A Fire Risk Assessment at an Accommodation Centre for Students - Report Example

Risk Assessment By Name Institution Course Lecturer Date Introduction This report is aimed at identifying potential hazards during a fire risk assessment at an accommodation centre for students. This need for a fire risk assessment came about due to numerous students seeking medical treatment as a result of smoke inhalation. In addition, these fires have risked the lives of fire fighters with two fire fighters getting injured when they sustained minor burns. It is suspected that these fires are attributed to factors relating to the students’ lifestyle. Therefore, there is need to identify the hazards and risks involved so that the most applicable means of fire protection, prevention and emergent response can be achieved. Discussion Fire management is very important with regard to fire prevention, control and safety. Good fire management therefore entails ensuring safety through ensuring that fire accidents are unlikely but if they occur, they can be easily controlled. In addition, it also entails ability of individuals to escape from a burning premise easily and swiftly. As an aspect of good fire management, it is very important to periodically carry out a fire risk assessment. A fire risk assessment is a systematic and organized way of evaluating one’s premises by focusing on activities carried out within the premise and possible risk factors that predispose the premise to fire hence fatal consequences. With the help of a fire risk assessment, one is able to ensure that their fire prevention measures, fire precautions and fire safety procedures are in order and functioning appropriately. A fire risk assessment helps one to identify gaps in ensuring good fire management and fire safety. A fire risk assessment should be carried out by a competent person, one who can identify hazards with ease as they are not new to the activity or the environment. A risk assessment is carried out so as to: 1. Identify the fire hazards involved. 2. Counteract the risk associated with these hazards. 3. Decide on the most applicable precautions will be taken so as to ensure that people inside a premise that catches fire are safe of physical harm. 4. To come up with plausible management arrangements in ensuring fire safety. A fire risk assessment is a sequential process that requires one to put some factors into consideration. Upon carrying out the fire risk assessment by sequentially following the steps mentioned above, one then comes up with preventative measures based on the findings. Flexibility is very imperative when coming up with fire protection and preventative measure. The magnitude of fire protection will be in concordance with the level of risk. Therefore, a high risk will require equivalent high standards of protection measures against fire (Department for Communities and Local Government Publications 2006). Identification of Hazards As earlier mentioned, the fire in this student accommodation centre is attributed to the lifestyle of the students. As a result, some of the hazards that were identified were cigarettes, alcohol, seats’ material, paper, candle and paraffin coated walls. Among these potential hazards, the most attributing factors are cigarettes/cigars and alcohol. They are the instigators of fire in the various reported fires. Some of the students are chain smokers and when this is coupled with drunkenness, it leads to irresponsible behaviour. Subsequently, after the students have blacked out, they drop their burning cigar or cigarette on a bunch of papers without their awareness. With time, the papers caught fire and so did the nearby materials which in most cases were materials entailed in a seat. By this time, the student or students, because of their drunken state fail to realize the upcoming fire and with time the fire grows into a large fire. A candle poses as a risk factor in case of a power blackout when the student(s), out of irresponsible behaviour hit a lighting candle and upon falling, ignite nearby inflammable materials. The student(s) is not in his or her clear mind and will therefore not notice the mess he or she has created. Before, anyone can realize what is going on, the fire has spread to the paraffin coated walls and anything else in the house that is inflammable. Paraffin-coated walls are hazards in that they increase the potentiality of a fire reaching its full blown stage. Control and Management Measures The students’ accommodation centre has not been fitted with appropriate resources for use in case of fire emergencies. Therefore, until the fire fighters arrive, the fire will continue to take its toll of the premise and victims. This is an indication that appropriate interventions need to be set in place to assist in reducing the number of fires that occur in the student accommodation centre. Creating awareness is the most crucial step that needs to be put into practice. The students need to learn, know and understand how their lifestyle leads to irresponsible behaviour and consequently into fire outbreaks. When this is brought to their attention, they will take up responsibility of their actions. However, if need be, consequences for irresponsible behaviour that poses as a danger to the welfare of other students and the entire accommodation centre at large should be laid down. Students need to be taught on the importance of using smoke filters if they have to smoke. This way, the cigar or cigarette, if forgotten as a result of a black out due to drunkenness, it will burn while in this filter and will not cause a fire outbreak. Fire extinguishers need to be fitted in the students’ accommodation centre. They will act as resources