic guide lines on Fire sprinkler protection suggests its requirements in [with certain exceptions]:-
a) Covered Malls
b) High Rise Buildings (with an occupied floor 55 feet/16.7meter above the roadway)
c) Residential properties such as hotels or apartments, but NOT one or two family houses.
d) Generally, any other type of occupancy greater than 1115m2 (12,000 sq ft) or with 300 or more occupants]
e) Warehouses keeping hazardous materials
Rules and regulations
- Smoke detectors in bedrooms and fire alarms in all buildings to alert a fire accident.
- Fire sprinkler protection in specific buildings.
- Fire resistant walls which will contain fire in its place of origin.
- Specific standards for building materials [fire resistant] to be used.
- Inspection from the stage of construction and regular inspections to ensure maintenance of fire safety equipment and arrangements.
- Fire safety training for occupants and employees of buildings.
- New design will decrease cost of construction.
Should smoke detectors be made mandatory in every household? What else is required for the safety of residents in case of an emergency? Leave a comment by clicking on the 'Post a comment' link below.
