Safety Environmental Management - Assignment Example

Fire Safety Name: Institution: Course Title: Course Code: Date of Submission: Introduction Fire breakouts in workplaces and homes are quite hazardous and such situations pose one of the most catastrophic circumstances in an industrial establishment. In most severe cases, fire situations have the greatest potential loss of lives and property while at the same time posing serious damages to the environment (Allan, 2009). There are therefore various national and international legislations aimed at guiding employers, employees, residents, and fire management personnel on their responsibilities to combat fire situations. Careful fire assessment plans, compliance with various legislations and laws on fire safety, developing well-planned & engineered fire situations prevention measures, and proper response measures by trained personnel on fire management play an important role in reducing the risk and potential damage caused by fire (Allan, 2009). However, in spite of the many developments and improvements made in relation to fire detection, assessments, and prevention, fire continues to remain one of the most difficult hazards to predict and thus authorities and employers together with resident owners put more emphasis on firefighting as the main course of action. The consequences of fire in an industrial set up and installations may be more severe than any other situation due to the added risk of the presence of radioactive substances. Hence, there is an increased need to have efficient systems and properly designed fire engineering techniques for regulating fire protection system in industrial set up and installations and strengthen the fire safety regulations that support occupational health and safety (Helen & Steve, 2005). In an industrial installation, fire safety measures include fire risk assessment, fire prevention, detection, and protection systems. It also entails other considerations such as workplace personnel safety, environmental safety, and property protection within the workplace. Viewing it from a professional point of view, fire safety systems and regulations aim at achieving a defense-in-depth concept on fire safety (Helen & Steve, 2005). Combination of various safety systems and fires safety legislations provides direction for individuals to come up with the optimum combination of the three levels –prevention, detection, and suppression to ensure safety. In summary, for longer than recorded history, the human race continues to live with fire as source of comfort and calamity as well. Combining the characteristics of fire as rapid and having a self-sustaining oxidation process together with the varied intensities of evolution of heat and light, proves fire as indeed more catastrophic (Allan, 2009). Firestorms can be manmade or natural. Manmade firestorms results from human or machine errors. Such errors may result to industrial or chemical fire disasters andelectrical short circuit firesamong others. Rural and urban residential and non-residential structural fires are also largely manmade fires. Fire Safety Legislation Organizations and their managerial bodies have a legal obligation of managing risk from fire in their workplaces. Their obligation is to fulfill new Occupational Health & Safety Acts enacted by the legal authorities to ensure occupational health for workers, property, and the environment as well. In the United Kingdom for instance, Health and Safety Executive and local authorities develop and come up with health and safety legislation for managing occupational fires breakouts under the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 (Allan, 2009). Increasingly in the UK, the trends for regulations are quite away from prescriptive rules, and tend to lean towards risk assessment. Recent major changes made by the UK law authorities concerning fire safety and management embrace risk assessment as the core principle of managing fire breakouts and their devastating environmental effects. Health and safety legislation in the UK The UK has two most crucial legislations that touch on occupational health and safety, with which fire hazards fall as a category. These two important legislations include the Health and Safety at Work, etc., Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations Act of 1999 (Amernic, 2008). These two mother legislations contain set regulations and standards meant for employers and employees as well to comply with in order to ensure safety in workplaces. However, there are other vital legislations enacted to take care of some specific risks at workplaces such as legislations for example lifting and carrying, noise at workplaces, computer work and electricity, and fire risk legislations (Amernic, 2008). The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2006 The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations is one of the most important legislations in the UK that places specific duties on employers, employees, and owners together with those individuals controlling buildings to manage the risks from asbestos fires that result from construction or maintenance of buildings and other installations. The regulation stipulates various steps for managers to follow keenly in their efforts to manage asbestos during construction, maintenance, and installation of various facilities (Amernic, 2008). The first step required of manager is to assess if the area of work concerned contains some asbestos and evaluate its conditions or and do not presume any material containing asbestos unless proved beyond any reasonable doubt that indeed they do not contain. It is also a requirement for managers to make records of the location and condition of the materials containing asbestos and those presumed to have them and ensure that their records are up to date at all times. Furthermore, fire risk managers should assess all materials and appliances containing asbestos and come up with an efficient plan for management of the risks posed by the presence of asbestos. The management plan developed should also undergo various monitoring arrangements to ensure it meets current needs and technology as they develop. The regulation also puts in place clear responsibilities for fire specialists as helping in general determination of the presence asbestos and their successful removal (Alex, 2010). The regulation also adviseson non-disturbance of asbestos certified to be in good condition as it is safe if managed in that condition than disturbed. