In recent memory, the Middle East has, unfortunately, witnessed a series of fire incidents in a range of settings. As the number of high-rise towers and urban developments grow, complacence or ignorance is no longer an option. While there has been an appreciable check on the casualties due to the swift response from Civil Defence authorities, property loss and the wreckage of buildings remains a serious and significant cause of concern
The issues facing the industry are the obvious absence of awareness of the dangers of using substandard, untested, fake cables which do not meet the required standards. The use of substandard wires is the single largest cause of fire in buildings. One research agency source puts it that between 2011 and 2013, almost 22 per cent of all fires in Dubai were deemed to be caused by electrical sparks
Installation of the correct cables is the responsibility of the professional electrical contractor who must be fully aware of the types of approved cables that meet building requirements.
To address this awareness gap, Ducab, the UAE-based leading manufacturer of high-quality cables and cabling products, in association with the UAE Civil Defence, launched an educational awareness initiative titled PowerOverFire to educate professionals and organisations on the importance of using standards-compliant electrical wiring.
PowerOverFire is a mobile roadshow in a custom-branded 40-foot shipping container with fire performance cables display and training unit that travels the country to distribute information to general public, traders and retailers in the electrical product supply chain. The truck presents a modern and interactive activity centre which features interactive touch-screen kiosks and a classroom for seminars to raise fire safety awareness. A staggering 93% of visitors across UAE said that they would immediately check their homes or offices using the Civil Defense checklists to ensure optimal fire safety.
While educating the masses and spreading awareness is one step towards fire safety, quality of Ducab products are ensured through aggressive testing. At Ducab rigorous fire tests are conducted on Ducab FlamBICC series of Fire Performance cables, which are carried out for a period of up to three hours at temperatures of 950 degrees Celsius and involve assessment of resistance to fire, water, and mechanical shock as would be experienced in a Real Fire situation. As a result, Ducab’s FlamBICC series is a certified range of low-smoke and halogen-free cables, having been proven to perform and operate during time frame fire conditions. The Ducab FlamBICC range is third-party certified by The Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) UK, and BASEC which ensures that the range meets International fire and safety standards.
As the region continues to grow and develop, with an increasing number of high rise towers dotting the skyline, it is only fitting to emphasize fire safety and ensure adherence to standards and requirements at all levels of the construction industry.
Ducab’s PowerOverFire campaign is taking this message physically to the industry across the region electrical products and accessories need to be chosen for quality; reliability and endurance to International standards.
For more information, go to www.ducab.com
