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LIFE SAFETY STRATEGY AND PLANS

Every structure must be planned, built, furnished, maintained, and managed in such a way that it has appropriate exits to prevent unnecessary danger to residents' lives and safety from fire, smoke, fumes, or panic during the escape period. Annunciation, announcements, and voice guided/aided systems may be necessary in high occupancy locations to point occupants toward safe egress routes, zones of comparative safety, or exits and prevent panic in an emergency.

Life Safety primarily includes information concerning General Exit requirements, Arrangement of Exits, Number of Exits, Number of Exits, Doorways, Corridors/Passage ways, Horizontal Exits, Internal Staircases, External Staircases, Pressurization of escape routes, Ramps, Refuge Area, Fire Lifts/Fire Tower, Emergency escape lighting/ Illumination, Fire detection and Warning.

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FIRE SAFETY - IMPORTANCE

The growing frequency of fire accidents nowadays makes fire safety a problem as high rise building development increases, new smart cities are planned, and new industrial zones are developed. In order to lower the likelihood of fire accidents and loss, fire safety becomes extremely vital and necessitates proper procedures. Major fire accidents are caused by inadequate planning of the buildings and commercial areas, a lack of an evacuation plan, and inadequate monitoring of fire protection systems. These accidents could have been prevented by simply adhering to the rules and regulations already in place and by timely auditing such systems.

Following the safety precautions and adhering to the national construction code will help prevent catastrophic fire accidents. Although it is not practical to achieve complete fire safety, most fires may be avoided. Preventing fire is the most secure way to handle it.

An efficient technique to determine whether a building's fire safety systems are in place and compliant with the National Building Code of India, which expressly emphasizes the importance of fire prevention, fire protection, and life safety measures, is to conduct a fire safety audit. To reduce the risk of property loss and human life being lost to fire, the code provides occupancy-specific classifications and protection elements.

How To Prevent Fire

It is possible to prevent fire in a structure, place of employment, or commercial complex, as well as the loss of precious lives and damage to materials, by

Designing fire-resistant buildings in accordance with necessary safety guidelines and pertinent requirements.

The residents receive monthly education on fire safety and evacuation procedures.

Keep combustible materials and sources of ignition far away from each other and in designated areas.

Maintain a clean home at all times, for instance, by preventing the accumulation of trash that could fire.

Make sure heaters cannot be pushed over as one way to prevent accidental fires.

Think about ways to quickly identify fires and alert people, such as by adding smoke and fire alarms or warning bells.

Install the necessary firefighting tools to put out fires rapidly.

Keep escape routes and fire exits well-marked and clear at all times.

Make sure your staff members are properly trained on the protocols they must adhere to, including fire drills.

Maintaining routine fire safety procedures. Conduct a fire risk analysis and keep it current.

Employers must make sure that adequate and appropriate fire safety measures are in place to reduce the risk of harm or loss of life in the event of a fire based on the assessment's findings.

Regularly review and revise your risk assessment.

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Documents Required for Façade DCD Approvals

Documents Required for Façade DCD Approvals

A façade DCD approval is a document that is required to construct or alter the façade of a building. This document must be obtained from the Department of City Planning before any work can begin.

The purpose of the façade DCD approval is to ensure that the proposed changes to the façade will not adversely affect the appearance of the building or its surroundings. The department will consider the size, height, and location of the proposed changes when making its decision.

What are the drawing submission requirements?

Façade, Cladding, curtain wall & roofing proposals and drawings shall be in accordance with the following:

➢ Authorized Applicant - Submissions of Façade, Cladding, Curtain Wall, and Roofing to Civil Defence may only be made through a House of Expertise approved by Civil Defence OR the Main Consultant OR the Façade Consultant with certified employees.

Understanding the requirements of the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice, material test requirements, Civil Defence registration of contractors and suppliers, and the report submission format is the responsibility of the House of Expertise or Main Consultant OR Façade Consultant.

➢ Format of the Report - Reports must generally adhere to the following structure.

a. PDF files are required for all reports.

b. It is the duty of the applicants to produce soft copies of the required formats and also follow the submission format.

c. It is the obligation of the applicants to present error-free pdf files so that the Civil Defence "watermark" can be seamlessly placed into the pdf files.

d. A cover page, one page long, in accordance with required Cover page format and example.

e. Stamped undertaking declarations from each party engaged, one page in length as per given Table. It is then followed by their civil defence valid certificate and a maximum of five pages, as indicated in the sample. The maximum length for an engineering review and assessment is three pages, as per the given format and table. Non-compliance must be made apparent in the evaluation.

g. Sectional schematics must be of 3 pages in the required format. Schematics must show the precise design and site circumstances. It must include labels that clearly identify the parts, measurements, and materials.

h. A report on the inspection can be of a maximum of 3 pages, as per the given format and table.

➢ Un Acceptable Format

Reports that don't adhere to the required format and table won't be reviewed and won't be accepted.

Reports from sources other than the houses of expertise designated by Civil Defense are not accepted.

Product catalogs and brochures ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.

A generalized technical explanation of how and why fire spreads are NOT appropriate.

DON'T provide Test standardized methods and information.

Must Not submit without the appropriate stamps and signatures as given in the format.

AVOID including pointless and needless attachments.

Reports for projects where suppliers are not registered with Civil Defence should not be submitted. Getting suppliers to contact Civil Defence for their registration is mostly the duty of consultants and contractors.

Effective reports that do not point out non-compliances are not acceptable.

Reports justifying non-compliant roofing & cladding must not be submitted.

➢ Declarations Of Stamped Undertaking - Each party involved in the project must provide the following undertaking statements.

Format and example of an undertaking letter (1 page) from a house of expertise, main consultant, or façade consultant.

Main consultant undertaking letter format and sample (1 page).

Main Contractor Undertaking Letter Format and Sample.

Sample and format of an undertaking letter from an ACP/MCM/SOLID METAL/PEWFS/GRC panel supplier.

EIFS/ETICS Supplier Undertaking Letter Format and Sample (1 page)

Format and example of an undertaking letter from a natural stone supplier (1 page).

Firestopping system Supplier undertaking letter type and sample (1 page).

Insulation material supplier undertaking letter type and sample (1 page).

Format and example of an undertaking letter from a roofing panel supplier (1 page).

Format and example of an undertaking letter from a roofing panel (glazing) supplier (1 page).

Tips for getting your façade DCD approval quickly

Make sure you have all the required documents: Before you start the approval process, make sure you have gathered all the required documents, including plans, drawings, and any other supporting materials.

Know the requirements: Familiarize yourself with the requirements for façade dcd approval so that you can be prepared to submit everything that is needed.

Submit everything in a timely manner: Be sure to submit all required documentation in a timely manner so that your application can be processed as quickly as possible.

Follow-up: Once you have submitted your application, follow up with the appropriate office to ensure that everything is moving forward and that there are no delays.

The process of getting façade DCD approval can be a bit daunting, but don’t worry – we, the Xeluxe Fire Safety Consultants, are here to help. It is doable if you have all the required documents. Make sure to submit all the necessary paperwork and don't forget to include any relevant supporting documentation. Once you have everything in order, the approval process should go smoothly. Xeluxe has been involved in many projects & the General Directorate of Civil Defense in Dubai has certified and given permission to function as a "House of Expertise" (Fire Safety Consultant) through our sister firm Agura Consultants.