Risk Management - Fire Safety Risk Assessment - Coursework Example

Running Header: Risk Management Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code: Date of Submission: Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 2 Fire and Services Act 2004 3 Fire Risk Assessment 4 Identifying the fire hazards 5 Sources of ignition 5 Potential sources of fuel 6 Identification of people at risk 6 Evaluating, removing, reducing, and protecting from the risk 7 Record, plan, instruct, inform and train 8 Reviewing and Revising 9 Integrated Risk Management Plan 9 Conclusion 10 References 12 Risk Management Introduction Risk assessment has turned into a legal obligation for workers in various areas of health and safety legislation. General risk assessment is a careful assessment of hazards within the company, working areas, or places of residence that may cause harm to the public or employees. After the identification of the hazards, there is need for evaluating the risk they pose. It is important to determine whether the precautions undertaken are enough and whether there is, need to do more towards preventing the hazard from causing ill health or injury. Hazard can be defined as something that has potential of causing harm including substances we use or store, methods of working, machineries we use, and sources of fuel and power among others. Risk is the term that refers to the seriousness of a hazard. This includes the likelihood of a machine causing injury and the seriousness of the consequences. Risk can be viewed as likelihood that hazard will lead to harm multiplied by the harshness of the harm or injury if it was to take place. One of the major hazards that can cause a significant risk among the residents and workers is fire. Therefore, in order to reduce the fire hazards and risks, it is crucial to come up with a fire risk assessment plan. This is towards reducing the effects of fire occurrences and risks associated with it. Stopping the occurrence of fire will save lives while making communities safer and specifically the most vulnerable groups (Denis & Chubb Company 2000). This is because fire is a major threat to sustainable part of society. Fire and Services Act 2004 Fire and Services Act 2004 is one of the acts that assists in improving the services of fire and rescue services while reducing the occurrences of fire related hazards and risks. It is an act of UK parliament, it applies to Great Britain, and it is mostly applied in Wales and England. It clearly clarifies the powers and responsibilities of fire authorities. Such duties include fighting fires, fire safety promotion, and rescue of people in cases of road accidents as well as dealing with emergencies like terrorist and flooding. The main feature of Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 is the new duty of promoting fire safety among the fire and rescue services. According to research, over half of fires fatalities in UK occur before FRAs intervention. Fire and Rescue Act 2004 is an act making provision about fire and rescue authorities and their roles. It has a role of making provision about training and education, to make provision of false alarms of fire, to make provision of water supply, and provide advisory bodies funding among others. According to Fire and Rescue Act 2004, fire and rescue authority is supposed to formulate provision for the purpose of fire safety promotion in an area as illustrated by Denis & Chubb Company (2000). According to the Fire and Safety 2004, fire and rescue authority is supposed to formulate provision for promoting fire safety in its region of operations. Fire and rescue authority is supposed to formulate provision for the purpose of protecting properties and life in case of fire as well as extinguishing fire in its area. It should also make provision of the equipment, personnel, and services essential to meet competently the normal necessities. Fire Risk Assessment In order to be able to identify ways of reducing fire as a hazard and risk that causes deaths and other injuries, it is important to undertake a risk assessment for the fire in the residential houses for the students. A fire risk assessment helps in identifying all fire hazards and risks within the premises. Assessment should be reviewed frequently with time depending on the seriousness of the risk and type of hazard as well as degree of change taking place within the residential areas. Fire risk assessment should identify any possible dangers and risks, consider the people at risk, reduce the fire risk where possible, and provide general fire precautions that can deal with remaining possible risk. It should also take other necessary measures towards ensuring there is protection incase explosive or flammable materials are stored or used within the areas of residence. Fire safety risk assessment is carried systematically in order to ensure a thorough identification and reduction of the hazards and other risks associated with fire incidences. According to London Fire Brigade (2011), Fire safety risk assessment has five main steps that include: 1. Identification of Fire hazards 2. Identification of people at risk 3. Evaluating, reducing/removing and protecting from the risk 4. Recording the findings, planning, informing, instructing, and training 5. Reviewing and revising regularly the fire risk assessment Identifying the fire hazards Three factors must be there for fire to occur and they include source of ignition, oxygen, and fuel. The presence of all the three factors increases the fire risk. In most instances, fire hazards occur within the two categories that include fuel and source of ignition. This is because oxygen is present in the air within the surrounding spaces. However, they are sources of oxygen that include gas in cylinders or pipes and chemical