Fire Safety Training at Aramco - Report Example

Fire safety training at Aramco BY YOU YOUR SCHOOL INFO HERE HERE Fire safety training at Aramco Introduction Aramco is a major energy and petroleum company conducting business globally. A division of Aramco in Reading, UK provides ongoing training programmes for all staff members in areas of fire evacuation, fire extinguisher training, and how to recognise different classifications of fire types and potential hazards associated with different in-house materials. This organisational setting is very commercial, with the majority of workers having specialised education in areas of construction, drilling, support services, and many other diverse career backgrounds. It is a diverse climate of professionals hailing from domestic and international locations, therefore creating the need for a streamlined training programme that will be effective for all varieties of employees with different skills. Fire safety training programmes are in-depth, spanning two hours, using a checklist to ensure all aspects of fire safety have been addressed or distributed to attendees. This report identifies the fire safety training package at Aramco as well as its linkage to human resources and strategic management. The training programme Aramco has constructed its fire safety training seminars to include recognition of potential fire hazards along with methods necessary to combat a fire once it has started. In the event that the fire cannot be combated or prevented, specific evacuation procedures are described in this training, such as locating wet rags to breathe through or steps to avoid feeding the fire oxygen. This particular training package was chosen for review because it has been adapted to suit the fire prevention and safety needs of many different professionals with vastly different cultural backgrounds. It would be an expensive undertaking to develop individualised training programmes for specific divisions of Aramco and the company needs to ensure this information is distributed to all members of the organisation from office staff to actual platform operators. By creating this training seminar to cover the most basic elements of fire prevention and safety, it helps employees to receive a consistent message that is culturally relevant and represents the safety values of Aramco. These seminars are conducted regularly, usually spanning the two hour time period, therefore sending a frequent and clear message of safety values. Bambacas & Patrickson (2008) identify that in order to gain employee commitment to organisational needs, clarity and frequency of a consistent message are necessary. Aramco has accomplished a form of cultural unity related to safety practices, thus giving them a competitive edge in their unique market. “Values shape the culture of any organisation” (Sze, 1995, p.7). The way that the training has been designed to be relevant for multiple groups of employees has built a set of shared values that have managed to reduce fire incidents by a significant margin at the company. In terms of fire prevention, at the strategic level, awareness of policy and the method by which this training is routinely conducted has created a strong culture of safety. In order to maximise the question and answer period associated with the end of the training, seminar size is limited to 20 attendants. Unlike other organisations that provide mass group training programmes, Aramco makes this more personalised giving people practical experience and opportunities to ensure that attendees fully understand the concepts being described or demonstrated. The small group size in each training seminar is another strategic advantage. Aramco is an organisation that regularly deals with hazardous materials, therefore the business is positioned in its market as one that must be aware of working safely. This makes the linkage to human resources even more critical, as training becomes necessary when employees are first hired or have been transferred to the organisation or when changes have been made to existing fire prevention policies (forcefire.com, 2009). This means that there must be an active representative from human resources that keeps records of ongoing changes or personnel movements, identifying people most likely to benefit from fire safety training. It is necessary to maintain a database of people with unfulfilled training needs to ensure that everyone complies and that each employee has been given updated training information or refresher courses as needed. This type of training, and the method by which it is presented, makes Aramco a learning organisation where knowledge is exchanged freely and often. “A learning organisation is future-focused and combines basic and ongoing training and employee development into a systematic, results-oriented approach” (Cordivari, 2010, p.61). Some other organisations that only provide this training simply to satisfy legal mandates consider training of this variety to be a special