Safe building design and fire prevention in focus at Safety Design in Buildings Conference in Muscat

Intersec supports GCC-wide programme designed to heighten awareness of importance of safety design

Safety in building design, strengthening systems of fire safety, current building codes and the prevalent standards of building safety will be in focus at the upcoming Safety Design in Buildings Conference being held in Muscat on Wednesday, December 4th.

Organised by Sesam Business Consultants, the conference is supported by Intersec - the Middle East's international trade fair and conference for security, safety and fire protection. The conference forms part of a GCC-wide initiative to discuss safety and security in buildings in the region as well as to promote a dialogue between regional industry professionals and international experts.

“The need for stringent implementation of building codes and the importance of exacting safety standards in the region has been brought into sharp focus by the series of accidents that have recently occurred at buildings and construction sites across the region,” said Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Epoc Messe Frankfurt, organiser of Intersec. “Conferences such as this play a significant role in encouraging discussion of the current needs and requirements of the industry. They also promote awareness of the latest safety measures and standards in the global industry.

“As the leading regional trade gathering for security, fire protection and safety, Intersec has played, and will continue to do so, an instrumental role in promoting the adoption of the latest building safety measures across the Middle East,” Pauwels added.

The half-day conference features a high-powered panel of international safety and design experts and is supported by the American Institute of Architects Middle East, the Society of Façade Engineering (SFE), and the Chartered Institute of Buildings (CIOB). The conference targets architects, engineers, regulators and related professionals of the construction and contracting industry.

On the conference programme are presentations and panel discussions on: Principles of Testing, Certification, Fire-Resistance and Fire Reaction and a demonstration of a full scale Facade Fire Test; Architectural Openings, Codes & Standards - The Missing Link; Fire Safety – Strategy, Design, Specification, Construction and Facilities Management; Stepping up Fire Prevention and Safety Planning in the GCC; The Case for Third Party Fire Protection Review in the GCC; Life Safety - Engineering Means of Egress; Safety Designing of Mosques and The Next Level of Safety Specification.

The Muscat leg of the conference, which is being held at the Crowne Plaza, Muscat on Wednesday, is the latest in a GCC-wide series. Earlier legs have been conducted in  Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Manama, Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuwait. The series will culminate in January 2014 with the largest conference under its umbrella taking place on the sidelines of Intersec.