Post on 24-Oct-2014
UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice
Jim Bychowski, P.E.
Aon Risk Solutions Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering
Presentation to IOSH UAE
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
2
Introduction
• Aon FPE – Fire Protection Engineering and Life Safety Consulting
– Security Consulting
– Certified House of Expertise in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
– Local company is Schirmer Safety Consultants
• Jim Bychowski – US registered Fire Protection and Safety Engineer
– 24 years US
– 6 years UAE
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
3
Introduction
• Purpose – Introduce New UAE Code – Home Grown Code – Used by Civil Defense
• Objective – Application – Relation to Past Codes and Referenced Standards – Major Content
• Not Covered – Detailed Requirements
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
4
The Best and the Biggest • Dubai’s Mantra
– The biggest
– Never done before
– Amazing projects
• World’s Talent – Planners
– Architects
– Engineers
– Consultants
– Constructors
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
5
Past UAE Process • Pick a code
• Pick your standards
• Package for Civil Defense approval – Fire Strategy
• Adjust based on reviewing engineer’s preferences
• Apply UAE Fire Code – After Translation and
Interpretation!
– Sometimes
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
6
Previously Applied Codes and Standards • National Codes and Model
Codes – Building Code of Australia – German Building Code – NFPA 5000 – International Building Code
(IBC)
• Design Standards – British Standards – NFPA Standards
• Civil Defense Requirements
– UAE Fire Code (Arabic) – GCC Fire Code (Arabic) – Unwritten Requirements
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
7
Conflicts and Uncertainty
• Architect’s code preferences
• Engineer’s design standard preferences
• Civil Defense application of UAE Fire Code, GCC Fire Code or NFPA Life Safety Code
• Civil Defense interpretation
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
8
Time to Breathe – Time to Create • Dubai Civil Defense
– Realized need for publishing guideline for fire safety in 2007
– Had established “House of Expertise” program – Established committee to develop guideline
• Goal to create code based on past experiences – Reduce losses by minimizing most common fire
and life safety issues – Address construction and fire protection
systems that are most critical or need extra attention to get installed properly.
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
9
Where to start • Write proprietary guidelines? • Adopt model code and modify? • Existing codes and standards that fit Middle East
needs?
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
10
UAE Fire and Life Safety Code • UAE Fire Code
vs. Dubai Fire Code
• Uses NFPA standards and British standards
• Consensus Code • Review and
input by: – Civil Defense – HOEs – Fire equipment
manufacturers – NFPA, BSI and
ISO
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
11
UAE Fire and Life Safety Code
• Published by UAE Ministry of Interior
• Adopted by all Emirates
• Adopted July 2011
• Effective date for all new construction October 2011
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
12
Components
• Draws from widely accepted sections of International Codes and Standards – Height and area limitations similar to NFPA 5000 –
Building Construction and Safety Code – Means of egress requirements drawn from NFPA 101 –
Life Safety Code – High-rise smoke-proof stair requirements from IBC
(Pressurization method) – Fire brigade access requirements from Civil Defense
• Many familiar fire and life safety diagrams, tables and passages….
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
13
Application • Required for use on all new
UAE projects
• Primary Fire and Life Safety Code
• Used in conjunction with building code
• Over-rides Fire and Life Safety requirements of building code
• Defaults to NFPA 101 (Not building code provisions) where elements not covered by UAE code
• Replaces all previous Civil Defense rules and Fire Codes
• “Minimum” requirements as with all codes.
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
14
Review and Amendment
• Civil Defense Fire Code Council (CDFCC) – Responsible for review, evaluation and administration of code
• Executive Director (Director General Civil Defence) – Gen. Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi • Chairman (Director, Fire Safety & Prevention Section, Civil Defense) – Major Jamal Ahmed Ibrahim • Members from industry – Fire protection systems, fire fighting
operations and fire fighting, and life safety experienced
– CDFCC may consult with any group or members affected by code
– May resolve to amend the code at any time by making a recommendation to the Board of Directors of Civil Defense.
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
15
Distribution
• Format: Hard and soft copy – AED 3,000
• Purchased from Civil Defense – Dubai or Abu Dhabi
• Each copy registered with Civil Defense to qualified firms
• Soft copy protected
– No printing or extraction of data
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
16
Contents • 18 Chapters (724 pages)
– Most popular search topics (Alpha - linked) P. 4
– 22 page TOC (Fully Linked) PP. 5 - 27
• Ch. 1 Construction and Fire Compartmentalization
• Ch. 2 Fire Service Vehicle and Personnel Accessibility
• Ch. 3 Means of Egress
• Ch. 4 Portable Fire Extinguishers
• Ch. 5 Exit Signs
• Ch. 6 Emergency and Exit Lighting
• Ch. 7 Emergency Voice Evacuation and Communication System
• Ch. 8 Fire Detection and Alarm System
• Ch. 9 Fire Protection System
• Ch. 10 Mechanical Ventilation and Smoke Control Systems
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
17
Contents (cont.) • Ch. 11 Fire Safety Guideline for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Installations
• Ch. 12 Fire and Safety Codes During Construction and Maintenance
• Ch. 13 Fire Safety Requirement for Multi-Tenant (Terrace Type) Warehouse and Factories
• Ch. 14 Substation Requirements
• Ch. 15 Accessibility Guidelines for Disabled
• Ch. 16 Specification for Life Safety Alarm Monitoring
• Ch. 17 Guidelines for Conducting Risk Assessment (RA) Studies
• Ch. 18 Requirements for Submission of Drawings
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
18
Miscellaneous Items
• Code often requires “Approved” materials or personnel, however “Approved” is not defined in most areas – Approved fire stop system
– Approved engineer
• Detailed Means of Egress Chapter with many graphical examples
• Chapter 9 – Details location and selection of fire protection systems for various occupancies. Pulls in a lot of information from NFPA design standards and diagrams on arrangement of pumps and risers.
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
19
Miscellaneous Items
• Accessibility Guidelines – Requires compliance with Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and ANSI A117.1 – Exempt sites, buildings facilities and elements are
listed.
• Risk Assessments – Ch 17 – Performed using various hazard assessment
methods prescribed
– Performed for all special hazards indicated in table 9.7 to determine appropriate protection.
Aon Risk Solutions | Global Risk Consulting | Fire Protection Engineering 15 December 2011
20
Questions?