forms (oxidizing agents). Fireworks are other sources of oxygen within the buildings. Sources of ignition Sources of ignition include hot surfaces such as boilers, electric equipment, engines, machinery, lighting (halogen lamps) among others. Naked flames is another ignition source and includes matches, pilot lights, gas welding, cookers, smokers materials, and oil/gas heaters. How work including grinding, flame cutting, and welding is another source of ignition. Sparks from metal impact, static electricity, and electrical contacts/switches are sources of ignition. Another source of ignition that contributes greatly to fire hazards and risks is arson, which is a deliberate ignition. This is most common among many students’ residential premises who deliberately burn their hostels especially when they strike. Potential sources of fuel Fuel is anything that burns causing fire. Some of the fuel sources include solids: wood, rubber, PU foam, textiles, card, waste materials, fittings/fixtures, and packaging among others. Another source of fuel is liquids and they include varnish, paints, solvents like adhesives, petrol, paraffin, thinners, spirits (methylated and white) among others. Gases are another major source of fuel and include acetylene and LPG. Others include books, carpets, and papers among others. These are some of the sources that are likely to be found in the student’s living premises and they have a high probability of causing fire as illustrated by UK Government (2010). Identification of people at risk It is important to identify which groups of people are at risk of getting hurt when fire erupts. The greatest danger that occurs when fire breaks out in a premise is spread of smoke, fire, and heat. The main risk to students or people at premises is the products of combustion and smoke. These have high chances of incapacitating the occupants from escaping. Inadequate means of escape or routes can make people become trapped inside the buildings or make firefighters unable to work effectively. Fire can also grow to an appreciable size before it is identified making people become trapped before evacuation process is undertaken. Assessment of risk to people includes identifying the likely growth speed and spread of fire as well as associated smoke and heat. It also includes identifying number of people within the premises including contractors, students, visitors, employees/staff, fire fighters and members of public. Students under influence of drugs and alcohol may be at the greatest risk of fire (Paul, 2006). Others include parents with babies, people working in isolated rooms like stores and disabled people. It should also include ways of giving warning to people in case of fire occurrence through fire detection and alarm systems and the ways in which they will escape. Evaluating, removing, reducing, and protecting from the risk It is vital to assess the risk levels in the buildings. This is through removing or reducing existing fire hazards while reducing the identified risks. There is need to replace materials that are highly flammable with less flammable ones. Flammable materials should be separated with sources of ignition at all cost. There is need to have a safe-smoking policy. After the reduction of the risks to the possible levels, assessment of any risk left should be undertaken in order to decide of any further measures to undertake to increase further the fire safety. They are various general fire precautions that one should undertake. A suitable fire-detection and warning system should be put in place. This includes an electrical detection, warning system, and electrical detection. The system in place should have the capability of warning people under all circumstances. There is need to have multi-purpose fire extinguishers with guaranteed shelf life. There is also the need to have one extinguisher after every200m2 of floor space as a thumb rule as illustrated by Paul, (2006). Types of portable extinguishers include water extinguisher used on wood, textiles, and solid materials fire, however, they should not be used on metal, liquid, and on electrical fires. Powder extinguishers are used for electrical and liquid fires and should not be used on metal fires. Foam extinguishers are used on liquid fires and should not be used on metal or electric fires. Carbon Dioxide extinguishers are for electric and liquid fires and should not be used on metal fires. The extinguishers content can be identified by the color on red container. Walls and ceiling linings including carpets that are highly combustible should be treated in such as way that they reduce spread of fire. There should be no congestion in the rooms towards ensuring reduced fire hazards and risks. The premises should have suitable fire exit routes or doors. They should be usable without any key or special knowledge. Escape routes plays a key role towards reducing fire risks and hazards. This is through enabling people move away from the premises without any assistance from anybody. Escape routes should be accessible to make the buildings accessible. Buildings for the public or accommodating large number of people require push pads or panic bars. There is need to consider other factors including whether there is need to put emergency lighting. Suitable fire-safety signs require to be put in all areas of the premises (National Fire Protection Association et el 2008). Signs and notices should be put in areas where staff, visitors, and students can be able to see, use and interpret them without problems in order to get out in case of fire. Staff and any other person who can assist during fire incidents require to be trained. There is need to put in place a management system that ensures fire safety systems are well maintained. Record, plan, instruct, inform and train