project rather than an ongoing learning effort. In most organisations, two-thirds of special projects fail completely or do not meet their budget or scheduling objectives (VanDoren, 2009). This represents a risk to companies that consider this training to be a special project rather than ongoing knowledge exchanges. Aramco has managed to reduce the budgetary and scheduling risks by making fire safety training a regular part of business operations. Employees accept their role in participating in the training and have a strong organisational culture regarding safety practices because of the style by which this training is coordinated and delivered. In the human resources role, there is the concept of the performance management system that links organisational objectives to feedback and/or reward based on employee contribution to meeting these goals. (See Appendix for diagram of performance management systems). At Aramco, the performance objective is successful completion of training as well as testing to ensure learning has occurred, thereby creating a feedback mechanism related to whether employees have successfully completed their safety obligations. Auditing is a main element in this type of system, which involves assessing and re-assessing attendance records, fire safety policies, or even management involvement in reinforcing the culture’s safety values. At Aramco, the human resources manager conducts this auditing routinely under a performance management model, therefore improving the effectiveness and relevance of the training on an ongoing basis. Without this type of auditing, employees would likely just attend the training to satisfy corporate or legal mandates and would not have the commitment or motivation to become safety-focused. Auditing functions in the performance management system brings Aramco considerable strategic benefit as it leaves no gaps in the training process and leaves no employee without fire prevention and safety knowledge. The way this training is developed and taught also helps people in the organisation to become more proactive about their surroundings, helping others to recognise fire safety risks in their work environments. Hassanain (2008) identifies potential fire risks to include foam insulation (common in machinery at Aramco), paper decorations that might be found in office environments, wall finishes, and combustible ceiling tiles. The training sessions at Aramco help employees to understand what aspects of their work surroundings can lead to fires, letting them be interactive and proactive about conducting informal environmental risk assessments routinely. Unlike other organisations that only offer periodic fire safety training, Aramco keeps the idea of safety and fire prevention always on the forefront of employees’ thoughts, thereby reducing risks significantly. Duncanson (2004) offers statistics suggesting that 75 percent of companies which experience a serious fire tend to be put out of business within three years of reopening business operations. When the risk is present that a fire could potentially close an entire division of a highly profitable business, training must be a primary goal rather than a secondary human resources function. Aramco realises these risks and works to update training information so that it is up-to-date and easily accessible to all employees. Many companies will conduct a periodic fire drill as a means of reinforcing evacuation procedures, however the method by which Aramco conducts business in the unpredictable and somewhat volatile employee environment makes these drills ineffective. Employees are always moving from one task to another or are transferred out for different contracting work, therefore the organisational staff in-house is rarely the same each day due to scheduling shifts. In lieu of fire drills, consistent training is low-cost, does not disrupt business operations, and reduces the risks of liability by guaranteeing employees are aware of their evacuation procedures and escape routes. Cost is a major strategic advantage by conducting evacuation training within the fire safety seminar rather than periodic, spontaneous fire drills. So long as the human resources division performs their auditing and updating activities regularly, cost savings is a key advantage over other companies that often handle hazardous materials or processes. Personal reflection Because the fire safety training is consistently reinforced through actual delivery and cultural reinforcement, personal development needs related to fire safety and prevention are minimal. Immediately after being hired, this training is consistent and frequent, leaving no real margins for lack of knowledge or understanding about policies and procedures. However, I developed a genuine appreciation for the complex role of human resources management, especially in terms of auditing and setting up a performance feedback system for large volumes of employees. I do not personally work with all of the different