Installation of fire-rated aluminium cladding panels are crucial for building safety and can help save lives and reduce damage to civil structures when fire breaks out. The UAE’s major metropolises such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah have a very high concentration of high-rises and a large number of them are fitted mostly with non-fire rated aluminium cladding that needs to be retrofitted with fire-rated ones.
While it is heartening to know that Dubai Civil Defence is reviewing national fire safety code, in which fire-rated aluminium cladding panels are expected to be made mandatory in the future, the question remains for the existing towers where non-fire rated claddings still pose a threat.
A senior Dubai Civil Defence official recently ruled out the possibility of forcing owners to remove non-fire rated cladding panels from their buildings. While retro fitting buildings with fire-rated cladding means additional cost burden for building owners, it cannot be costlier than the lives of thousands who live and work in these structures. Retro-fitting these non-fire rated materials with fire-rated ones could reduce risks significantly. However, there are other safety aspects that could be added to the new guidelines, such as faster evacuation, exits and enhancements in sprinkler systems, among others. Safety and the lives of inhabitants are of paramount importance. People’s lives should not be short-changed for money. Government authorities should not only look at the interest of contractors and building owners. Public safety should far outweigh commercial interests.
