Two Hazards in Leeds - the Morrisons Shop in Leeds and Leeds General Infirmary - Case Study Example

Describe two hazards in Leeds - The Morrisons shop in Leeds and Leeds General infirmary Introduction This paper tries to conceptualize and describe as an example of risk management of what would be the assessment and risk management if there is a fire breaks out in the two areas that sees much people moving in and out at a time, namely a super market- Morrisons shop and hospital, Leeds General Infirmary. This paper tries to analyze and frame a risk assessment of an imaginary condition of fire break in them, by identifying and evaluating the risk associated with the hazard, and also identification of existing control measure and a risk treatment plan. The hazard could be described as the thing that has an potential to cause harm, where as a risk can be described as the chance of occurrence of harm which may be of high or low. Any commercial building has to mandatorily undergo fire risk assessment under the fire regulation. The fire risk assessment is the one that help to determine the chance of the fire occurring in the work place and the dangers that could be post to be people. The fire assessment method is highly like the general health and safety legislation assessment. There are five steps involved in the assessment of fire risks. Identification of potential fire hazard in work place – as source of ignition, source of fuel, work process. Circling out the potential targets of danger ( as employees or visitors ), etc. Evaluating the risks arising from hazards and to decide the adequate fire precautions are done to get rid of the hazard are controlling the risks – Fire detection or warning means of escape, means of fighting fire, safety trainings for employees.. Recording the findings and details and informing to the employees – prepare emergency plan, and instruct and train employees about fire precaution. Updating and reviewing the assessment. (British Standards, FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT,2008) Morrisons shop: The Morrisons is the UK’s fourth largest supermarket founded by William Morrisons in 1899. The Morrison has total employee strength of 130,000 with 9 to 10 million customers beefing around weekly. They operate as big as 300 chains of stores around UK. The Morrison’s is a supermarket that sells food, groceries, and fresh food mainly. Other than that to a lesser extent it sells clothes, fewer brands of electrical items, in store pharmacies, toys etc. The Morrisons other than being a supermarket is known as a cook and eat table where varieties of food are cooked and provided. (Leeds Supermarkets, http://www.city-visitor.com/leeds/supermarkets.html,2007) In the case of Morrisons shop from the description of the shop it could be understood that it doesn’t have much ignitable materials sold or stocked. So the potential source of ignition in a super market could be any one of the following as smokers material, as cigarettes and matches naked flames electrical gas or heaters cooking equipments as LPG cylinder Misused electrical equipments misused lighting equipments, ventilation equipments, static electricity or Arson. The next step in assessing the risks would be to identifying the source of fuel, and source of oxygen. Anything that burns could be described as the fuel for fire. So the first step could be look out for things in the shop that could easily and spread the fire. In Morrison shop the main source of fire could be flammable gas as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), Acetylene, electrical wiring, papers, furniture wood, textiles ; rubber, plastic and foam as polystyrene and polyurethane used in upholstered; loose packing materials; waste materials as wood shaving; synthetic ceiling; paper and cardboard. Apart from this also the possibilities of fire in produced from cigarettes and matches could not be ignored. (Views about Morrisons shop, Leeds, http://www.ciao.co.uk/Morrisons_Shop__Review_5569299 , 2007) For identification of source of oxygen in a enclosed building as Morrisons shop two categories of flow could be checked. One – Natural air flow though doors and windows. Two – Mechanical air handling systems and conditioning systems. As the part of assessing the hazard it could be understood that the in the case of fire in the work place the primary point would be that everyone has to reach place of safety first and putting out fire should be secondary. To a supermarket like Morrisons shop, that main target of fire would be people who work their and mainly the customers and the contractors. The next step of management would be to decide whether there is enough precaution in case of any hazards like this and to find out the chance of fire occurring and whether the source of ignition could be minimized. Also as the part of assessment it has to be seen that, are there enough escape roots for people. The shop definitely has the fire outdoor bonfire through which people could escape without being affected by heat and smoke. It has to be always understood that fire in open place and enclosed behaves differently. The fire in enclosed place causes smoke and heat to be trapped inside the room putting the people into more risks of inhaling toxic gases. So it is always important to have proper escape mechanisms form a closed environment. For this the fire has to be detected from the place of origin as quickly as possible as this could facilitate the easy understanding of the root of escape. Once the fire has been detected people has to be signal to evacuate the building. The shop also has the fire detection and alarm that observes smell of smoke and fire and alerts but at times fire could go undetected when it starts in places as storage and basement where alarms couldn’t be fixed. So it is very mandatory as a part of risks management to check and keep fire alarms in proper condition and protect and maintain vital escape roots as stair case and fire existing doors. More accurate and automatic fire detecting systems could be installed. Also a suitable electrically operated fire warning system could be installed with manual call points positioned around exit roots. Care should be taken to have sufficient sound. The time available for escape is very important to save people from hazard. Regardless of location of fire people should be able to move through recognizable escape root through fire resisting doors. The shop could take up more protector roots, fire resisting doors, protector stairway, etc. The next step would be reducing the source of ignition. The hazards could be reduced by reducing the potential source of heat as removal of unnecessary sources from workplace and replacing it with safer alternative, installing equipments designed to minimize risks checking all electrical fuses ensuring safety