A Fire Risk Assessment by Identifying and Analyzing the Potential Hazards and the Risks - Report Example

Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code and Name: Date Assignment is due: Risk management Executive summary The fire and rescue service is ever-changing to meet the evolving demands and improve safety of the public in the 21st century. The basic objectives of fire and rescue service is the prevention of fire hazards and other emergencies, by informing and educating the public about safety awareness, promote safety and protection at work, and in the home. Nevertheless, emergencies will inevitably occur and this will make it necessary for the fire and rescue department to help, and intervene in mitigating the destruction that has been caused. This report carries out a fire risk assessment by identifying and analyzing the potential hazards and the risks that are posed by these hazards. The report then identifies the means of reducing and controlling the impact of the hazards, and this forms the basis of the strategy that should be adopted in the accommodation center. In addition, the report discusses how the strategy fits in with a fire and rescue service integrated risk management plan. Table of Contents Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………..4 Qualitative and Quantitative risk evaluation………………………………………………….4 A fire risk assessment………………………………………………………………………....5 Step 1: Identification of the fire hazards……………………………………………...5 Step 2: Identification of individuals at risk…………………………………………...7 Step 3: The removal, reduction, evaluation, and protection from risk………………..7 Step 4: Recording, informing, planning, training and instructing…………………….9 Step 5: Reviewing……………………………………………….…………………….10 Integrated risk management planning………………………….………….…………………..10 Prevention……………………………………………………………………………12 Protection…………………………………………………………………………….13 Response……………………………………………………………………………..13 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………13 Works cited…………………………………………………………………………………...15 Introduction In the UK, government has embarked on modernizing the fire and rescue service through the office of the deputy prime minister. Using the national framework document, the government has come up with an integrated risk management plan. The plan was set up to achieve a number of fundamental things. The plan aims at identifying potential and existing risk to a community, examine the efficiency of current response and preventive arrangements, to determine standards and policies for intervention and prevention and identify openings for improvement, and establish the required resources in meeting the standards and policies. The integrated risk management policies are not only designed to substitute national standards for fire and rescue with local ones. In addition, they entail the shifting of concentration in planning to prioritizing people, examining the risks that emerge from a variety of fires, and the opportunity for their management and reduction. For the IRMPs to be effective, they need to adopt a risk-managed, fully integrated approach to the safety of the community, fire safety enforcement and inspection, the response arrangements during emergencies that will result in an environment that is safer. Qualitative and Quantitative risk evaluation. Risk analysis is an important managerial process that is required to spot potential and existing hazards, vulnerabilities, and threats that can affect the overall performance and set-up of an organization. This can be done in two ways; either quantitatively or qualitatively. In a carrying out a fire risk assessment, it is crucial to differentiate the two types of risk analyses. Qualitative risk analysis seeks to obtain safety against imminent risks and increase the awareness of personnel, team members, and management who are susceptible to risks. It is designed to spot issues that are considered as project management barriers, but can become specific risk factors. A comprehensive qualitative assessment also aims at identifying the resources which are most vulnerable to risks. The aim is to identify correctional measures that can be used to eliminate or reduce the causes of risks, and to make sure that the safety measures implemented are integrated in the risk related protocols to be used in the future. Quantitative risk analysis concentrates more on the implementation of the identified safety measures, so as to protect an organization from a defined risk. Under the quantitative approach, the organization can establish an analytical representation that will vividly indicate which measures of resolving risk are favorable to the needs of a given project. The quantitative approach is preferred by many organizations, since they can represent their risk assessments using probability charts, percentages, or other empirical forms. A fire risk assessment When carrying out a risk assessment at an accommodation centre for students, there are crucial steps, which will enable one to carry out an effective risk assessment. Step 1: Identification of the fire hazards For a fire to start, there are three main things that should be present namely; oxygen, fuel and a source of ignition. In a situation where these elements are missing, fire cannot be ignited. The fire hazards are the possible sources of ignition in the accommodation center. These possible sources were identified by looking for the potential sources of heat or other materials that could get hot enough to ignite a fire in the center (Norman 19). The origin of fire could include: - The materials used by smokers such as lighters, matches, and cigarettes. - Naked flames such as night lights, candles, liquid or gas-fuelled open flame apparatus. - Oil-fired, gas, or electrical heaters either portable or fixed. - Boilers, Cooking activities and equipments. - Hot procedures such as wielding in the center. - Machineries that have hot surfaces. - Misused or faulty electrical equipment such as washing machines, computers, and electrical blankets. - Lighting equipments either movable or fixed such as a table lamp and halogen lamp. - Any form of obstruction of ventilation devices. Under this step also there is a need to identify the sources of fuel. This means that there is a need to identify any materials that can burn easily, and are sufficient to ignite a fire or cause the spread of fire easily to another source of fuel. Any material that burns can be viewed as a fuel for a fire, the most regular fuels that can be found in accommodation areas include: - Furniture whether temporary or permanent storage. - Soft furnishings and textiles like clothing displays and hanging curtains. - Laundry such as towels, linen, and beddings. - Waste products, especially items that are finely divided such as off-cuts, wood