hazardous chemicals used, therefore knowledge of radioactive hazards is not necessarily relevant to my job role, however it is included in Aramco’s training. I developed new knowledge of different organisational job roles and the materials used in these efforts, therefore understanding my own health risks and how to navigate in the event that radioactive components ignite a fire. I have learned, because of the in-depth teaching provided by this training, how to recognise the entire organisation and its departmental functions and how they impact other job roles in relation to safety. If this programme were not so sophisticated and in-depth, I would be unaware of certain risks even when they are not in my immediate working area. This gives Aramco an ethical advantage as well. Conclusion and recommendation The method by which Aramco has developed its training has managed to improve cultural unity as well as create a template for the learning organisation. Training is much more performance-oriented than other companies and safety-related literature is always posted in plain sight in a variety of different posters or bulletin boards. This performance management system in relation to training provides all employees, regardless of their individual role at Aramco, knowledge of departmental risks and how to control fires (by classifying them) in the event of a fire outbreak. Comparatively, Aramco is leaps ahead of similar organisations as it has managed to create a unified culture of safety where it is not only an obligation, it is a shared value. At the strategic level, it is recommended that Aramco consider new delivery methods of the training to make it even more effective and cost-conscious. The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust implemented personal multimedia players produced by Mezzo Films where staff is given a device that looks much like an iPod that presents mini-documentaries, fire safety demonstrations, and allows the user to navigate visual training at the touch of a button. Offers the organisational leadership, “you cannot cheat on it, you cannot skip through it. It’s something you have to spend the time on” (Freeman, 2008, p.22). Aramco has the financial resources to incorporate similar training technologies to enhance the delivery process. The hospital in the case study found excellent staff feedback about the multimedia system and completed training levels increased exponentially after its implementation. Aramco can develop a similar system which can eliminate some of the audit burden from the HR professionals and act as a knowledge tool. Developed properly, an employee would be forced to review the piece of footage again if they failed to correctly answer a series of questions related to what they just viewed. Cost savings could be recognised by reducing the burden on training coordinators and those who must routinely conduct the training sessions. Such a system would be performance-oriented, satisfy training demands, and even keep a more accurate level of knowledge based on the scoring guides associated with the multimedia players. After reviewing employee performance, if a trend is observed showing that a specific training concept is often misunderstood by the majority of employees, it can be developed more in-depth for future training. The end result is more knowledgeable employees and higher competitive advantage at the cultural level. References Bambacas, M. & Patrickson, M. (2008). Interpersonal communication skills that enhance organisational commitment, Journal of Communication Management, London. 12(1), p.51. Cordivari, R. (2010). From training company to learning organisation, Training & Development, 64(1), pp.60-65. Duncanson, P. (2004). It’s your business: fire prevention & recovery, Occupational Health & Safety, 73(9), pp.118-120. Forcefire.com. (2009). Fire Safety Training, Force Fire Consultancy Ltd. http://www.force-fire.com/fire-safety-training.html. (accessed April 24, 2010). Freeman, L. (2008). Plugged in, Personnel Today, February 19, pp.22-24. Hassanain, M.A. (2008). On the safe evacuation of occupants in multiplex facilities, Structural Survey, Bradford. 26(4), p.336. McCracken, J. (1997). Successful Health and Safety Management, Crown Publishing. http://www.esafe.org.uk/HSG65.php (accessed April 24, 2010). Sze, Michael. (1995). Human Resource Management, Civil Service Branch. http://www.csb.gov.hk/english/publication/files/e-hrmguide.pdf. (accessed April 25, 2010). VanDoren, V. (2009). How to avoid project failure, Control Engineering, 56(11), p.38. Appendix 1: Performance management system for fire safety Source: McCracken, J. (2007). http://www.esafe.org.uk/HSG65.php Appendix 2: Construction Fire Safety Training Checklist at Aramco CONSTRUCTION FIRE SAFETY TRAINING WELCOME Duration: 2 hrs Location: aramco overseas, reading Attendance: Sheet Attached (20 attendants list) COURSE OBJECTIVES Discuss How to Prevent Fires. Discuss How Fires are initiated. Discuss How Fires are classified. Discuss How to Extinguish Small Fires. Discuss Facility Evacuation Requirements. Discuss How to Use a Portable Fire Extinguisher. Discuss How to Inspect a Portable Fire Extinguisher. Discuss What to Do if Trapped in a Burning Building. Discuss How to Identify the Proper Fire Extinguisher. Discuss The Requirements of an Emergency Action Plan. BASIS FOR THIS COURSE (REASON TO CHOOSE THIS TRAINING) Employers are Responsible for Employee Safety. Fire is one of the Most Common Industrial Accidents. 