Fire and Rescue Risk Management Report - Coursework Example

Fire & Rescue Risk Management Report 1. Introduction The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which serves as a basis of the modern health and safety system in Great Britain, introduced a major fundamental principle – “those who create risk are best placed to control that risk, whether employers, the self-employed or manufacturers of articles or substances for use at work” (HSE, 2009, p.4). So, according to the Act, employers are legally responsible to the health and safety of both their employees and all people who, voluntarily or not, may be exposed to risks related to these employers’ businesses activities. Each employer must carry out the risks assessment, aiming to identify possible hazards and to develop a strategy so that to take actions needed for risks reducing and to ensure the safety of people. The law also provides responsibilities of governmental and public authorities of different ranges – from federal to local, as well as duties of employees themselves. According to Furness and Muckett (2007) legislative control over fire safety matters was rationalised with the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The Order complements the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974; it determines that an assessment of fire risk should be undertaken, and sets out in detail “the roles and responsibilities of those charged with managing fire safety within organisation” (p.4). Among a number of services related to the Health and Safety legislation, the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) has a vital significance. In this report we will discuss a significance of modern approaches to risk management in relation to FRSs, and, basing upon a risk assessment technique, will determine a specific strategy for one of the Fire Stations in Lancashire, namely – what activities should be undertaken to reduce the number of fires at the local accommodation centre for students. 2. The Fire & Rescue Services Act 2004 overview. The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (FRS Act) is an Act of the UK Parliament, which has replaced the Fire Services Act 1947. The Act came into effect on 1 October 2004 (UK Parliament, 2004). The main focus of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 is prevention. The Act establishes the new duty on the Fire and Rescue authorities (FRSA) in England and Wales to promote fire safety in their areas and undertake measures to prevent fires. Basing on a sad statistics of deaths in fires, the government states (CLG, 2004, p.1): “Evidence proves that prevention is better than cure …the best way to save lives and reduce injuries and other losses is to reduce the number of fires that start …The new duty means that all fire and rescue authorities must make fire prevention a mainstream activity.” It means a shift in the FRSs’ major activity to pro-active fire prevention measures, which presupposes a risk evaluation procedure. This activity includes a partnership in various programmes that are aimed to influence the behaviour of the social groups distinguished by the highest fire risks – children, students, elderly people, drug and alcohol users, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, people involved in crime, etc. (CLG, 2009). Prevention activity is to be integrated with protection and response activities, what enable FRSs to ensure considerable fire risks reducing. The second important feature of the Act is that it recognises legislatively the broader role, which FRSs has played during several last decades. Besides the fire-fighting this role includes rescue from road traffic accidents; the responding to terrorist threats; big flooding and other natural disasters; chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attack (CBRN); and other serious incidents. What is important – according to the Act, a list of the FRSs’ functions is not limited and can be changed depending on the role of FRS in the future so that to cover different forms of emergency. It has become especially important, taking into consideration a dynamic and variable nature of risks. It requires the FRSs to be innovative and flexible in order to find effective and efficient fire risk management solutions. For the first time the FRS Act 2004 formed a basis to establish the Fire and Rescue National Framework that provides national strategic guidance and support the FRSs on national and local levels. The Framework requires each FRSA to develop an integrated risk management strategy or Integrated Risk Management Plans, addressing specific local risks and measures for their management in order to improve local public safety, to reduce a number of fires and to save more lives (CLG, 2008b). 