Businesses fined for breaching fire-safety rules

Lt Col Hassan bin Sullam, director of UAQ Civil Defence, said inspectors have visited 1,180 establishments in the emirate.

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UMM AL QUWAIN // More than 50 factories and shops have been warned or fined since the start of the year for failure to comply with fire-safety rules.

Lt Col Hassan bin Sullam, the director of UAQ Civil Defence, said inspectors had visited 1,180 businesses in the emirate.

“Establishments found with fire-safety lapses are warned to rectify their irregularities in a specified time,” he said. “Failure to do so results in a monetary fine and possible closure of the establishment until the irregularities are rectified.”

He said the main offence in factories was inadequate storage of chemicals and flammable materials, leaking fire-safety equipment and a lack of maintenance of it, insufficient emergency exits and modifications made to buildings without proper approval from the authorities.

In addition to inspections, civil-defence teams also offer fire-safety-awareness campaigns to teach residents how to react in case of fire and other emergencies, and how to use fire extinguishers and safety equipment.

“Residents are first being taught how to prevent fires, then how to deal with a fire, such as trying to put out the blaze or evacuations from buildings,” said Lt Col bin Sullam.

He said the department required at least 5 per cent of workers in every factory to have fire-safety training.

ykakande@thenational.ae