Dubai, UAE, 23 January 2018: UL led a workshop on fire safety for officials from the Egyptian Fire Protection Association and the US-based National Fire Protection Association, discussing new technologies and the challenges facing today’s firefighters, the firm said through a Press communiqué.

During the course of the one-day workshop, the communiqué said, UL representatives met with high-ranking officials from across Egypt to discuss the latest generation of fire safety technologies available in the market, recent changes to the rules and regulations surrounding the use of new technologies, and best practices employed by fire safety companies and civil defence departments around the world.

The representatives from UL also discussed the importance of carefully regulated standards and codes pertaining to fire safety and fire safety equipment.

In response to blazes that have affected high-rise residential buildings in the GCC region in recent years, the officials from UL spoke about developments to improve the safety rating of façade cladding used on multi-story towers in the region, the communiqué said.

UL officials also spoke on the issue of counterfeit fire safety equipment making its way to the market, before highlighting the need for proper and rigorous certification of all goods and equipment to help ensure their authenticity and effectiveness.

Drew Azzara, NFPA’s Executive Director of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, said: “Workshops are an important means of sharing and expanding knowledge of fire safety issues. Regulations are constantly updated, either in response to incidents or to help prevent fires, so it is important to keep abreast of best practices and techniques used around the region and beyond. Civil defence officials from across Egypt benefited by being able to take part in detailed discussions and seminars as well as being able to meet and talk with experts from UL and NFPA.