A new building code will reportedly be issued shortly by Saudi authorities in an attempt to improve safety and public health standards nationwide.
The Saudi Building Code (SBC) comes some five years after The Council of Ministers approved the work plan of the national committee to conceptualize and implement building codes, according to Khaleej Times. The SBC will help protect structures and their residents from fire, earthquakes and heavy winds.
"The code will be issued in two groups: the basic regulations for buildings and the technical requirements," stated Mohammed Al-Naqadi, from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and a member of the national committee that formulated the new standard. He also explained that there has not been a consistent building standard, a situation which has created discrepancies and confusion among government officials and private companies.
"The challenge is finding qualified people to approve applications and inspect sites," he added, saying that the involved parties are currently establishing the dispute-settlement procedures, which will be issued in "a few months."
Jeddah's Mayor Adel Fakieh also spoke on the new issuance, saying, "A committee at Jeddah Municipality contributed to the project by suggesting engineering offices to consult contractors on the standards needed."
