Beach-goers asked to follow safety standards during Eid

By PMA  RASHEED 

15 Nov 2010, The Gulf Today

THE civic body in Dubai has alerted beach-goers during the Eid Al Adha days to adhere to safety measures so as to avoid disasters while celebrating the occasion.

This is in view of the significant increase in the number of visitors to the city’s open beaches, especially during the weekends, since the beginning of winter in November.

The authorities are equipped to ensure protection of the heavy turn out of beach-goers, especially those who come for swimming and relaxation, during the Eid holidays.

The Dubai Municipality (DM) on Sunday has called upon swimming enthusiasts to avoid swimming after sunset or in unstable weather conditions.

Alya AbdulRahim Al Harmoudi, head of the Coastal Zone and Waterways Management Section at the DM, advised swimmers to stay away from dipping near the breaking waves or rock barriers due to the strong currents near these areas in the season.

“All beach-goers should properly plan their trips, checking out the status of the sea or weather forecasts,” she said.

She suggested the public check the DM’s coastal zone monitoring web portal www.dubaicoast.ae, which displays real-time data on the status of the sea and meteorology, as well as aerial snapshots that show the developments in public beaches.

Al Harmoudi asked families and youth groups to abide by the conditions for swimming only in designated areas and to not go out further.

“In many of the open beaches, areas for swimming have been identified through floating buoys and ropes,” she noted.

“The visitors should also preserve the coastal environment and not leave garbage and leftovers of food on the beaches. DM has provided waste containers at all public beaches,” she added.

The Municipality recently set up about 50 new safety information signboards at different beach sites across the emirate, in order to enhance the procedures to better safeguard the lives of thousands of holidaymakers.

According to Al Harmoudi, the signboards educate beach-visitors of different nationalities and of different age groups about the methods of using the public beach and the safety measures to be taken.

“The umbrella-shaped signboards, designed to match with the coastal environment, have been put up in popular beaches including Al Mamzar Creek, Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim, Al Sufouh and Dubai Marina,” she elaborated.

She pointed out, “The instructions clearly mention banned practices such as barbecuing, smoking shisha, lighting fires, overnight camping and taking animals to beaches.”

“This is to protect the coastal environment from pollution and to not disturb people who visit the beach with the aim of recreation or peace of mind,” she added.

(Pic by Nisham Manaf)

Municipality cooks LPG safety lessons for families

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 21 June 2010

The Dubai Municipality is all set to launch a comprehensive awareness campaign, covering all families with lessons on the safe usage of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders at villas and apartments.

The immediate spark for the fresh safety campaign is said to be an explosion allegedly due to cooking gas leakage in a Mirdiff villa, endangering the lives of four teenage girls, who were admitted to Rashid Hospital in serious conditions, sources revealed. 

“Tens of thousands of awareness materials will be distributed at doorsteps by officers from the municipality’s building inspection, public health and safety sections as well as staff from the waste management department,” said the DM source.

According to him, the DM had just completed a safety campaign targeting LPG cylinder distribution agencies, eventually taking punitive actions against about 43 errant establishments for breaching safety regulations.

He said, “The LPG safety inspections are currently being carried out at restaurants and cafeterias in the city, while all the LPG distributors will be again called by the DM for another safety seminar soon.”

Sultan Essa Al Suwaidi, Head of the Public Safety Section in the Public Health and Safety Department of the DM, said that gas leakage is the result of improper flow of the gas from valves, hoses and fittings of the LPG cylinders.

“The establishments that supply and install LPG cylinders should ensure easy and effective maintenance, provided with full security to prevent accidents,” he added.

He gave safety tips to the residential users to avoid incidents of LPG cylinder explosions, “There is a set of safety procedures to avoid gas cylinder blast incidents. The conditions include not opening or closing the gas valve violently and not using devices like hammer for opening and closing the valve.”

“Using lighters and match boxes at gas cylinder storages should be avoided, while checking a gas leak, instead water and soap solutions should be applied to ensure leakages. It’s also advised not to risk life by trying to transfer gas from one cylinder to another as it may lead to a blast,” advised Al Suwaidi.

He said that using a cylinder for purposes like climbing on it to reach a high place or putting so many things over is also restricted. The customers should ensure that there is no flame or open fire while changing the gas cylinders.

“It should also be made sure that there is no flame or any other source of spark while replacing the gas cylinder. Children are prohibited from playing with the cylinder even if it’s empty,” he noted.

“It’s recommended to avoid placing gas cylinders inside the kitchen, instead it could be preferably placed in the balcony. Ensure that both the gas cylinder and the gas cooker valves are closed prior to leaving the house,” pointed out Al Suwaidi.

