Fire safety and protection is a rising concern among oil and gas companies in the Middle East, with industry professionals advocating for increased awareness and deployment of advanced technologies in equipment manufacturing
DuPont Gulf emphasises on innovation for the betterment of environment and employee safety at workplaces. General manager Amr Al Moniem shares his insights on the growth of fire safety norms in Middle East’s oil and gas sector.
Is fire safety a lucrative market in the Middle East?
Fire safety in the GCC’s oil and gas industry is paramount because of the large amounts of flammable gases and liquids being handled and stored. Even though the region is well aware of the latest solutions in fire prevention and protection, there is a need for more awareness to minimise the risk of disaster.
With 56 per cent of the world’s oil reserves and 26 per cent of natural gas deposits found in the Middle East, the region is a lucrative market with one of the largest oil and gas industries in the world.
There is an increased awareness in the GCC market with regards to fire safety. Today, companies in the region are actively investing in labour, which is why they are looking to implement safety measures to protect this investment. The fire safety industry follows one of the highest levels of procedure, while strictly abiding regulations.
Increasing awareness on safety at workplaces:
The increased awareness on the significance of safety and security in the workplace has altogether spawned a key demand for DuPont Gulf’s key products and related services. In fact, we already have a clear vision and strategy for the Middle East region, which involves leveraging our wide range of fire-safety products across various industry verticals. This move helps the company reinforce their position as a world leader in the fire-safety products industry.
DuPont’s trademark products for the Middle East market:
DuPont™ Nomex® and DuPont™ Kevlar® were among the popular products for the Middle East market.
DuPont Nomex® is a sought-after product because of the region’s dynamic oil and gas sector, whereas DuPont™ Kevlar® is favoured for being suitable for protection from cuts and abrasions. In addition to the oil and gas sector, its also used as a standard material for law enforcement agencies and military organisations because of its ballistic protection properties.
Need for proper regulatory framework for fire safety:
In comparison to 2013, the regulatory environment has had significant improvements in 2014. Regional industries are more aware of fire safety requirements and protection of their workers, compared to previous years. In fact, the region’s oil and gas sector is the most safety-conscious industry, being very much aware of its workers’ well-being and is highly compliant with the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). It follows one of the highest levels of safety awareness procedures along with strict abidance with regulations. However, for a region that is set to play a vital role in meeting future energy demands, safety standards for PPE in the GCC should be regularised in a proper framework to prepare against potential risks.
DuPont Gulf seeks to strengthen its presence and investments in GCC, following success in various parts of the region so far.