of cooking environment operating safe smoking policy taking precaution to avoid risk of arson. Sources of oxygen could also be reduced properly checking out the ventilation and shutting when there is fire and taking care of not storing oxidizing material. As the risk treatment plan checklist can be prepared of how long the escape would take, are there enough exists, are there easily identifiable, are the staff adequately trained, is the fire extinguisher is in adequate quantity and placed in more visible areas, are people adequately trained to operate fire extinguisher and the clear depiction of contact numbers of fire extinguishing department. As the part of safety measures, shop can regular check all the escape roots and doors, all the fire fighting equipment, fire detection and alarming equipment and providing adequate training for employees. In nutshell the hazard description of fire break in Morrisons shop, The intensity would be not that big as it doesn’t store any fuels for the inflammable materials but the presence of LPG may pose a risk. The chances of occurring are less , with the extend of hazard may be medium. The shop is adequately equipped to manage any such condition but still more effective fire escape roots and fire detection system should be installed. (British Standards, FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT,2008) Leeds General Infirmary The Leeds General Infirmary, also known as LGI, is teaching hospital located in Leeds, opened as a part of NHS trust in 1771, offering many specialist services for people of Leeds. It employs close to14, 000 people, treating millions of people every year. In a hospital like Leeds general infirmary, there are again many sources of possibilities of fire break out as due to any electrical leakage, lighting fault, additionally due to combers ion of any chemicals, explosion in oxygen cylinders, engines or boilers, electrical heaters, ventilation equipments, fault in any diagnosing machines, etc. (BBC. TV, 2007) It would be always wise to take lessons from the past experience. In 1999 there happened a major explosion in Leeds general infirmary where when a worker tried to open a pathology specimens transferred to laboratory in a closed state using a package of dry eyes (Solid carbon dioxide) it exploded causing heavy bruises on the thighs of the employees.( (Krajden et al., 1993). Second explosion happened in a motorcycle, which ripped it apart. Similarly 2 other mishaps also occurred when pathology staff tried to open the container, in one of which, the laboratory ceiling was blown apart. This is because much precaution was not taken in hospital and adequate training were not given to staff members of how to effectively avoid this accident. (Sally Sharp , 2001)The solid carbon dioxide warmed to 20’c exerts huge vapor pressure but till then it was not mentioned in the label of delivery. Post the incidents rules were made to follow the following routines as All manufacturers should label dry eyes as explosion hazards. Air tight container should display hazard warning. Adequate training and information should be given to the employees. (UN, 1999) As explained these could be potential causes of fire break out. In the case of hospital surely there would be people who would be in the position of unable to move immediately. So extra care has to be taken to safely evacuate the people from the hospital in case of the fire break out. Proper partition systems and fire proof wall would have to be employed the in the sections where critically ill people are treated. The Leed infirmary hospital has the very big escape gates and adequate fire extinguisher placed. Additional step of placing effective fire detection system and alarm are to be implemented. The staff should be well educated about the steps to be followed in case of emergency evacuation have to be done. The contact numbers of the fire stations should be visibly displayed and hot lines could be established if possible. In the hospital immediate steps should be taken to remove the oxygen cylinders from the vicinity of fire when it appears, as Oxygen would fuel combustion. Adequate stretchers and carriers are present in Leeds General infirmary to carry the patients out in case of fire hazards. As a part of risk management plan, the hospital has to keep adequate number of masks in a easily reachable position to protect the patients from smoke. In case of Arson the staff should be properly educated to inform the respective department and move from that area. (Healthcare Commission. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Retrieved on 2007) In hospital additional training has been provided to the staff as how to handle explosive and highly combustible chemicals. In nutshell, in the hospital, The intensity of the fire if occurs could be big, fast and powerful owing to the presence of many chemicals, oxygen cylinders and highly combust able materials. The frequency or like hood of occurrence of any such incidences low as the hospitals which has the legacy of many years has established proper fire alarm systems and as many safety measures. The extend of area that could be affected is also big as the hospital sprawl over a large space. The time frame or warning time available could be more as the hospital is separated into many floors and wards. The hospital is well prepared to face any such events and as adequate risk management plan. Additionally hospital is well equipped in the section of evacuating disable people with the equipments needed for it being kept ready. Hospital has ample wheel chairs to assists disabled and old people. Additionally if the hospital could employ big print safety science people with impaired visions could be benefited. (Building and Environment,2007) Bibliography 1. Leeds Supermarkets, http://www.city-visitor.com/leeds/supermarkets.html, 2007 2. Views about Morrisons shop, Leeds, http://www.ciao.co.uk/Morrisons_Shop__Review_5569299 ,2007. 3. British Standards, FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT, www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/fire/contents.htm, retrieved on 2008. 4. BBC. TV host seriously hurt in crash. Retrieved on 2007-10-26. 5. Healthcare Commission. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Retrieved on 2007-10-26. 6. Sally Sharp, Explosions may occur if dry ice is placed in airtight transport containers, BMJ. 2001 February 17; 322(7283): 434. 7. United Nations. Recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods. New York, NY: UN; 1999. . (Document ST/SG/AC; 10/1/Rev 9.). 8. Krajden M, Grigoriew A, Khan M. Potential danger of placing dry ice into a commercial plastic screwcap biohazard safety shipping container. Canada Commun Dis Rep. 1993;19:91. . 9. Building and Environment Volume 42, Issue 3, March 2007, Pages 1283-1290 Read More