A Year of Impact for Dubai Fire Safety

January 28, 2025

Ahmed Yousry, Senior Associate, Business Development, the Emirates Safety Laboratory (ESL) analyses the Dubai’s 2024 Fire Safety Standards—A milestone in urban safety and sustainability

In January 2024, Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) introduced groundbreaking fire safety standards that have not only set a global benchmark for safety, sustainability, and urban resilience but also significantly elevated the importance of fire safety in urban development. These regulations were a bold and timely response to critical challenges, ranging from non-compliant installations to unreliable certifications, that previously hindered the safety and growth of the city’s built environment.

Over the past year, the new standards have transformed Dubai’s fire safety landscape and positioned the city as a leader in urban resilience. Key innovations, such as the introduction of DXB-Specific Certificates of Conformity (CoCs) and enhanced verification protocols, have ensured that every product, material, and system used in construction meet stringent safety requirements.

Emirates Safety Laboratory (ESL) has been pivotal in this transformation, serving as the exclusive certifying body and a trusted partner for compliance and safety. From testing and certifying fire-rated doors and cladding systems to providing innovative solutions like wireless mesh fire alarm systems for retrofitting older homes, ESL has consistently ensured the highest levels of compliance and safety across the Emirate, instilling a sense of reassurance and confidence in the city’s safety measures.

The impact has been profound. Thousands of new CoCs and verification certificates issued by ESL have revolutionised the way safety is implemented and enforced in Dubai. Compliance has reached unprecedented levels, and lives have been saved through faster evacuations and enhanced fire protection measures.

Looking ahead, the article explores how ESL plans to expand its services further, introducing new certification schemes to elevate professional standards and ensure that all stakeholders in Dubai’s fire safety ecosystem are equipped to meet the challenges of tomorrow. These future plans not only mark a significant step towards realizing Dubai’s vision of becoming one of the safest cities in the world but also instill a sense of anticipation and hope for the continuous improvement of fire safety standards.

Why These Safety Standards Matter

Prior to 2024, Dubai faced several critical challenges that risked the safety of its growing urban landscape:

Non-compliant installations: Fire-rated doors, cladding, and roofing systems were approved without proper testing to UAE standards, leading to gaps in safety compliance.

Inadequate retrofitting solutions: Thousands of older homes lacked affordable and reliable smoke and heat detection systems.

Product misrepresentation: Counterfeit components, including fire pumps, failed to meet performance requirements, posing significant risks to lives and properties. Introducing the new fire safety standards has effectively addressed this issue, ensuring that only genuine, high-quality products that meet the stringent performance requirements are allowed into the market, thereby enhancing safety and reducing the risk of fire incidents.

Unreliable certifications: Global bodies’ certificates of Conformity (CoCs) often bypassed Dubai-specific fire code requirements, allowing non-compliant products into the market.

These issues necessitated a bold, collaborative approach to reform fire safety standards and ensure Dubai’s urban resilience.

The Role of ESL in Implementing Dubai’s New Fire Safety Standards

As the exclusive issuer of DXB-Specific Certificates of Conformity (CoCs), ESL has played a central role in addressing these challenges:

Comprehensive product testing: Fire-rated doors, cladding, roofing systems, and ducts must now meet DXB-specific standards through rigorous testing at ESL facilities.

Enhanced verification protocols: All fire pumps undergo onsite verification testing and witnessing on a project basis, ensuring compliance before approval by DCD inspectors.

Innovative retrofitting solutions: ESL introduced cost-effective wireless mesh fire alarm systems, enabling homeowners to upgrade safety in villas and older homes without extensive rewiring.

In 2024, ESL issued: Over 1,494 DXB-Specific CoCs for various fire safety products were issued by ESL and achieved product registration with DCD.

369 major construction projects completion in Dubai verified by ESL for the proper fire pump installations.

11 new product certifications for wireless mesh fire detection and alarm systems intended for use in private and commercial villas in Dubai issued and it is estimated more than 220,000 villas upgraded to meet the new fire safety requirements.

Multiple tests were conducted in ESL Facility and/or subcontracted under ESL supervision for Fire Doors, Ducts, Cladding, Facades Systems, Exterior Walls and Roofing system.

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