“The hose connecting cylinder and stove shall be regularly checked for damage that may happen due to exposure to heat and weather conditions. Such hoses with defects must be replaced immediately with standard ones, while attempts to repair them using tape or adhesive material are not entertained,” he explained.

“The hose should not be too long or too short, as long ones may get tangled around the gas cooker or cylinder, while short ones may slip out either from the gas cooker or the cylinder,” he added.

43 gas distributors punished for violations

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 18 June 2010

Strict punitive measures have been taken against 43 cooking gas distributing establishments in different areas of Dubai for violating safety norms in dealing with gas cylinders and endangering lives of the public.

The gas agencies were found not adhering to the public health security requirements and regulations to prevent disasters, during a safety inspection drive carried out by the Dubai Municipality (DM) inspectors in about 144 gas distribution companies, according to an official.

Sultan Essa Al Suwaidi, the head of the Public Safety Section in the Public Health and Safety Department of the DM, said that each of the errant gas distributors was imposed a fine of Dhs1,800 for not complying with the conditions implemented by the civic body.

“The establishments that supply and install cooking gas cylinders in the emirate should ensure easy and effective maintenance operations, and provide full security to prevent incidence of leakage,” he added.

“The regulations also enforce on provision of dedicated storage facility for gas cylinders made of non-flammable materials, storing cylinders in an upright position all the time inside the devoted cabinets and not storing any other materials within the place dedicated to keeping gas cylinders,” pointed out Al Suwaidi.

According to him, the gas distribution establishments should provide valid and appropriate fire-fighting facilities in their gas cylinder storage areas.

He added, “They should carry out periodic maintenance of all parts and connections of gas lines and document them in the records, and follow safety and security measures in transporting the cylinders for delivery to the customers.”

Al Suwaidi said that using lighters and match boxes at gas cylinder storages should be avoided, while checking a gas leak, instead water and soap can only be used to make sure about such incidents.

“The gas used for cooking purposes is a petroleum product, which is composed of a mixture of butane and propane and this mixture does not have a smell. But for the safety of users, a material with a strong smell is added so that it is easy to find out if there is a leak,” he noted.

He advised, “There is a set of safety procedures to avoid gas cylinder blast incidents. The conditions include not opening or closing the gas valve violently, and not using devices like hammer for opening and closing the valve.”

“Transfer of gas from one cylinder to the another also must not be allowed, as it could lead to explosion and endanger life. Using a cylinder for any other purpose such as climbing on it to reach a high place or putting so many things over it is also restricted. The customers should ensure that there is no flame or open fire while changing the gas cylinders,” he elaborated. 

“It should be made sure while using the gas, that there is no leakage by using water and soap foam. Using flame or match stick to make sure there is a leak is not entertained as it may threaten the lives of users and others. It’s also recommended to avoid putting gas cylinders inside the kitchen, instead it could be preferably placed in the balcony,” explained Al Suwaidi.

Safety sanction needed for Ramadan tents

BY PMA RASHEED
The Gulf Today, 20 Aug 2009

All tents erected in Dubai for serving Ifthar parties to the believers during the Holy month of Ramadan require safety inspection and approval by the authorities.
The tents can be erected only after obtaining a license from the Dubai Municipality (DM). The planning department of the civic body, along with the Civil Defense Department in Dubai, has sketched a set of safety measures and conditions to be followed by those who want to build Ramadan tents.
The municipality has urged all organisations, companies or individuals to apply for the license to set up a Ramadan tent, so the Civil Defence Department officials can inspect and ensure their safety aspects and precautionary measures.
“The Civil Defence Dept will give a safety approval on complying with safety regulations, followed by a temporary Ramadan permit issued by DM's Planning Department,” said a senior DM official.
Dawood Al Hajeri, Director of the Planning Department at DM, said, “As the running of Ramadan tents without the authorities’ approval illegal, the tent operators will be subject to the stringent penal actions, including prosecution in the events of fire or any other accident.”
“The safety requirements have been drafted in order to protect the life and property from fire hazards during the Holy Month. The regulations vary depending on the type and size of the tents as well as the material used and purpose. The tents should have sufficient space, width and height for the convenience of visitors,” he added.
According to him, the interior fabric of the tents should be sprayed with flame-resistant liquid, and a four metres distance must keep from other Ramadan tents or buildings.
“Air conditioners should arrange 1.5 metres away from the tent, and a hose to pump cooled air into the tent should fix. The safety regulations included fire extinguishers at clear and visible locations in the tent, more than one exit and a clear passage in case of an evacuation,” pointed out Al Hajeri.
Companies that erect tents have to keep all possibilities in mind, and be aware of the fact that accidents can happen.
Dubai Municipality has issued circulars to all establishments reminding them about the regulations in Ramadan tents and urging them to seek proper permission.
“We already have a lot of people who approached us enquiring about the procedures,” said Hajeri.