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Dubai / WAM
Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Dubai Municipality, issued a circular requiring all buildings and shopping centres to provide adequate safety requirements that would ensure public safety, especially for children.
Khalid Mohammed Sharif, Assistant Director-General for Environment, Health and Safety Sector, explained that the municipality is keen on achieving strategic objectives of safety while ensuring the safety of the community and reducing risks due to lack of safety requirements on escalators.
The circular, issued according to Local Order No. 11 of 2003 and its executive regulation, obliges all those who are in charge of buildings, shopping centres and markets to provide all safety requirements that guarantee protection from risk.
The circular emphasised the need to protect children from the risk of accidents that may be caused due to lack of adequate safety requirements on escalators, he added. The escalators could be secured by installing a cover to protect the upper conveyor belt and providing protection at the conveyor belt’s starting area to stop children from clinging on to the escalators, climbing on them or getting their clothes stuck in them, leading to accidents and risks.
The circular also pointed out that all elevators, escalators and moving passageways must have a certificate of examination and compliance with the safety requirements of a company accredited by the Emirates International Accreditation Centre.
Sharif appealed to all those responsible for buildings, shopping centres and markets to report any violations in this matter, to adhere to the circular, and not to violate the rules, regulations and local orders to ensure the safety of the community.