Fire Safety in High-Risk Facilities Takes Centre Stage at Fire Middle East Conference

The day kicked off with a compelling panel discussion on one of the most timely and challenging topics in the region: fire safety in high-risk facilities. With Saudi Arabia at the forefront of investment in advanced technologies such as nuclear and renewable energy, the session brought together industry leaders to unpack the realities, risks, and requirements of fire programmes in these complex environments.

The expert panel featured:

• Amer Al Merabi, P.Eng., Senior Associate FLS Engineer at AESG

• Turki Tammar (M.E, CBCI), Director of the Fire Protection Department at the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority

• Rob Brittain, Staff Engineer at Jensen Hughes

• Abdulaziz Al Sulayyim, Head of FM & HSSE at the Academy of Defense Industries

Moderating the discussion was Robert (Bob) Rea, Director of BR TRAINING SOLUTIONS LTD.

Embedding Safety From the Start

Amer Al Merabi began the session by highlighting the long-standing governance structures surrounding nuclear facilities-describing them as both beneficial and sometimes limiting. “The nuclear industry is quite fascinating, being developed back in the 1950s, and it’s soon arriving in Saudi Arabia. The governance that exists is quite restrictive—this has a lot of positives, and some negatives,” he explained.

Rob stressed that fire and life safety must be embedded from the very beginning in nuclear projects. “If you don’t do it from the start,” he warned, “it costs so much more later.”

Strategy, Not Just Regulation

The panel reinforced that fire protection is far more than a regulatory checkbox. Turki Tammar framed it as a strategic priority, stating, “Fire protection should be looked at not as a necessary regulation, but as a strategic priority—protecting lives and safeguarding the future.”

Bob Rea added a thought-provoking reminder: “Every building is safe. Until you put people in them.”

Bridging the Knowledge Gap

When it comes to ensuring safety in rapidly evolving industries, knowledge and experience are essential. Abdulaziz Al Sulayyim noted a critical lack of specialised experience in the sector. “We need a specialised training programme,” he said. “And secondly, we need contractual obligations for a minimum level of knowledge.”

Amer Al Merabi added to this, asking a key regulatory question: “Are we adapting our regulations to reflect the new technologies we have? Or are we just hoping our current measures are satisfactory?”

Adapting to Future Risks

The panel also touched on the intersection of technology, architecture, and fire safety. Rob questioned whether future building designs will adequately account for new fire risks. Abdulaziz stressed the importance of calibration and knowledge-sharing, while Amer praised the role conferences like this play in fostering collaboration. “With conferences like this, we can transfer knowledge more easily,” he said. “Transparency in communication is vital for success.”

Final Thoughts

The discussion underscored the urgent need for adaptive, forward-thinking fire safety strategies in high-risk environments- especially as Saudi Arabia invests in cutting-edge technologies.

Sincere thanks to all panellists for their contributions and insights into this essential area of industry safety: Amer Al Merabi, Turki Tammar, Rob Brittain, Abdulaziz Al Sulayyim, and moderator Robert Rea.

Please see the full discussion here: Fire Programs in High-Risk Facilities: Panel Discussion | Fire Middle East Conference 2025