for use during an emergency situation. As an emergency response, when a fire extinguisher is available with ease, then it will help in mitigating the development of the fire. However, training is required so that the students will know how to use these fire extinguishers in case of an accidental fire. Health and Safety Legislation There are various types of the health and safety legislation aimed at protection and preventative measure against fire. According to the 1999 regulations on management of Health and Safety at work, the third regulation calls for employers to assess the main risks in a work place as a legal duty bestowed upon them. These risk assessments are very important and they should evaluate the kind of activities carried out and the surrounding environment. According to this regulation, a fire risk assessment should key out hazards related to an activity hence come up with appropriate control measure to mitigate the level of the risk. In addition, monitoring and reviewing of fire risk assessments is important so that they remain favourable, effective and superfluous. When an employer has more than five employees, he or she is required to record the major findings of any fire risk assessment done (Health and Safety Executive 2008). In Britain, the prevalent health and safety law was adopted from Europe. This modern health and safety law inclusive of that which has been derived from Europe is governed by the principle of risk assessment. The executive of the Health and Safety Commission together with its operating arm (HSC/E) have indulged itself in modernizing the health and safety law structure. There are also workplace regulations of 1992 that address health, welfare and safety. Based on these regulations, a workplace should not have hitches related to lighting, heating, seating, welfare facilities, ventilation and seating. A fault in any of these areas would is a hazard in itself and therefore poses as a potential risk for fire with regard to prevention, protection and emergent response. The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 The fire and rescue services act 2004 is a replacement of the fire services act of 1997. This act is a representation of the new duty by the entire fire and rescue authority team. It is involved in the promoting fire safety in all areas where the fire and rescue services are present. Fire has remained to be a fatal threat to communities and according to various researches; an overall annual expenditure of fire is estimated to be 6.6 billion euros in England and Wales. Despite the fact that accidental fires account for most of these costs, arson accounts for 2.2 billion of these cost. The fire and rescue services are very swift and efficient in responding to fires, but saving lives and reducing injuries is best achieved through a reduction in the number of fires started. According to the office of the prime minister in England, most of the people who die due to fires die at night due to lack of a proper fire risk assessment with the proper fire protection, prevention and emergent response measures. In such situations, by the time the fire is realized, it has already advanced to its full blown stage. A smoke alarm that is in proper working condition would be useful in preventing such disasters. The new act is inclusive of a new legislative framework that ensures that the fire and rescue services are much better and can handle the obstacles associated with the 21st century. Prevention is of central consideration with regard to this act. This it does by formulating new duties for the entire fraternity of fire and rescue services. The main essence of fire prevention is promotion of fire safety within the fire and rescue services community so as to assist the societies that are most vulnerable. The act advocates for saving more lives. To achieve this objective, the act is inclined to an approach aimed at preventing fire through a risk assessment approach. The 2004 act discretely offers various fire authorities with an opportunity to plan, to acquire all the necessary resources and to respond in an efficient manner so as to deal with local priorities and risks. The fire safety order of 2005 was formulated under the 2001 regulatory reform act. It calls on for logical steps to be undertaken in reducing fire risks by owners of a premise so as to ensure that fires are prevented and that people can escape easily (Chief Fire Officers’ Association 2005). How the Objective of the Local Fire Station fits in with the IRMP The objective of the local fire station in question fits in with the integrated risk management plan (IRMP) for the Oxford Shire fire and rescue service. Just like the IRMP for the oxford fire and rescue service, the fire station aims at carrying out a fire risk assessment. A fire risk assessment is the first step towards fire protection and prevention. The fire risk assessment will help in identifying potential hazards and the vulnerable group. Subsequently, the 2004 fire act will be adopted to come up with an effective and efficient strategic process aimed at reducing the number of fires in the referred students’ accommodation centre. The IRMP for the Oxford Shire fire authority gives information on strategic direction with reference to future fires. This is in line with the objective of the local fire station in question as it aims at coming up with ways of preventing future fires by first conducting a fire risk assessment. The IRMP for Oxford Shire fire and rescue service is aimed at 1. Keying out potential and existing fire risk factors in the communities of Oxford County. 2. Carry out an evaluation process on existing response activities while identifying gaps that need improvement. 