New system launched to check building safety
70-point inspection covers all aspects of quality
Dubai: The Municipality has introduced a new 70-point e-services system to check building safety in a single inspection.
Dubai Municipality's Public Health and Safety Department recently launched a new e-services system for building permits and control to be implemented by its Building Inspection section.
Engineer Sultan Eisa Al Suwaidi, Head of the Public Safety Section, said the 70-point system covers all aspects of building safety, including air and water quality and safety of the building's facilities.
"Our water quality tests include swimming pools, cooling towers, hot and cold shower water as well as fountains and all water used for decoration purposes," he explained.
"We test water samples from all these areas once every three months for bacteria content to ensure that it is within allowed limits, and the results are entered into the new e-services system," Al Suwaidi said.
Earlier, the inspection system included separate inspections of the various elements of building safety, but now all these elements are included in one system, which saves the time and effort of municipality inspectors by simplifying procedures and reducing the number of inspection visits to just one visit, he explained.
Other elements to be inspected include elevators, emergency exits, fire systems, electrical connections, storage areas, lighting systems, guidance signs in public facilities and emergency gathering areas.
Certain fines
"We have a 70-point system, and each violation incurs certain fines according to Local Order No 11 for 2003 and the approved attached list of violations," Al Suwaidi said.
"We inspect the water systems and their periodic maintenance and test water samples regularly. If a problem is diagnosed in the swimming pool, for example, the pool would be temporary closed until the problem is treated and a new sample proves that the problem had been solved," he said.
"With regard to air quality, we have to ensure that the components of the air inside the building comply with our standards. We check for pollutants, fresh air units and their proximity to potential pollution sources, regular maintenance of ventilation and air-conditioning systems as well as filters and ventilation ducts," he said.
"We also ensure that the temperature is between 22.5 to 25 degrees Celsius and humidity is between 30 and 60 per cent," he added.
Air samples are tested for physical and chemical pollutants such as carbon monoxide and dioxide, nitrogen and sulphur oxides, organic components and bacterial contents.
Violations checklist include:
General Safety:
- None-compliance of licensed activities.
- Moving parts of lift gear for elevators are not guarded Using lift room/electric room/fire pump room/fire fighting equipment cabinets for storage of material.
- Fire exit layout sign is not provided.
- Windows/balcony door opening violations.
- Heat/smoke detectors are not provided in the rooms/corridors/outlets.
- Fire alarm and main panel violations.
- Fire extinguishers are expired/not provided.
- General maintenance of the building.
- Using the building without permission/unsafely.
- Improper ventilation and lighting violations.
- Facility for disposing gas/fumes and heat is not provided/inadequate.
- Maintenance of safety equipment.
Air Quality:
- Indoor air pollutants in concentrations higher than acceptable limits.
- Improper ventilation Indoor air quality requirements are not implemented.
- Air filters unsuitable or unclean or missing.
- Unclean ducts/Air ducts insulation enhancing micro organism growth.
- Unsuitable location of fresh air inlets (should be at least 25 feet away from potential pollution sources). Occupancy higher than recommended to keep good indoor air quality.
- Poor maintenance of A/C.
- Smoking rooms without separate air conditioning/ ventilation systems.
Water:
- Water tanks not periodically maintained/no records.
- No record for water test results.
- Violating health conditions/requirements related to water quality used inside buildings (except drinking).
- Water system cleaning and maintenance company not approved by DM.
- Water pollutants in concentrations higher than acceptable limits.
- Constructing public swimming pool without permission or getting finishing certificates.
- Life guard for swimming pool is not available.
- Instruction board at swimming pool is not provided.
- No-diving board sign is not provided.
- Test kit for testing the pool parameters is not provided/incomplete.
- Chemical levels in the pool are outside normal range.
- Chlorine pump is not provided/out of order.
- Improper storage of swimming pool chemicals.
- Swimming pool pump room ventilation violations.
- Swimming pool pump violations, such as leakage.
- Manual breathing apparatus is not provided.
- Swimming pool inlet/outlet violations.
- General cleaning violations (tiles, water clarity, sediments, floating debris, etc).
- Fencing or means of isolating the pool when not in use/kids pool railing violations.
- Depth marks around the pool not provided/inadequate.
- Saving rings and hooks are not provided.
- Shower/changing room at the pool area not provided/not operating.
- Log book for swimming pool parameters violations.
- Biological test results violations.
- Supervision/training- lifeguard violations.
