FirstClass Safety & Control has completed a major international rail safety project at Etihad Rail’s Al Faya Operations and Maintenance Facility in the United Arab Emirates, delivering two bespoke Depot Protection Systems across the site.
The latest system, supporting the Passenger Maintenance Building, was commissioned in January 2025 and complements the Depot Protection System previously delivered for the Inspection Maintenance Building and associated facilities in 2023.
Located in Abu Dhabi, Al Faya is a major operations and maintenance facility supporting Etihad Rail’s expanding freight and passenger operations.
Working with the project team and Etihad Rail, FirstClass designed and manufactured the systems in the UK, with its rail projects team supporting installation, commissioning and servicing in the Middle East.
The SIL2 Depot Protection Systems incorporate site-wide RFID personnel logging, interfaces with Etihad Rail’s central systems and interlocking with depot infrastructure including cranes, doors, fire alarms and fume extraction systems.
The equipment has also been engineered for the demanding environmental conditions experienced at Al Faya. The systems provide internal and external shunt control, with access to relevant functionality restricted to trained and authorised personnel.
Importantly, the relationship extends beyond system installation. FirstClass continues to provide maintenance and support for the systems, providing long-term engineering support as Etihad Rail’s operations develop.
The project demonstrates FirstClass’s ability to deliver complex, application-specific Depot Protection Systems internationally while integrating with other equipment and infrastructure across a modern rail maintenance facility.
It also represents a significant UK export success for FirstClass, building on more than 25 years of safety and control engineering experience and a growing portfolio of rail projects across the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.