Fire Safety

Fire safety is an integrated system of design features, installations and procedures that prevent fires in a building, detect them early, limit their spread and allow safe evacuation and firefighting. It includes fire-resistant materials and compartmentation, exits and escape routes, alarm and detection systems, sprinklers and extinguishing equipment, smoke control, and periodic maintenance and training. In Saudi Arabia the framework is shared between the Saudi Building Code, specifically the Fire Protection Code (SBC 801), which must be followed in design and construction and is checked before the permit and the occupancy certificate, and the Civil Defense Law issued by Royal Decree No. (M/10) dated 10/5/1406H, which counts property owners and occupants among those relied upon for civil defense work (Art. 3) and empowers the Civil Defense Council to issue safety-condition regulations for residential buildings and establishments (Art. 9). The Implementing Regulation of the Saudi Building Code Implementation Law requires the occupancy certificate to state whether fire prevention and protection systems are provided. The Salamah portal allows establishments with commercial registrations to obtain a Civil Defense safety licence, alongside a service for submitting fire protection system reports and a directory of approved companies. In practice, the owner is responsible for maintaining alarm and extinguishing systems through approved companies and keeping exits clear. The Civil Defense Law punishes breaches of its provisions and regulations with up to six months' imprisonment or a fine of up to SAR 30,000 or both, and removing or disabling any equipment or sign installed for civil defense purposes with a fine of up to SAR 50,000. More important than the fine, poor fire safety creates civil and criminal liability and affects insurance claims when an incident occurs.