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 This is an order enacted by the UK government under which the 'responsible person' in the workplace (i.e. the employer/owner/person in control) should observe general fire safety precautions to ensure their health and safety and those of others within and not within the workplace. The order requires managers to assess the risk of fire breakout while paying keen and particular attention to people very vulnerable to fire hazards such as children and disabled people (Alex, 2010). The order also requires management to ensure that there are effective means of escape in the event of fire and ensuring that workplace remain well equipped with the necessary firefighting equipment, detectors, and alarms. Finally, the order requires the nomination of appropriate number of highly trained and equipped individuals judged with the responsibility of implementing fire management measures. Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 In October 2004, the UK Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 placed Fire and Rescue National Framework in the track after coming into full force the same year (Alex, 2010). The Act presents an important requirement for employers and employees to promote fire safety aimed at saving more lives and reduce injuries caused by fire tragedies. The Act also places on a statutory footing on activities that previously fell outside of the Fire Services remit. Such activities included rescue from road traffic collisions and activities for dealing with large-scale emergencies from industrial plants. Technically, the Act replaces the Fire Services Act 1947 and fully fosters the Government's main objective to establish a modern and efficient Fire and Rescue Service developed in a more efficient and effective way to meet the challenges of the 21st century (Hasofer, 2012). Fire safety management at Chemical Storage Tank Engineers and fire safety managers have the responsibility for ensuring that adequate systems for ensuring total assessment and checks for reduce the risk of fire starting in the chemical storage tank. Before the proposed chemical storage tank project commences, it is necessary that all staff involved in the cleaning process of the chemical tank to have an adequate understanding of various objects necessary for ensuring safety throughout the entire project. Primarily, it is necessary to ensure that all members of staff get access to sufficient training and information on the contents of the chemical tank and their vulnerability to catching fire. Furthermore, clear and appropriate fire instructions displayed within the working and adjacent environment are necessary. Such instructions include escape routes clearly sign posted and ensured to be free from any obstruction (Hasofer, 2012). It is also necessary to ensure that fire-fighting equipment, alarms and smoke detectors are available in the facility to warn staff in the event where fire break out may result. Additionally, adequate arrangements for storing and disposing the sludge residue, gritty with the consistency of soft butter, are necessary to ensure that firestorms do not arise after cleaning the tank. It is also necessary to ensure that any source of electrical energy supplies to the facility remain switched off during the entire period of the project to prevent short-circuiting (Hasofer, 2012). Training of staff should focus on the findings of fire risk assessment, clearly describing emergency measures, and clear description of individual’s duty and responsibility. After meeting all the above requirements, the maintenance staff should comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Act of 2004 to ensure that the correct measures for handling the residue is correct. Providing a lid closable by gravity is necessary to prevent the tar from any exposure to flames and the facility carrying the residue shall not at any point fill to 6inches from the overflow level. It is also necessary to provide a 2A:40B:C dry chemical fire extinguisher for the chemical tank at approximately 25 feet radius for safety purposes. Finally, replacing the combustible chemicals with less combustible ones will also be of great importance to safety. This will ensure that the scenario in the future will be unlikely to occur. Fire risk Assessment of the Chemical Storage Tank The core of every fire health and safety legislation lies the fire risk assessment as an organized appraisal for any given plant, premise, or any given facility under consideration. The assessment of fire risk aims at identifying the potential fire hazards alongside individuals who might be on the danger in the case where fire breakout is inevitable (Hasofer, 2012). Furthermore, the assessment should clearly evaluate risks that may arise from hazards and consider the possibility of attaining further measures to remove the risks if the existing fire risk precautions are not adequate. Since the project at hand involves a chemical tank, it is necessary to ensure that experts from fire and chemical engineering fields take up the assessment of fire risks in the tank, as they are competent and experienced in fire and chemical-related field respectively (Linda, 2003). The risk of using non-competent individuals may prove catastrophic. Five Steps of Risk Fire Assessment a) Identifying Fire Hazards This first step means identifying the most likely sources of heat, fuel, combustible chemical, oxygen, and