In a significant move to enhance student safety, the UAE has mandated that all school buses be fitted with automatic fire suppression systems. The new rule, which took effect on April 15, aims to safeguard around 500,000 children during their daily commutes by ensuring rapid fire detection and extinguishing capabilities, particularly in high-risk areas like engine compartments.
Under this regulation, any school bus that is not equipped with a certified system approved by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) will no longer be eligible for permit issuance or renewal.
Broader Implementation Beyond School Buses
Although the initial focus is on school transport, the regulation extends to a wide range of buses operating in the UAE. This includes all new and existing single-deck, double-deck, rigid, or articulated buses with a passenger capacity of more than 22, including the driver. The objective is to improve fire safety across the wider public transport sector.
Authorities indicated that while the primary goal is enhancing school bus safety, the regulation serves a broader purpose. It lays the groundwork for expanding fire safety standards across multiple transport categories in the future, potentially including freight vehicles, cranes, heavy machinery, military vehicles, and trains.
Enforcing Compliance and Certification
To ensure proper implementation, authorities will carry out annual audits of manufacturers and installers. Additionally, local transport departments will be responsible for verifying that all fire suppression systems used are Moiat-certified.
The UK-based company Reacton Fire Suppression is partnering with local safety firm TABRA to install these systems. Their technology uses heat-sensitive tubing and a special fire suppression agent to quickly detect and extinguish fires, especially in engine compartments.
Precision, Safety, and Future Expansion
TABRA is focusing on careful and precise installation of the systems to ensure safety standards are met without disrupting bus operations. The company uses only certified products and conducts detailed quality control checks to maintain system integrity.