3 Billion Dollars Per Year Are Lost Due to Fire. 300 Workers Per Year Lose Their Lives Due to Fire. Training Greatly Lessens the Probability of Fire. This Training Helps Improve: 1. Safety 2. Morale 3. Productivity 4. Employee well-being TRAINING IS IMPORTANT A GOOD PROGRAM WILL HELP Reduce the Probability of Fire. Reduce Injury and Illness Rates. Acceptance of High-Turnover Jobs. Workers Feel Better About their Work. Reduce Workers’ Compensation Costs IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY RECOGNITION EVALUATION IMPLEMENTATION CONTROL RECOGNITION ASSESSMENT OF FIRE HAZARDS: Known jobs/areas having fire hazards. Jobs/areas with new equipment or processes. New jobs having little or no statistical fire data. Jobs/areas having had recent operational changes EVALUATION Facility audit data. Employee surveys. Accident investigations. Logs of employee complaints. Statistical evidence of known/potential hazards. Injury and illness data of known/potential hazards. IMPLEMENTATION Written program. Training program. Employee involvement. Supervisor involvement. Corrective action program. Job hazard analysis program. Safety in purchasing (new chemicals, substitutes etc.) CONTROL Periodic facility audits. Written program reviews. Employee feedback surveys. Job hazard analysis reviews. Recurrent training programs. Supervisor feedback surveys. Periodic statistical evaluations. Corrective action follow-up measures. CONTROL MEASURES CONSIDERATIONS: Capital improvement plan to eliminated hazards. Costs involved in purchasing substitutes. Length of time necessary for implementation. Level of urgency in implementation. Compatibility with existing processes or controls. Anticipated problems with employee use. THE MECHANICS OF FIRE THE FIRE TRIANGLE IGNITION FUEL OXYGEN TAKE ANY COMPONENT AWAY AND FIRE CANNOT SURVIVE IGNITION CAN BE: Electrical. Chemical. Thermal. Radioactive. FUEL CAN BE: Solid. Liquid. Gas. In order to combust the right mixture of oxygen and fuel must be present OXYGEN: The fuel air mixture must be right. People need 19 percent to live. Fire only needs 16 percent THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF FIRE THERE ARE FOUR CLASSIFICATIONS OF FIRE: Class - A Wood, paper, cloth, rubber, some plastics. Class - B Gasoline, kerosene, paint, propane. Class - C Electrical equipment. Class - D Metals like magnesium, titanium, sodium CLASS “A” FIRES - ORDINARY COMBUSTIBLES Keep storage and working areas free of trash. Place oily rages in covered containers. Control smoking in the area. Limit sources of possible ignition. Keep passages and fire doors clear at all times. Know the locations of fire extinguishers. CLASS “B” FIRES - FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OR GASES: Consider nonflammable substitutes for cleaners. Ensure solvent tanks have fusible links on covers. Only refuel equipment in well ventilated areas. Properly store flammable liquids. Use flammable liquids only in well ventilated areas. Ensure storage drums are properly grounded. Restrict welding and cutting to authorized areas. CLASS “C” FIRES - ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT: Inspect wiring and insulation frequently. Ensure motors are kept clean and lubricated. Be cognizant of unusual odors. Ensure outlets and connections are not overloaded. Never misuse fuses, look for correct rating. Keep motors free of dust and excess grease. Ensure machinery is properly maintained. CLASS “D” FIRES - COMBUSTIBLE METALS: Control dust and turnings. Follow established control procedures. Never use wet sand or water to extinguish fires. Moisture releases oxygen which can fuel the fire. Metal fires can burn up to 5000 degrees. Metals can be extremely difficult to extinguish. LOOK AT THE FACEPLATE IDENTIFYING THE PROPER FIRE EXTINGUISHER USING THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER CHECK THE GAUGE PULL THE PIN SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER WHILE HOLDING THE EXTINGUISHER UPRIGHT. AIM THE EXTINGUISHER AT THE BASE OF THE FLAMES. SWEEP SIDE TO SIDE. WHEN NOT TO FIGHT A FIRE WHEN TO CALL FOR HELP! 110 If you have no escape route. If the fire begins to significantly spread. Receiver If the extinguisher proves to be ineffective. If there is a choice between life and property. If you’re unsure if you can handle the situation. If you are injured and it will impede your escape. If the extinguisher is not designed for the type fire. If any drums, gases, and like materials are