3. Identifying prevention and intervention standards and policies 4. Identifying applicable and the most appropriate resources in accordance with the standards and policies 5. Coming up with an action plan to be implemented 6. Including auditing, monitoring and reviewing systems to check cost and effectiveness of the plan. Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) An integrated fire management plan (IRMP) is very important in as far as fire prevention and protection from fire is to be achieved. It gives information on strategic direction while providing fire and rescue services. This strategy is aimed at saving more lives at home and/or on the road through identification, assessment, reduction and control of fire risks and related emergencies. The emphasis is placed on the need to prevent fires and related emergencies before they could take their toll. It also entails maintenance of an effective response that sees to it that the tight resources are available in the right place at the nick of time. An appropriate strategic process plays a great role in delivering services and safety associated with fire fighting by ensuring that the services offered are in correspondence with communities’ needs. This is achieved through maximization of improvements in service delivery as a requirement of an effective and efficient strategic process. This plan provides a base for setting up a cost-effective and efficient strategic process. This plan ensures that the Oxford Shire fire and rescue service responds to environmental and socio-economic changes. The IRMP takes into account of relevant data that relates to potential and inherent risks that are associated with fire and related emergencies. This integrated risk management plan uses both qualitative and quantitative data during development of policies and standards. It also uses this data while allocating resources to the service and while monitoring and managing performance. According to the 2008 Oxford Shire County Council, the IRMP of Oxford Shire county council fire and rescue service is inclined towards preventing fires through 1. Reduction of fire and fire related incidences 2. Ensuring that the environment and properties are kept safe. 3. Reduction of lives lost through fire and related incidents 4. Reduction of magnitude and intensity of injuries sustained in fires and related incidents 5. Mitigating the effects of fire on the socio-economic aspects. 6. Saving money by avoiding expenses incurred through fire. 7. Ensuring the safety of the fire fighter. To ensure that IRMP is effective and efficient in meeting all these objectives, there should be public consultations among the relevant bodies dealing with fire risk assessment and fire safety. The oxford shire fire and rescue service should play its role perfectly well in fire prevention, protection and intervention. This it will do by adopting feasible strategic process as discussed in this paper. The Oxford Shire County Council should assume its role as the local fire authority hence it is faced with the responsibility of introducing the 2010-11, action plan. Execution of this plan is achieved through community education and enforcement of the legislation so as to ensure that people are safe. Communities and the local government are not left behind in as far as a fire service emergency cover (FSEC) toolkit is concerned. The FSEC is a powerful and stable tool that is used for the assessment of risk (Oxford Shire County Council 2008). The IRMP enhances efficiency of the Oxford Shire County Council fire and rescue service in reducing modern fire risks through a combination of road and fire safety education. It also ensures fire protection for commerce and businesses through compliance with the fire safety legislation. An effective emergency response is of essence and involves proper allocation of resources, to enhance cost-effectiveness and efficiency, and training of staff. The IRMP is handled by the council’s fire and rescue service as a tool through which the community is advised on fire risk assessment. This plan is meant to inform the community of possible risk factors that are menace to them. It also tells them of ways that are to be used in reducing and controlling these risks through the use of conventional and creative strategies of fire prevention and intervention. Applicable and appropriate strategies are very important in ensuring that the appropriate resources can be accessed at the right time and in the right place. This enables fire fighters to respond to fire and fire related emergencies flexibly and effectively (Oxford Shire Fire and Rescue Service 2010). Conclusion Fire assessment is a very important exercise that ensures that a premise is carefully evaluated so as to identify potential harms that could result into a fire. Identifying these potential harms enables one to come up with ways to control and manage the potential hazards and risk factors. Therefore, a fire risk assessment should be carried out once in a while so as to identify emerging hazards and risks. References Chief Fire Officers’ Association 2005, A Short Guide to Making your Premises Safe from Fire, Wetherby, West Yorkshire. Department for Communities and Local Government Publications 2006, Fire Safety, Risk Assessment: Sleeping Accommodation, Bressenden Place, London Health and Safety Executive 2008, Health and Safety Regulation: A Short Guide. Sudbury, Suffolk How to Write a Risk Assessment 2009, The NEC, Birmingham. Oxford shire County Council 2008, Integrated Risk Management Plan, Kidlington, Oxford. Oxford shire Fire and Rescue Service 2010, Integrated Risk Management Plan: Action Plan 2010-11, Kidlington, Oxford. Read More