Fire Accidents and the Training of the Staffs from Different Firms - Literature review Example

Running Head: Reflective writing Reflective writing Name Course Tutor 30th September, 2010 Summary of the Research Proponents of the normal accident theory suggest that accidents become inevitable when systems become complex. Following this, it is important to take measures that can help us in dealing with accidents. The research paper focused on fire accidents and the training that the staffs from different firms receive. The research notes that regardless of the fact that measures can be taken to prevent fire incidents, it is impossible to fully prevent fires. The research was carried out effectively even though some problems were met. The research findings indicated that staff training is one of the best methods of dealing with fire incidents. Our group attained desirable outcomes thanks to the cooperation among the members. Each member had been assigned a role which was well played to my opinion. Interpretation According to Punch and Punch (2006, p. 102) cooperation is an important aspect when undertaking any task. There is a demand of people to toil in unity so that they can achieve the desired outcomes. With this research work, cooperation was good; although not perfect all members played their role well. This is one of the things that contributed to the success of the research. There was positive interaction thus all group members were ready to help each other out in respective roles. Most of the group members had a rich background of fire rescue operations hence they were able to link new ideas with the ones that they already had. It is interesting to note that despite the many challenges that we encountered, the group members still had the zeal to continue carrying out the research. Fire rescue operations call for dedication and preparedness thus those who are concerned have to be prepared for rescue operations any time of day or night. The subject of study was an interesting one. Although some had some background information on the topic, there was still much to be done since some aspects had to be confirmed. One aspect that made the topic interesting is the fact that this is a common day-to-day incident that occurs hence it was interesting to learn more about it consequently revealing strategies that can be applied in dealing with it. Other aspects that made the research study an interesting experience is the fact that both primary and secondary sources provided relevant information. The research study looked into the central areas that can serve as effective tools in dealing with fire incidents. Stahl and McKenna (2006, p. 57) confirms that research work based on such incidents is important since it serves to enlighten people about the problem hence giving them a chance to come up with strategies that can help in dealing with the strategy. The study has elicited passion to the public as it was to us. I had studied this topic from a certain journal but it did not give many details as the ones from the research. The research acted as an eye opener since it gave me first hand information on the topic. I did not for instance know that there exists an international standard that guide the training of fire and rescue service providers. Facts from the research prove that there are standards that guide the training process. This was evidenced by the fact that the UK fire services apply laid out standards during practice. This is an important aspect since it ensures that the service providers are professional in carrying out rescue operation. Another issue that was revealed was the fact that the UK has recommended that rescue service providers should train their staff frequently. The reason for this is because the advancements in technology demand that one keeps up to date with the advancements so that one can be able to deal with the upcoming problems. It has never occurred to me that the issue of fire in corporate firms is taken with such seriousness until we carried out the research. The findings revealed that since fire is an inevitable incident, companies have taken measures to deal with it. One of the most outstanding strategies that have been taken is training of staff on things that need to be done in case of a fire. It doesn’t imply that can’t think that fire is a serious incident, actually I do. But according to my experiences fires mostly occur in slum areas where houses are constructed close to each other. The research proved that fires are also evidenced in firm and the amount of loss incurred can be much more than I imagined. One thing that was clear to me about fire rescue operations is that training of the rescue service providers is necessary. This is due to the fact that dealing with fires requires skills since not all fires can be put off using a bucket of water as is the case with small scale fire operations. The training also helps one to deal with the problem in an orderly manner. Stahl and McKenna (2006, p. 73) note that most activities that require skills need to be conducted in an orderly manner. Fires need to be handled with professional skills so that they can be put off in time, if this is done by people who lack the professional skills, it may end up bringing more losses since they may not do it in time to prevent further loss. The Fire Training International (FTI) is one of the firms that provide training on fire safety precautions. Punch and Punch (2006, p. 61) states that these firms have served a good role since unlike natural disasters like earthquakes; fires can be dealt with easily. The main reason is that some aspects are put in place to overcome it. It would be hard to deal with an earthquake since the only thing that can be done is to evacuate people; this therefore requires no skills in dealing with the problem. Fires can be dealt with well if the rescue operations send trained personnel. Although some one else would call this an income generating activity, training firms serve a very important role in ensuring that staff is equipped with necessary skills that can help in dealing with fire incidents. I have realized that although some organizations offering services online may be income generating, they offer important information to the public hence improving skills that these people may already posses. Qualitative methods of research worked best. This is because most of the aspects that we were dealing with could be effectively interpreted without the use of numerical