3. Integrated Risk Management Planning: a modern approach to risk management. Traditionally the FRSs were organised according to national fire cover standards, which prescribe a certain quantity of the Fire stations in dependence on a quantity of buildings and a time of response within a given area. But statistics of the last decades evidently showed that the fire incidents happens in dependence on behaviour of people, living in buildings, so they tend to depend on types of buildings, their locations, types of residents, and on a day time. So, in 2003 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) establishes responsibilities of the FRSs on a basis of modern principles of risk assessment and management. New requirements were brought together in the Integrated Risk Management Plans (IRMPs), which each local FRSA is required to produce for their brigade area (FBU, 2004). The outcomes that the ODPM anticipates through this approach are: a reduction in the number of fires and other emergency incidents occurring; a reduction in loss of life in fires and other emergency incidents; a reduction in the number and severity of injuries occurring in fires and other emergencies; a reduction in the commercial, economic and social impact of fires and other emergency incidents; safeguarding of the environment and heritage (both built and natural); and provision of a fire & rescue service that represents value for money for the community (Ibid. p.6). Currently the IRMPs are in force in each of local FRSA; they are dynamic documents, which are regularly reviewed and changed as soon as new information or requirement appears. They comprise risk profiles according to which FRSs’ workers undertake regular inspections and proactive fire preventive measures. A good example of the IRMP as a document, which forms the basis of an effective and efficient FRS, is the Lancashire FRS Risk Management Plan 2008-2011 (Lancashire FRS, 2008). This document sets a clear directions and objectives of work which Lancashire FRS aims to achieve during the next three years. The five key objectives are outlined in the document: Reduce the number of emergency incidents and their consequences; Ensure a safe, healthy, competent and representative workforce; Reduce our impact on the environment; Help build stronger, healthier and more sustainable communities; and Deliver affordable, value for money services. Each objective is described in detail, providing an explanation how the FRS intends to achieve it. A special section of the plan sets out a summarised range of actions with identification of what and when should be done, who is responsible and to which objectives each particular action is related (see example in Appendix 1). Another significant feature of the Plan is a set of 19 Key Performance Indicators, clearly determined by the document. It also serves as a basis of an effective FRS, because it helps to monitor performance of the FRS to ensure the plan objectives achievement. For each of five strategic objectives the appropriate KPIs were chosen (see Appendix B, Fig.1) and for each KPI a detailed description is represented (see Appendix B, Fig.2). When choosing the KPIs, both the FRS's strategic objectives and national indicators (CLG, 2008a) have been taken into consideration. In order to measure a progress and ensure the efficiency of the FRS work, the detailed Reports and Action Plans, based upon the set of KPIs, are produced for the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority Performance Committee (see Appendix C). 4. Risk Assessment method As we discussed above, Risk Assessment is one of the major stage of the integrated risk management planning. As the Fire Brigades Union asserts: “In order to efficiently and effectively deliver risk management services to a community an FRS must first assess the level of risk presented by each of the issues that are “in scope” (FBU, 2004, p.6). This means that, regarding to the Fire and Rescue Services, in order to evaluate risks, the scope of the FRS activity should be identified. It might be: FRS to the local community; services across geographical boundaries; partnership working; financial controls and others FRS business processes. The business processes need to be refined into specific activities so that to define specific strategy, e.g. industrial fires, dwelling fires, historic buildings, education, etc. A risk assessment is a careful examination of hazards associated with various specified activities, which have the potential to cause harm. Cote (2003) suggests defining a hazard as a “characteristic of a system or process that represents a potential for an unplanned event leading to undesirable losses” (p.283). Hazard identification in a risk assessment is the process of recognizing hazards that can cause significant undesirable losses. So, identified hazards should be evaluated to estimate a significance of potential losses. The most prevalent risk assessment technique is Probability-Severity method, based on an estimation of the likelihood and magnitude of potential losses. As Cote (2003) asserts, this predictive method integrates successfully with statistical data and expert opinions. Cote (2003) describes the following primary steps of a risk assessment in relation to fire safety (p.283): 1. Identification of the fire events that could lead to significant loss. 2. Quantification of the fire risk – that is, probability of fire event occurrences (likelihood) and loss consequences (severity). 