Jotun Paints, a leading producer of paints and powder coatings, is highlighting its fireproof coating technology at a major fire safety event that opened in Dubai today (September 26).

The second annual Middle East FireSafe will run until September 28 at the Habtoor Grand Resort and Spa.

Major UAE landmarks protected by Jotun Steelmaster, a fireproof Intumescent coating that protects steel structure against cellulosic fire, include Dubai Metro, the Meydan Race Course, the GCAA New Navigation Centre and the Abu Dhabi Marina Mall expansion, Jotun said in a statement.

“We are seeing an influx of construction projects worldwide, and in the Middle East the key countries are UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Along with this increase comes the growing concern for more health, safety and environment (HSE) standards that can assure the safety and security of workers on site,” said John Warner, category manager Intumescent Coatings, Jotun Coatings.

“Our participation at FireSafe 2011 will give us the opportunity to highlight our unique technology used for our new fire resistant coatings Steelmaster, and show its significance across today’s growing number of development projects.”

Safety experts have shared that in the outbreak of a fire, unprotected steelwork can easily reach a temperature of 550C in only a matter of minutes. At this temperature, the steelwork can lose its load bearing capacity and cause the supporting structure to collapse.

During a fire, Steelmaster expands into a char-like insulating layer and greatly extends the time needed for the steelwork to be weakened by rising temperatures. Steelmaster protects steel structure against cellulosic fire for a period of 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes allowing more time for safe evacuation and for the fire services to bring the fire under control, the Jotun statement said.

“With the vibrancy of the construction segment, developers have placed a high premium on the delivery and completion of projects without sacrificing on quality and services,” said Warner.

“We see this as the perfect opportunity to leverage our protective coatings across a high potential audience like consultants, architects and HSE experts. We look forward to develop new alliances and opportunities within the region at FireSafe 2011,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service