ABU DHABI // Civil defence officials have said they are unable to monitor all the capital's construction projects, leading to the widespread use of unsafe building materials,
In addition to having too few inspectors, there is no system for testing or approving building materials, officials said, meaning many developers are left to police themselves.
"There is no way that we can make sure that none of the construction projects in Abu Dhabi is using dangerous or illegal building materials, simply because the number of civil defence officials is very few compared to the number of construction projects in the emirate," said Emad al Hashemi, the head of fire safety at Abu Dhabi Civil Defence.
"Therefore, we usually contact the big developers, such as Aldar, and ask them to report any problems or violations they find."
As an example of unsafe materials, Mr Hashemi cited the highly flammable polyurethane filters that are often used in industrial air conditioners. They can be upgraded to be more fire-resistant, but developers often skip that step for cost and time reasons.
Some types of plastic pipes are potentially hazardous in fires, but are permitted for use here in limited quantities, he said. Contractors are only allowed to have as many pipes on site as they need for a day's work.
However, because it is inconvenient to go to a materials depot every day, he added, they keep large amounts on site, which could be hazardous during a fire.
The recent fire that erupted in a Reem Island skyscraper was attributed to explosive substances stored there during construction.
Freddy Lama, a mechanical engineer at NOVA Electromechanical Contracting Company, agreed that "unsafe" materials were being sold in the emirate and little was done to curb their use.
He gave the example of polyiso-cyanurate, an improvement on polyurethane also known as PIR, which is often used in air conditioning systems.
In Europe and Australia, PIR is used to insulate walls and roofs. However, because it is highly flammable, codes require it to be covered with plaster or metal.
In conventional air conditioners, Mr Lama suggested it was possible to use galvanised sheet metal to distribute the air in the place of PIR. In the US, high-density fibreglass, which does not burn and is non-toxic, is used.
"In recent years and in Dubai in particular, the smooth boards that constitute the PIR material are being used instead of the galvanised ductwork," he said in an e-mail.
Because it is much cheaper, the material has found its way into the local markets. But in the event of a fire, some of the gases released by the burning PIR are deadly, Mr Lama added.
Highly flammable building materials are illegal but their use is difficult to enforce, Mr al Hashemi said. "Those who are selling [such dangerous materials], we cannot catch them, because the market is open," he said.
Civil defence officials said materials codes would be introduced next year, based on the National Fire Protection Association 5000 building and construction code system.
"When we do inspections and catch anything, first we give them a primary warning; if it repeats we send them an official warning," Mr al Hashemi said.
"The third step is filing a report against them at the prosecution. Sometimes when the violations are very serious we file the report immediately."
In the UAE, civil defence departments are supposed to approve materials only if they are compliant with international safety standards.
The law, however, is mostly enforced during inspection campaigns usually following recurring incidents of fire in a certain area.
Dubai Civil Defence has a procedure in place to ensure that any building materials, fire safety equipment or devices comply with international standards. The emirate requires fire-resistant materials to be tested and registered.
Only products registered with civil defence are permitted.
Furthermore, material suppliers must be locally owned and registered with the Civil Defence.
Once any of the materials are installed, Civil Defence officials inspect the building and compare the supplies to the test certificate.
While negligence is often perceived as the cause of fires, Afschin Soleimani, the associate director and fire engineer at the consulting firm Ramboll, said he believed otherwise. "When it comes to the installation of safety equipment and systems or application of fireproof material, it is important to follow a prescribed procedure and that the person in charge of the application is trained in the application procedure."
A lack of knowledge about flammable chemicals in the wrong places often leads to fires as well.
"Many fires start as a result of poor housekeeping or building management," he said.
Random inspections on a daily basis, according to Mr Soleimani, would eliminate some risks.
@Email:hhassan@thenational.ae
hdajani@thenational.ae
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Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
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Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
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Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
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The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
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Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
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Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
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Name: Kumulus Water
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Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
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Premier League clubs spent £230 million (Dh1.15 billion) on January transfers, the second-highest total for the mid-season window, the Sports Business Group at Deloitte said in a report.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Hamilton $60m x 2 = $120m
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Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m
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Leclerc $20m x 2 = $40m
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england euro squad
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Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
