Dubai has embarked on a radical transformation of its landscape and infrastructure to cope with the influx of visitors and businesses looking to take advantage of the favourable and lucrative economic, social and commercial conditions in the region.

Cranes and new buildings dominate the skyline of the emirate, where a staggering 15 per cent of the largest towers to be built can be found. Indeed, once completed in 2008, the Burj Dubai is set to be the tallest in the world, dominating the skyline at a staggering 800 m or 2,625ft.
The increase in the number of high-rise buildings being built and the speed with which they are constructed does, however, raise some obvious concerns about safety and security. Our message to today's construction firms is that the impact of natural and man-made catastrophes must be considered and steps taken to ensure that comprehensive preventative measures are implemented to protect the building and any occupants.
None of us will forget the images of the Twin Towers after the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, the inability to reach those trapped, the fires that raged and the tragic consequences.
The majority of buildings are now designed to withstand earthquake and wind damage but fire – whether man-made or resulting from a natural catastrophe – still presents real and present danger to today’s skyscrapers. In fact, fire is the most significant and largest area of exposure for the modern high-rises. It is increasingly putting lives, jobs and services at risk, and can even threaten the existence of some businesses. The disruption caused can be devastating unless good fire safety and business continuity plans are in place. Insurers and the fire services play an important role in supporting fire prevention but ultimately it is the responsibility of every business to ensure they take appropriate measures.
The spate of fires in some of Dubai’s newest buildings including the Khalid Al Attar tower and the Fortune tower projects have once again raised the profile of fire and its causes and the discussions around the causes and how to implement adequate fire prevention methods on construction sites remain at the top of the agenda.

Causes of fire
Speed: The speed with which buildings are constructed in the region is a cause of particular concern. Hectic construction schedules and short completion timelines can arguably result in a large number of jobs being done simultaneously, usually by different contractors and personnel. This frequently leads to a lack of coordination in the build process with different methodologies being used and a ‘make do’ mentality.
Hence, fire prevention systems are frequently not installed during the construction process as the team focuses on getting the actual build job completed. Many construction sites do not utilise automatic fire detection systems and this results in time delays in finding and locating fires, preventing the timely extinguishing of fires. In addition, sprinkler systems are not activated until the final phases of a build; fire prevention lifts are not standard, which is of particular relevance to high-rise buildings where fire crews need access to upper levels if they are to be able to tackle a fire promptly. The result is that all too frequently fires have to be allowed to burn themselves out, increasing the scale and extent of the damage. Also, too little pressure in the risers means that the fire hoses are inadequate.
Workmanship and materials: Economic factors and the need to keep construction and development costs to a minimum, combined with the speed of construction, and inconsistency in personnel and standards of workmanship, frequently result in increased fire risks. There has been a marked increase in the use of materials with a high fire potential such as insulation materials and anti-corrosive cladding and a lack of fire-retardant sealants and fire dampers. Also building components are not fire-resistant and cables are left unsealed. In addition, materials needed for the build are typically left on site, which in itself is a considerable fire hazard.
Building design: Many high-rise buildings comprise large open areas, where fires can spread through stairwells, lift shafts and air-conditioning systems. The lack of fire compartments allows fires to spread much more easily and more rapidly.
External factors: Arson is commonplace, as site security is an issue. Frequent personnel changes and a lack of co-ordination and project management can increase the opportunity for arsonists to gain access to a site. Also, there is poor coordination with local fire services.

Preventive techniques
Ideal practices to be followed by building organisations to prevent fire and the damage it causes:
• Work closely with developers, contractors and insurers who understand the discrete and combined implications of buildings in a certain area or region, thus eliminating some of the inherent risks and ensuring that the exposures are minimised before any work commences;
• Undertake a detailed risk assessment to establish the likelihood of ignition and any specific high-risk areas, which should include an analysis of any temporary buildings or accommodation on a building site;
• Ensure compliance with building regulation. Ideally developers should ensure they work with construction firms that can demonstrate an appreciation of the prevailing building regulations in the country and can guarantee compliance with the provisions and requirements demanded. These regulations will determine the critical factors such as the materials to use and the fire safety systems required and will be dependent on such things as building location and proximity to boundaries and building height. There are other issues that need to be dealt with – organisations should be aware that insurers no longer consider compliance with building regulations as being sufficient. The UK has the Joint Code of Practice on the Protection from Fire of Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation, which allows insurers to suspend or cancel cover if they feel there are compliance breaches with the code;
• Implement the full code or part of the code in the UAE and the Middle East since this would be beneficial from a best practice standpoint;
• Ensure that a full and comprehensive fire protection and prevention strategy is defined and applied to both design and construction phases and this plan should not just be used for new builds but also for refurbishments and renovation projects;
• Consider fire safety engineering measures and implement the most effective for the building, such as compartmentalisation, fire-fighting lifts, automated fire detection systems and sprinklers. It is also crucial to test the alarms and systems in place to ensure they are functioning correctly;
• Having a fire safety officer on site will ensure that the strategy is communicated clearly to all those on the site and that the plan is implemented accurately and standards maintained;
• Keeping a record of all training given to personnel working on a site and in the building once occupied;
• Ensure that in the event of a fire, the evacuation and fire-extinguishing processes are handled promptly by professionals;
• Adequate site security to minimise the risk of arson and terrorism;
• A strict regime to govern materials and waste storage and disposal to keep the area clear and free of debris.
The design and implementation of fire detection, prevention and protection protocols will be mutually beneficial to developers, contractors and insurers alike since the final specification of the building will be of the highest possible standards. It protects revenue streams for all parties and encourages favourable terms and premiums from insurers as risk exposure is improved and loss records are favourable. This practice also creates a safe working environment for personnel and reduces the potential for claims. Projects are more likely to come in within budget and on time, if fires can be avoided and these high practice standards can also be transferred and utilised for other projects.
Based in London in the UK, the Heath Lambert Group’s expertise in, and approach to, insurance and risk management has helped it to achieve dominant positions in a number of key sectors, including construction, natural resources, utilities, private equity, fine art, property investment/management, transportation and steel. The Heath Lambert Construction division specialises in the design, marketing and servicing of construction insurance, construction reinsurance and risk management programmes all over the world.
As brokers to some of the world’s largest contractors and insurance buyers, Heath Lambert has the necessary skills to ensure that its programme placements work smoothly and effectively.