shavings, dust, and shredded papers. - Skips, refuse containers, and waste storage. - Flammable liquids such as adhesives, methylated spirit, thinners, varnishes, paints disposable cigarette lighters, white spirit, and cooking oil, leaning products, and dry cleaning agents. The other precaution is to identify the sources of oxygen. In a building, that is enclosed oxygen is gotten from the ventilation system that is in use. The supply can be classified as the natural air that enters through openings such as windows or doors, or air handling systems or air conditioning systems which are used in either extracting or introducing air from or to a building. Sources of oxygen could include: - Oxygen supplies stored in cylinders such as oxygen utilized in the process of wielding. - Oxidizing materials that can increase the fire by providing more oxygen. - Materials such as pyrotechnics which contain oxidizing material that a need to be handled with a lot of care (Wilkie and Grand 533). Step 2: Identification of individuals at risk This step entails identifying an individual who are at the highest risk incase of a fire. In the accommodation center, the people at highest risk are students. In addition, there might be workers, contractors, or even visitors to the premises. All individuals who use the accommodation center should be considered and specifically those who are at a higher risk such as: - Individuals who might be asleep and who may be slow to respond. - Workers such as night staff, security staff, maintenance staff, and cleaners who work in isolation. - Individuals who are new to the accommodation center such as visitors. - Unaccompanied kids and individuals with a disability such as vision or hearing impairment (Perry 222). Step 3: The removal, reduction, evaluation, and protection from risk This step is a crucial one in the risk assessment process; it involves the practical removal and protection against the hazards identified in step 1. If they cannot be removed, then appropriate measures should be taken to reduce them if possible. There is a number of ways through which risks that emerge from the sources of ignition can be removed: - The introduction of safe policies on smoking in designated areas, to ban smoking in other areas, and making sure there are enough ashtrays. - Replacement of radiant heaters and naked flames central heating systems or fixed converter heaters. - Ensure gas, mechanical, and electrical equipments are protected, installed, maintained, and used in compliance with the instructions by manufactures. - Making sure circuit breakers and electric fuses are suitable and rated correctly and making sure that the sockets are not overloaded (Bachman 168). In terms of reducing or removing fuel sources, there are numerous ways of reducing risks from substances and materials which burn: - Making sure that combustible materials like laundry furniture, or decorations are properly stored and are kept away from ignition sources. - Ensuring that worker in the accommodation center is aware of the possible fire hazards. - decreasing the amount of flammable materials such as gases and liquids to a minimum. The remaining stock should be stored outside the reach of the public. - Always separate flammable gases, liquids, and solids. - Protect the accommodation center from any possibilities of vandalism or arson. The other measure has to do with the reduction or removal of sources of oxygen by: - Shutting all doors and windows that are not being used for ventilation, especially out of working hours. - Closing down ventilation systems that are not required for the functioning of the center. - Avoiding the storage of oxidizing materials near flammable or any heat source. - Controlling storage and use of oxygen cylinders and making sure that there are no leaks (Hancock 45). Step 4: Recording, informing, planning, training and instructing In recording, the findings of the fire risk assessment are noted together with the actions that have been put in place. The information recorded includes the hazards identified, actions taken to reduce, or remove the hazards, and the persons at higher risk. Under instructing and informing, the staff is enlightened on the fire safety arrangements regularly, or when new employees are employed in the accommodation center. This information should be put in a manner that can be easily understood or used. Therefore, the information should consider those with sight or hearing impairment. In terms of coordination and cooperation, the accommodation center should inform its neighbors of its findings in the risk assessment. Through this cooperation, the accommodation center can coordinate its resources to make sure that its working practices, and actions do not expose others to risk incase of a fire. In addition, a coordinated emergency plan can operate more effectively. The other task under this step is that the accommodation center will train the students, and staff on the safety measures depending on the characteristics of the place encompassing any ancillary accommodation (Draper 5). Step 5: Reviewing This is the last step in the risk assessment process; it entails monitoring the implementation of the fire risk assessment. Where the fire risk assessment is viewed as irrelevant, or there has been no considerable change in the accommodation center, then there is a need to review the risk assessment plan and revise it if it becomes necessary. Integrated risk management planning An IRMP refers to the establishment of an impartial approach by the fire and rescue services to the risks that exist in a community, by combining response, protection, and prevention measures. These measures are implemented on risk assessment basis in order to enhance the safety of the community and also to generate a working environment that is safer for firefighters. IMRP is a corporate and holistic approach to enhancing the safety of community in general. In essence, an IRMP is a risk based plan that is multi-faceted; it entails the systematic identification of all hazards and the control measures that can be applied to reduce the risks that might arise from the hazards. From the fire risk assessment on the accommodation center, an IRMP approach can be integrated into its efforts of improving fire and rescue services in the center. The IRMP sets out the vision of the accommodation center of enhancing the services provided, by the center by integrating the response actions and firefighting activities with the public protection activities and community safety. This plan will enhance the safety of all students in the accommodation center (Fire Brigade Union 26). The IRMP aims at setting the basis for a more responsive and better service in the future. It entails the understanding of the needs of the