The Ministry of Interior (MoI) of Qatar, represented by the General Administration of Civil Defence, presented the latest updates to the Civil Defence Technical Requirements Guide during the second day of the Milipol Qatar 2026 Exhibition and Conference for Internal Security and Safety. The event featured a security seminar focused on civil defence and national preparedness for emergencies and crisis management.

First Lieutenant Engineer Hessa Ahmed al-Jassim, an officer with the General Directorate of Civil Defence, detailed the key revisions included in the third edition of the guide. She explained that the updates primarily address technical requirements related to the installation of sprinkler systems in industrial facilities and warehouses, as well as provisions for single-staircase designs in residential buildings, hotels, labour accommodations, and office structures.

According to First Lieutenant al-Jassim, these changes aim to facilitate consulting firms in effectively implementing fire prevention and safety measures amid evolving architectural and operational challenges. The updated guide also covers new criteria for staircases in various building types, including military housing, and introduces enhanced regulations pertaining to basement levels. These revisions offer greater flexibility in design while ensuring continued compliance with fire-resistant separation standards and the use of protective doors.

A significant focus of the update concerns medium-risk warehouses and factories, where the requirement to install automatic sprinkler systems now applies to buildings exceeding 1,115 square meters. In this determination, all areas under one roof must be included in the total floor space calculation.

Additionally, the guide provides clearer guidance on how adjacent buildings can be classified as separate entities, subject to meeting particular conditions. These include the presence of a two-hour fire-rated partition wall devoid of openings, consideration of building materials, and the independence of roof structures.

First Lieutenant al-Jassim concluded by addressing how modifications to pre-approved buildings are managed, emphasizing that any changes must be evaluated based on their impact on safety and fire prevention criteria, as outlined by the technical specifications set by the General Directorate of Civil Defence.

The updated Civil Defence Technical Requirements Guide reflects Qatar’s ongoing efforts to enhance fire safety regulations and emergency preparedness for diverse building environments, underscoring the government’s commitment to internal security and public safety.