engulfed. SELECTING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER DEPENDS ON: Nature of the combustibles or flammables. Potential severity of the resulting fire. Size, speed of travel, intensity etc. Effectiveness of the extinguisher on the type material. The ease of the use of the fire extinguisher. The personnel available to operate the extinguisher. The physical and emotional ability of the user. The ambient conditions (wind, drafts, fumes etc.). Adverse reactions of the extinguishing agent. Health and operational safety concerns. Upkeep and maintenance of the extinguisher. HOW TO EXTINGUISH SMALL FIRES CLASS “A” FIRES - ORDINARY COMBUSTIBLES Point the extinguishing agent at the base of the fire. Do not attempt to put out the flames. Cool the material below its ignition temperature. Soak fibrous material to prevent re-ignition. Establish a fire watch to ensure no re-ignition occurs. Use water, foam or multi-purpose dry chemicals. CLASS “B” FIRES - FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OR GASES Point the extinguishing agent at the base of the fire. Do not attempt to put out the flames. Attempt to prevent oxygenation of the fire. Close solvent tanks lids etc. Know that the fire may flare up momentarily. Use foam, carbon dioxide, dry chemicals and halon. CLASS “C” FIRES - ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT: Extinguishing agent cannot conduct electricity. Disconnect power to the source ASAP. Ensure the extinguisher doesn’t make contact. Do not attempt to use water based extinguishers. Electrical fires can effect circuitry “downstream”. Use carbon dioxide, dry chemicals and halon. CLASS “D” FIRES - COMBUSTIBLE METALS: Multi-purpose extinguishing agent leaves a residue. The agent cools the metal to below its ignition temp. These residues are harmful to electronic equipment. Attempt to prevent oxygenation of the fire. Use agents that deprive oxygen. Know that metal fires burn extremely hot (5000 deg.). Use carbon dioxide and halon. INSPECTING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER Inspect fire extinguishers once per month. Inspect more often if local fire codes require it. Have fire extinguishers serviced once per year. Service more often if local codes require it. Document the monthly inspections on the card. INSPECTION PROCEDURES: Know the locations of your fire extinguishers. Determine the likely types of fires in the area. Ensure the extinguisher is the right type (A.B.C.D.). Inspect for rust, dents or other signs of damage. Inspect the seal for tampering or previous use. Inspect the gauge and feel the weight. Is the extinguisher full of agent? Ensure the pin, nozzle and nameplate are intact. Report missing or damaged extinguishers. EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN INSPECTION PROCEDURES Read the emergency action plan. Know the evacuation alarm. Know the locations of your fire extinguishers. Know the primary and secondary escape routes. Know where handicapped workers are located. Do not use elevators, electricity may not work. Conduct periodic exercises to iron out problems. Know where the assembly point is located. Begin role call immediately at the assembly point. Inform management of missing persons. EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURES: Follow the plan. Do not lock doors when evacuating. Scan for injured on the way out. Do not use elevators, electricity may not work. Know where possible false exits are. Stay low to avoid smoke and toxic gases. Cover your mouth with a wet cloth. In multi-story buildings head for stairwells. In stairwells never go up! Once outside go to the assembly point. Never leave the grounds unless you are in danger. - Emergency responders may search for the missing. Ensure management knows where you are! Try and remember where your co-workers are. Inform management of pertinent information. SOME TIPS IF YOU’RE TRAPPED: #1. If you panic, you only decrease survival chances. Never open a door without feeling it first for heat. Use the back of your hand to test for heat. If the door is hot, try and seal the cracks. Look for a phone, or a fire alarm. Look for water sources to wet yourself down. Look for wet rags to breath through. Look for a window to ventilate the room. Try not to feed the fire oxygen. People have survived jumps, usually not fires. PERCEPTION OF A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM 1. DETAILED WRITTEN SAFETY PROCEDURES. 2. EXTENSIVE EMPLOYEE TRAINING PROGRAMS. 3. PERIODIC REINFORCEMENT OF SAFETY TRAINING. 4. SUFFICIENT DISCIPLINE REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION. 5. PERIODIC FOLLOW-UP. WORK AT WORKING SAFELY Key to successful completion of any project is in Safety Training. Building safe attitude is also a key factor in maintaining a safe workplace. Safety is, and always will be a team effort, safety starts with each individual employee who comes on site and concludes with everyone leaving safe and healthy at the end of the day and eventually to rejoin their families Read More