There is need to record the people and dangers identified in steps 1 and 2. It is also important to record what was done in step 3 through a simple plan. An emergency plan for the premises should be made. This includes an action to be taken in case of fire in the premises or other neighboring buildings. Instructions concerning fire should be given occasionally to the staff, guests, students and other workers within the premises. All students and staff should be given enough information and training concerning risks in the premises. There must be a clear plan on the ways to prevent fire and how people can be kept safe in case of fire according to UK Government (2010). Reviewing and Revising The fire-risk assessment should be reviewed and re-examined to ensure that it is up to date. This is in case some things miss out or invalidity of the some plans. This is in case they are more materials that can catch fire easily or when there is a change in the number of occupants occupying the premises. Fire risk assessment is a process that is continuous hence the need to monitor and audit. This is towards maintaining new and effective control measures. Introduction of new changes calls for review and revise of risk assessment in order to address new hazards. Such new change may include increase in number of students, introduction of new furniture or increase in number of partitions as argued by UK Government (2010). Integrated Risk Management Plan It is a multifaceted risk-based plan that systematically identifies all hazards as argued by National Fire Protection Association (2008). It also determines the control measures that mitigate the risks caused by the hazards. This is through a holistic and corporate approach towards the public general safety enhancement. United Kingdom government has tasked fire and rescue services to produce a plan. This is towards identifying objectives while improving community fire safety. It involves three elements that include prevention, protection, and response of which they are all interlinked and they play a key role towards community fire safety. IRMP sets out strategies towards reducing the fire incidences, fire injuries, and deaths. In its efforts to protect people from fire hazards, fire safety officers inspects high-risk premises as well as enforcing fire safety in buildings. This is towards protecting people. IRMP has three main objectives that include reducing the impact of fire, releasing the resources in terms of personnel in a way that is effective towards keeping a safer community, and changing the focus from intervention to protection and prevention. This can be illustrated by home fire risk assessment teams which is targeting over 20 percent of wards in Greater Manchester. This is through the installation of smoke alarms while providing risk assessments. IRMP is utilized at various fire and rescue services including Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. Conclusion Fire has remained a great threat to the sustainability of the community. Therefore, the efficiency and speed of fire and rescue services towards responding to incidents is a key factor that should be taken into consideration. However, the best ways towards reducing injuries, losses, and loss of lives arising from fire incidents is through prevention and controlling the related potential hazards and factors. Fire fighting equipments and facilities should be put in all the areas of premises. Fire and rescue authorities should encourage as well as publicize various ways of fire prevention. Fire and rescue services Integrated Risk Management Plans should identify specific groups that are at a high risk. It should also target resources accordingly while balancing between intervention and prevention programs as argued by Great Britain et el (2006). In order to meet set goals of reducing the fire incidents in student’s premises and other buildings, every person should undertake a responsibility. This includes employers in various premises, managing agents and owners of premises, occupiers or students or any other person who can take any part within the premises. Premises owners and agents should equip the premises with relevant fire fighting facilities such as fire-warning systems and sprinklers. There is need to retrain fire fighters frequently in order to ensure they are up to the standard with the changing building structures. The architectural design of every building should be at an area where the fire fighters, in order for them to be able to undertake the appropriate steps in fighting the fire can access it. Modern facilities should as well be provided to them in order to beef up their efforts in reducing the impacts of fire. All buildings should be equipped with all necessary fire materials. They should also meet the building codes and standards as a way of reducing effects of fire. References Denis C. & Chubb Company 2000, Fire risk assessment: a practical guide, Chubb Fire Ltd, New York. Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: Select Committee on Economic Affairs, House of Lords. Select Committee on Economic Affairs 2006, Government Policy on the Management of Risk: 5th Report of Session 2005-06, The Stationery Office, London. London Fire Brigade 2011, Fire risk assessment, viewed 1 April 2011, http://www.london- fire.gov.uk/FireRiskAssessment.asp National Fire Protection Association, International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Fire Protection Association 2008, Fire Service Instructor: Principles and Practice, Jones and Bartlett Publishers International, London. Paul, M 2006, The Fire and Rescue Service: Session 2005-06, Stationery Office, London. UK Government 2010, Fire safety Risk Assessment, viewed 1 April 2011, http://www.london- fire.gov.uk/FireRiskAssessment.asp Read More