3. Development and evaluation of alternative fire prevention and / or fire protection strategies (recommendations) to reduce the fire risk. 4. Measurement of the estimated change in fire risk (difference in probability and / or consequences) associated with the alternatives. The results of a risk assessment enable to understand what measures should be undertaken to provide a sufficient control and to reduce the level of the risk to the lowest possible level. It helps the FRS to focus on the risks that are more significant in its scope. 5. Fire Risk Management strategy for a local Fire Station. In order to determine a Local Fire Station’s strategy for reducing the number of fires at an accommodation centre for students (it is actually the scope of our FRS activity for a given assignment), we have taken all that was said above as a basis. In addition we used a methodology of a risk assessment of the NEC Group (2009) and, partially, a methodology “5 Steps” of the HSE (2006). All results are represented in the Table 1. Our risk assessment methodology consists of the following steps: 1. Identification of potential hazards or fire events that could lead to significant loss. For identification of fire events we used the UK fire statistical data 2007 (CLG, 2009b, pp.85-86). We chose the most often occurring fire events, related to student accommodation's conditions and student lifestyle. 2. Identification of persons at risk – all persons (groups) who “may be at risk if exposed to the hazard” (NEC Group, 2009, p.2). 3. Quantification of the Severity Level (S), the Likelihood (L) and the Population Rating (P). For quantification the following matrix has been used (see Fig.1), where Severity and Population were defined from a common sense, and Likelihood was defined according to the UK fire statistical data 2007: more 200 fires – Possible level of Likelihood (5); more 500 fires – Likely level of Likelihood (10); more 1000 fires – Certain level of Likelihood (20). Figure 1. The matrix to quantify the level of risk (source: NEC Group, 2009, p.5). 4. Calculation of Risk Rating (RR) as a result of multiplication: RR = S x L x P Value of the Risk Rating enables to prioritise risks according the Risk Rating matrix: Risk Rating Action < 10 Acceptable Monitor and Review < 20 Low Within 3 months < 50 Medium Within 1 month < 100 High Within 1 week 100 + Unacceptable Immediately Figure 2. The matrix of risk rating (adapted from: NEC Group, 2009, p.6). 5. Once risks have been prioritised, it is possible to define preventive, protective and responding activities and control measures that are needed from the local FRS to mitigate risks and reduce them to as low as it is reasonably practicable. In dependence on risk rating, actions differ in urgency – the most serious risks require immediate actions (see Fig.2). 6. It is also possible to predict a residual risk rating (RRR), basing upon new values of severity, likelihood and population that are presumed after accomplishment of all suggested control measures. 7. Now it is possible to create a Strategy Action Plan with detailed description of activities and responsibilities, as a part of the general FRS IRM Plan. 8. The last step is regular monitoring of the plan and reviewing of the risk assessment in order to keep them suitable and sufficient. Table 1. Fire Risk Assessment for an accommodation centre for students. Hazards Persons at risk S L P RR Activity and Controls S L P RRR Smoking related risks Careless smoking Students 5 20 2682 fires 3 300 Smoke detectors in each room and facilities, Fire-fighting equipment, Information leaflet in each room Fire escape plan in each room 2 5 2 20 Playing with lighters or matches Students 5 5 232 fires 2 50 Smoke detectors in each room and facilities, Room fire extinguisher, Information leaflet 2 5 1 10 Cooking appliances Misuse of electric cookers Students, cooks 5 20 8644 fires 2 200 Regular intactness testing, Smoke detectors in kitchens, Kitchen fire extinguisher, Auto closers in kitchen doors 2 5 2 20 Chip / fat pan fires Students, cooks 2 20 3765 fires 2 80 Smoke detectors in kitchens, Kitchen