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The increasingly improved automotive vehicle production technology has allowed consumers to purchase passenger cars and commercial vehicles at reasonably affordable prices. This has resulted in greater demands for the construction and installation of motor fuel dispensing facilities, or simply “gas stations”, in virtually all urban districts worldwide. However, unlike most consumer products, which are designed to be fire resistant, highly flammable gasoline dispensed at these facilities is intended and formulated to burn. Therefore, fire safety of motor fuel dispensing facilitates becomes a major concern since these facilities form one of the greatest fire hazards that millions of people visit everyday. This paper seeks to address this issue.

This paper reviews the current international and local legislation and requirements on fire safety in gas station facilities, and presents the findings of a case study conducted to evaluate fire prevention measures and fire protection equipment in five gas station facilities located in the growing City of Al‐Khobar, Saudi Arabia, where dispensing of motor fuel is carried out in an outside shaded area by station attendants.

The evaluation revealed that none of the five gas stations is complying with all fire safety regulations. Recommendations are made to improve fire safety at such facilities by regular inspection and evaluation.

Although the results are limited to Saudi Arabia the approach taken could be extended to other geographical areas.

The paper is of practical value to facility managers responsible for day‐to‐day operations of gas station facilities.

The paper reviews literature from North America as well as that pertaining to the legislation in the country where the case study facilities are located.

The objectives of this paper are to identify and rate the importance levels of the factors that may affect business continuity during partial renovation of office buildings while being occupied. The paper also proposes a checklist of measures to carry out in order to reduce the impact of renovation works on business continuity.

The authors have analyzed the published literature for the purpose of reviewing the reasons for renovating the workplace, and aspects of planning and scheduling renovation works in occupied facilities. A sum of 24 elements that may affect business continuity during partial renovations of open‐plan office buildings while being occupied were identified. These factors were classified under four categories, including functional, technical, behavioral, and management practice factors. The authors then developed a questionnaire to rate users' perception of importance to each of the identified 24 elements and conducted a survey to evaluate the importance of these elements on business continuity in two office buildings.

The importance levels of each of the elements were analyzed and reported. The authors also developed a checklist of measures to carry out to reduce the impact of renovation works on business continuity in office buildings.

Facilities during their life cycle may be renovated to restore or upgrade the functionality of their building elements, or to suit a new function. Renovation works could negatively affect businesses continuity and decrease levels of productivity due to their impact of the technical systems in the building, and the time spent on relocating employees to temporary facilities until the renovations are completed. However, in some cases renovation works could be performed without the need for relocating employees, or the business to be stopped. The paper provides a practical value to building owners and facility managers intending to undertake renovation works during the life cycle of their buildings.