The size of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) fire safety market is projected to expand from $1.4bn in 2016 to more than $3bn by 2020 to keep up with the growing infrastructure and manufacturing sectors, according to a senior official.
Speaking at the opening of the two-day Gulf Safety Forum yesterday, Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting secretary general Abdulaziz bin Hamad al-Ageel said Saudi Arabia and the UAE make up 46% and 43%, respectively, of the $1.4bn GCC fire safety market.
“Safety is at the heart of all activities of daily living and economics throughout the world. In this regard, GCC countries stepped up and endeavoured to achieve the zero-injury objective.
“This trend was implemented in all sectors where the safety of individuals, facilities, and the environment has become a prerequisite for productive and economic activities in industrial, education, and healthcare facilities,” al-Ageel said.
This was reiterated by HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, who said HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani’s patronage of the event “reflects Qatar’s commitment to safety in all aspects of life in Qatar.”
Qatar’s focus on safety, he stressed, “takes place at a time when the issue of safety occupies the highest priorities in the various sectors of the state.”
“The state of Qatar and other Gulf countries cannot be complacent in the application of safety standards. Qatar is keen on developing safety legislations and the necessary administrative system to manage it,” the minister pointed out.
To do this, al-Sada stressed that safety measures are carried out by “specialised personnel,” coupled with “the implementation of control and monitoring mechanisms for all projects.”
“There is no doubt that all GCC companies, led by oil and gas companies, have adopted strict measures to ensure the reduction of risks in their projects and operations, but safety is a long path and requires concerted efforts and cooperation in order to turn these actions into a way of life,” al-Sada added.
Al-Ageel also said Goic’s collaboration with Euro Petroleum Consultants for the Gulf Safety Forum aims to discuss challenges in safety technologies, strategies to improve safety systems in the region, and accomplish a zero-injury objective in the sectors of construction, industry, and services.
The event also saw the launching of the first Gulf Safety Award, which recognises “the best safety projects” of GCC companies from varied sectors. This year’s recipient of the awards was Oryx GTL. Chief commercial officer Mohamed Sharif Ibrahim al-Mushiri received the award on behalf of Oryx GTL.