Fire damage in UAE estimated at AED55 million in 2005

Speaking at the seminar at Dubai's Al Murooj Rotana Hotel, Dr. Bill Alan, Director of Fire Innovation, Leigh's Paints, UK, said: "Fire kills and causes major financial losses for both property owners and tenants. According to recent media reports, the UAE alone suffered AED55 million in fire damage in 2005. Correct fire protection saves lives and protects investments."

Passive fire protection uses intumescent coatings on steel structures as a thermal insulant which delays the time taken for the steel to reach its critical failure time.

Dr. Alan said: "When it comes to building safety, the UAE follows international standards and guidelines. Leigh's Paints is working to address the standardisation of fire testing and reporting worldwide. The difficulty of recreating fire situations in tests and analysing data in a uniform way has led to inconsistencies in the evaluation of the performance of intumescent products and the structural safety of buildings. We need greater clarity in testing to ensure products do what they say."

A majority of buildings in the Gulf use sand-based concrete, which is widely seen as fire resistant but this isn't always the case as all substrates will react to rapid heat rise in some way. Taller buildings require more steel in their construction due to its lighter weight. The increasing trend in the UAE for skyscrapers demands greater scrutiny of passive fire protection standards, AGLP and Leighs Paints UK say.

Dick Frost, Managing Director, Leigh's Paints UK, said: "Sadly, it remains a disaster-led industry when it comes to fire testing standards worldwide. However, Leigh's Paints has taken a proactive approach by subjecting its products to explosive and hydrocarbon fire tests, results of which show that Leigh's products exceed the current European standards."

The structural strength of steel decreases by as much as half at temperatures of 600 degrees Celsius. There is no global legislation that mandates structural steel assemblies undergo testing beyond the requirements of building regulators. And there is no legal requirement to test for the effect of explosions or hydrocarbon fires on protective coatings.

Leigh's Paints has been working with fellow manufacturers of intumescent coatings, the British Coatings Federation, and UK-based fire authorities to standardise its own testing of intumescent coatings for the last two years.

Philip Matthew, General Manager, Al Gurg Leigh's Paints, said.

"The use of passive fire protection in the Middle East is growing. Over the last twelve months Leigh's Paints has quoted for more than 100 projects in the UAE and Qatar."

AGLP's Passive Fire Protection seminar in Dubai welcomed more than 150 UAE-based consultants, project managers, engineers, designers and architects.

Also attending from Leigh's Paints UK were; Bob Glendenning, Senior Manager, Fire Estimation Team; and Andy Czainski, Director of International Business, and local representation from Andy Holt and Gordon Walker

Fires are either hydrocarbon or cellulosic fires. Cellulosic fires are categorised by their fuel source, which are common items such as furnishings, wall and floor coverings. Hydrocarbon fires require a fuel source such as oil or chemicals and are commonly associated with the petrochemical industry. These fires burn at higher temperatures, cause more air turbulence and are generally more aggressive.

Insulating materials such as Leigh's Firetex intumescent coatings help steel structures retain their strength for longer in a fire, giving building occupants more time to escape and allow the fire service more time to safely control a fire without endangering their own lives. Applied by airless spray, the coating works by expanding under extreme heat to form a char or foam that insulates the steel and prolongs its life by between 60 minutes and two hours.

Al Gurg Leigh's Paints manufactures protective coatings under licence from Leigh's Paints, UK, and high-quality Dulux decorative paints are manufactured under licence from ICI Paints, UK. AGLP manufactures and distributes the full range of paints under the Dulux, Leigh's, and Firetex brands.