fuels, which are likely to cause fire. Source of ignition such as heaters, commercial processes, and flames need early identification at this stage with the consideration of existing measures to control the hazards identified. Since thermally stable tar is likely to cause fire at any instant, this becomes the primary source of fire risk hazard in the project. Since the project may be more risky at 3am, the assessment team should consider the appropriate time when the residue is unlikely to cause fire. b) Identifying the People at Risk In this second step, fire management team should take into consideration the identification of anyone likely to face dangers from fire breakout during the project. In this case, the people at risk are the maintenance crew, contractors, people outside working hours such as cleaners, and passersby (UK Department for Communication, 2009). c) Evaluate, Remove, Reduce, and Protect Against Fire Risks This calls for fire risk managers to evaluate the level of risk in the chemical tank. After identifying the level of risk, the team then comes up with the best safe way possible to eliminate the risks and once eliminated, the search for any other available source of risk is necessary(David, 2009). At this stage, equipment proposed by the legislations for fire prevention is subject to testing to ensure their efficiency. d) Record, Plan, Instruct, Inform, and Train It is always necessary to record the most relevant findings collected from the risk assessment. The law requires that risk managers record the findings of possible sources of fire and details of individuals likely face the risk. It is also necessary to record the steps taken to reduce or eliminate the risks and the emergency plan developed. Finally, it is a good practice to instruct and inform the relevant staff on the actions necessary in the event of fire and train those staff with particular functions, such as fire marshals. e) Regular Review of the Fire Assessment It is necessary to review the assessment finding to avoid any unnoticed hazard and even in the event where there in an introduced change in the use of the tank or the number of individuals working on the project. This idea keeps the washing or maintenance team updated on the possibility of fire breakout in the project (David, 2009). Environmental and Pollution Protection Cases of fire breakouts emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. These gases are known to have quite devastating effects in the deterioration of the ozone layer hence global warming (Daniel, 2007). Fire also may destroy vegetation and forests, hence more adverse impacts to the environment. Finally, considering that the project involves a chemical tank, leakage of chemical substances to the ground has many harmful effects to plants and earth creatures not to forget leaching to the aquatic system. Therefore, having legislations in place and holding managers liable for non-compliance plays an important role in ensuring that environmental pollution remain a priority. Conclusion The UK has several occupational health and safety regulations aimed at ensuring employees’ safety at workplaces and reducing environmental pollution as well. As such, considering the extent at which events of fire in workplaces and residential buildings can be calamitous, the UK government enacted various legislations that stipulate guidelines for fire management, duties, and responsibilities for employer and fire risk managers, and necessary precautions aimed at reducing the impacts of fire breakouts. Some of the outstanding legislations and Acts include the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2006, and Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. These Acts together with other general OHS Acts such as the Health and Safety at Work, etc., Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations Act of 1999 play an important role in reducing the effects of fire breakout. Since employers and premise owners are responsible and liable for non-compliance, coupled with strict penalties, fire regulations go a long way in effecting fire prevention. The most important aspect of these legislations is their design, which clearly elaborates the effective procedures for assessing and preventing fire risks in workplaces, homes, and engineering construction plants. With roles and responsibilities of every ‘responsible person’ clearly stipulated, fire prevention becomes effective (Linda, 2003). Finally, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations of 2004 are useful in guiding engineers and fire risk managers on how to handle hazardous substances such as chemical in engineering plants. Works Cited Alex, D. Workplace Law Handbook 2011 - Health and Safety, Premises and Environment Handbook (ed). Cambridge: Workplace Law Group, 2010. Allan, G. Fire Risk: Fire Safety Law and Its Practical Application. London: Thorogood Publishing, 2009. Amernic, J. Fire Safety Disaster, Canadian Healthcare Facilities, Vol. 28, no. 3, ed Amie Silverwood, 2008. Daniel, D. Safety and Enviromental Management, 2nded. New Yok: Rowman& Littlefield Pub Incorporated, 2007. David, Y. Principles of Fire Risk Assessment in Buildings. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. Department of Communication and Local Government. Occupational health, safety, and welfare: guidance for fire and rescue services, generic risk assessments. Norwich: The Stationery Office, 2009, Available on www.tsoshop.co.uk Hasofer, A, Beck, R and Bennets, D. Risk Analysis in Building Fire Safety Engineering. New York: Routledge, 2012. Helen L, and Steve M. Occupational Health and Safety in Construction Project Management. New York: Spon and Son, 2005. Linda, J. Chemical Plant Security. Hauppauge New Yok: Nova Science Publishers, 2003. UK Legislations. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order. 2005. Available on http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/3386/pdfs/uksi_20043386_en.pdf Read More