fire extinguisher, Chip pan replacing, Auto closers in kitchen doors 2 5 2 20 Placing articles too close to heat Students, cooks 5 20 1292 fires 2 200 Smoke detectors in kitchens, Kitchen fire extinguisher, Auto closers in kitchen doors Information leaflet 1 5 2 10 Space heating appliances Faulty appliances and leads Students, cleaners, servicers 5 10 495 fires 3 150 Regular intactness testing, Smoke detectors in each room and facilities, Fire-fighting equipment, Fire escape plan 2 5 2 20 Placing articles too close to heat Students, cleaners, servicers 5 10 739 fires 3 150 Smoke detectors in each room and facilities, Fire-fighting equipment, Fire escape plan 2 5 2 20 Blowlamps Misuse of liquid petroleum gas Students 5 5 255 fires 3 75 Smoke detectors in each room and facilities, Fire-fighting equipment, Fire escape plan, Information leaflet 2 5 2 20 Electrical distribution and equipment Faulty appliances and leads Students, cleaners, servicers 5 20 4837 fires 3 300 Smoke detectors in each room and facilities, Fire-fighting equipment, Regular intactness testing, Fire escape plan in each room 2 5 2 20 Candles Careless handling of fire Students 2 5 256 fires 2 20 Smoke detectors in each room and facilities, Room fire extinguisher 1 5 2 10 References CLG. (2004). Fire & Rescue Services Act 2004 – Key Factsheet 2: Focus on prevention. London, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Available from: www.communities.gov.uk/documents/fire/pdf/128929.pdf [Accessed 31 May 2010]. CLG. (2008a). Fire and Rescue Service partnership working toolkit for Local Area Agreements. London, Department for Communities and Local Government. Available from: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/fire/doc/701412.doc [Accessed 31 May 2010]. CLG. (2008b). Fire and Rescue Service National Framework 2008–11. London, Department for Communities and Local Government. Available from: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/fire/pdf/nationalframework200811.pdf [Accessed 31 May 2010]. CLG. (2009a). Integrated Risk Management Planning Guidance Note 4: A risk assessment based approach to managing a fire safety inspection programme. London, Department for Communities and Local Government. Available from: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/fire/pdf/IRMPguidancente4 [Accessed 31 May 2010]. CLG. (2009b). Fire Statistics. United Kingdom, 2007. London, Department for Communities and Local Government. Available from: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/pdf/1320522.pdf [Accessed 31 May 2010]. CLG. (n.d.). Integrated Risk Management Planning (IRMP). Guidance note 1. London, Department for Communities and Local Government. Available from: http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/developingfuture/integratedriskmanagement/guidancenote1/ [Accessed 31 May 2010]. Cote, A.E. (2003). Organizing for Fire and Rescue Services. Sudbury, Jones & Bartlett Learning. FBU. (2004). Integrated Risk Management Planning. The National Document. Kingston-Upon-Thames, FBU National IRMP Department. Available from: http://www.fbu.org.uk/workplace/irmp/irmpdoc/irmp_front_section.pdf [Accessed 01 June 2010]. Furness, A., and Muckett, M. (2007). Introduction to fire safety management. Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann. HSE. (2006). Five steps to risk assessment. London, Health and Safety Executive. Available from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf [Accessed 31 May 2010]. HSE. (2009). A guide to health and safety regulation in Great Britain. London, Health and Safety Executive. Available from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/web42.pdf [Accessed 31 May 2010]. Lancashire FRS. (2008). Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Risk Management Plan 2008-2011. Preston, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. Available from: http://www.lancsfire.gov.uk/IRMP/RMP.pdf [Accessed 01 June 2010]. The NEC Group (2009). How to write a risk assessment. Birmingham, the NEC Group. Available from: http://www.thenec.co.uk/exhibitions/Documents/How%20to%20Write%20a%20Risk%20Assessment.pdf [Accessed 01 June 2010]. UK Parliament (2004). Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. London, Office of Public Sector Information. Available from: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/pdf/ukpga_20040021_en.pdf [Accessed 31 May 2010]. Appendix A. Action plan of the Lancashire FRS for 2008-2011. Source: Lancashire FRS, 2008, pp.26-27. Appendix B. Key Performance Indicators of the Lancashire FRS. Figure 1. A set of KPIs. Figure 2. Description of KPIs for the particular Strategic Objective. Source: Lancashire FRS, 2008, pp.38-39. Appendix C. Performance Measurement and Reporting in the Lancashire FRS. Source: Lancashire FRS, 2008, pp.44-45. Read More