accommodation center community using a risk-based approach in utilizing the resources at the right time, the right place, and for the right purposes. In attempting to understand the risk better, significant effort should be focused on profiling and recording incidents. This will be complemented and coupled with partnership based and more extensive approach in cooperating with the voluntary, private, and public sectors in identifying and understanding the individuals at the highest risk in the community. In the UK, new legislation has presented fire authorities with the statutory responsibility and flexibility to concentrate more resources in the prevention of incidents, as opposed to responding to emergencies. In addition, it has been established that fire and rescue services have a wider operational responsibility, as opposed to simply matters related to fire. This broadening of responsibilities is attracting significant investment in modernizing the fire and rescue services. The IRMP sets out a phased, strategic approach of enhancing the services in the accommodation center through an evolution process rather than a revolution one. At the center plan is the analogy that prevention is better than cure, and this will facilitate the concentration of the activities on the main business of preventing fire and also the broader and wider agenda of the center’s safety. In June 2003 a paper entitled “our fire and rescue service” was presented to parliament. This paper explains the vision of government on fire and rescue services in the future and how this vision would be realized. The main principle of the paper was that the fire and rescue service should set up the appropriate resources, in the right time, and at the right place so as to save lives. The paper proposed numerous changes in the working practices and structure of service most of which were outdated. In 2004 a new fire and rescue service act was enacted, and it came in place of the 1947 fire service act. This new act came with a legislative framework that shifted its view from a prescriptive approach into a wider framework that present a broader variety of statutory duties. The duties include the promotion of fire safety, protection of property and individuals from fires, to rescue individuals from traffic collisions in roads, and to care of specific emergencies like a terrorist attack and flooding (Yung 26). In addition, the government also published a national framework for fire and rescue service. This framework provides clear objectives and priorities that the fire and rescue service will use. Nevertheless, it must be clear that these documents by the government are not blue-prints, and as such, they only provide guidance on fire and rescue services. Therefore, authorities are free to come up with local solutions to fit the local communities’ unique needs. To translate this into the local context of the accommodation center, the aim of fire and rescue service is to provide the highest standards possible in safety from emergencies and fire through the effective and efficient management of response, protection, and prevention. The three elements are interconnected, meaning that improvements in any of the three elements will influence the other. In the end, they will ensure that the safety of firefighters and the community is achieved. Prevention Under prevention, the accommodation center aims at stopping unnecessary injuries and saving lives with increased procedures to prevent emergency incidents and fire from occurring by shifting the focus on service. The IRMP provides a sound basis on the effective strategies of reducing injuries, deaths, and the number of fires. The center recognizes the significance of fire safety education and engages in safety education through numerous education programs for students. Protection The center will enforce, communicate, and develop legislation fire safety in an efficient manner so as to protect the students in the accommodation center. Fire safety officials will also be called to carryout regular inspections of the high risk buildings in the accommodation center. Response In terms of response, the accommodation center continues ensuring that the fire and rescue service are properly trained, prepared, and well-equipped so as to respond to the challenges that may arise. In addition, it will involve assessment of the locally determined standards to ensure that they meet the needs of students in the accommodation center (Pickstone 60). Conclusion This report has illustrated that prevention is the fundamental goal in fire and rescue service. In a community, such as the accommodation center prevention can be achieved through education and community safety. To be successful risk management should be focused on the root causes of fire, especially those in dwelling places such as accommodation centers and finding means of stopping these causes even before an incident takes place. The report through fire risk assessment has indicated the hazards and ways of controlling or reducing them. Additionally, the report has discussed the significance of developing relationships and partnership with other members in the community. From the fire risk assessment, the report came up with a strategy that could be integrated into the risk management plan. The IRMP entails the development of an approach that is balanced in the fire and rescue service so as to reduce the risks within a community. On the basis of the fire risk assessment, the report has established how the IRMP goals can be achieved by combining emergency response, protection, and prevention, so as to improve safety in the accommodation center and also how a safer environment can be created for firefighters. Works cited Bachman, G. E. “Common pre-incident intelligence failures”. Fire engineering. 156.3 (2005): 166-169. Draper, Brian. Isle of Man fire and rescue service; integrated risk management plan 2006-2010. Onchan, Isle of Man: Isle of Man fire and rescue service, 2006. Fire Brigade Union. Integrated risk management planning; the national document. FBU national IRMP department, 2004. Hancock, D. C. Fire-assessment; a practical guide. Thames, Middlesex. Chubb fire Ltd, 2000. Norman, Thomson. Fire hazards in industry. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2001. Perry, Pat. Risk assessments questions and answers; a practical approach. London: Thomas Telford, 2003. Pickstone, Warren. Integrated risk management; its application within greater Manchester fire and rescue service. United Kingdom: Greater Manchester fire and rescue service, 2005. Wilkie, C. A, and Grand, A. F. Fire retardancy of polymeric materials. London: CRC press, 2000. Yung, D. Principles of fire risk assessment in buildings. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2008. Read More