values. The issue of quality came out as an important aspect since the main field of interest dealt with training staff. This revealed the types of services that are offered and how they operate. This also exposed the measures that corporate firms have taken in dealing with fires. The method was also effective since it revealed the importance of providing quality training of staff. The main issue which occurred unexpectedly is effectiveness of the numerical data collected. It did not quite help in adding many details that had been provided. We were not able to collect meaningful numerical data since the sources did not provide much of it, however, the qualitative data collected provided sufficient information. One thing to note is that quantitative data is that it can only prove effective if the research study entails statistics, studies like the one in question call for much of qualitative studies since the work generally revolves around issues that can be well understood using theories. Quantitative data collected therefore contributed less to the outcomes. One thing that came out clear is that most renowned training firms provided good training even through the internet. It was thrilling to discover that most firms do this to ensure the safety of their employees, this is what Stahl and McKenna (2006, p. 97) calls excellent employers. They understand so well that if their employees are hurt, they will be at a loss since it proves hard to replace the employees with persons who can perform tasks better. Lessons learnt This research was an eye opener. Apart from enlightening me on issues that surround fire rescue training, it also enlightened me on the seriousness that firms have when dealing with matters to do with fires. It is interesting to note that although one can assume that the information he or she has about fires is enough it is actually not. With the advancement in technology, people have to keep updating themselves with risk factors as well as strategies that can be put in place to deal with fire incidents. The research also helped me to realize that both the management and the employees can play a role in dealing with fires, as the employees are trained, those in charge also need the training. Research work has exposed me to look at instances from different perspectives, this is mostly due to the case where people look at firms that offer training online as income generating, it would be important to consider the benefits that may be attained from much information instead of looking at the negative aspects. Issues that occur frequently can be easily studied. This is due to the fact that many articles and books have been written about the issues. It was very easy to read materials that discuss the issue of fire incidents and the training. In their book Reading research at work: foundations of effective practice Stahl and McKenna (2006, p. 36) notes that many writers love writing about issues that affect us in our day to day experiences, this is because some writers are good when it comes to writing articles based on facts. This therefore means that the secondary sources used provided a rich amount of information. It is also evident that it is easy to analyse the issues discussed by the author critically and distinguish facts from fiction. This is therefore important since the reader can collect facts effectively. This is unlike in science subjects or those involving science subjects. Sometimes it proves hard to distinguish facts from fiction especially if the person lacks some background information or he or she cannot link main ideas. Outcomes The research study clearly shows that staff training is an important aspect. Employees need to be trained on methods that can be applied in various fields that touch the operations of the company. Staff are an important part of any business hence their safety should be central. This is why they should be trained on how to deal with accidents and incidents that may come about in work places. Staff safety in this manner is enhanced. There is need to acknowledge that majority firms have embraced the idea of training their staff. This as earlier noted can be done in class or via the internet. Some incidents are inevitable hence it would be important to come up with procedures that can help in dealing with the problem. This training is important since research shows that firms that have trained personnel on strategies that can be applied when dealing with fire have not incurred big losses in terms of the workforce and the property. Advancements in technology call for constant updates into the subject matter. Today, there are very many things that are operated via machines, for anyone to operate them skills are required. In earlier times, letters were a way of communicating, nowadays; there are many methods that prove more effective. With time, it is estimated that better and faster methods will be introduced. Following this, we will have to learn the established techniques to communicate well with others. The same case applies to fire rescue operations, staff have to keep updating their skills since there are many machines that can be applied in the process. This shows why firms are serious about the issue of training their staff, modern firms have embraced new technological advancements hence it is important for the staff to be updated on the most recent. The need to train them is because any given firm has many people in any working day, untrained staff would not have an idea of the best thing to do in case of fires, and this can lead to more deaths. Another thing that has come out clear is the way in which the training process is categorized. Staff can either receive basic or specific fire information. The institutions are said to have their own standards apart from the international ones. With this, the staff will receive applicable information. Also, they can deal with both small scale and large scale operations. For staff, basic information would be sufficient especially if the firm is not very big. Specific information would have to be for service providers since they are in charge of handling fire cases. Basic information guides one on the steps to take in case of a fire or how to behave. This is because some people die because they freak out to the extent that they cannot think of the best way handle the issue. However mean may seem it is evident that some people die out of ignorance especially in incidents involving fires. This is due to the lack of basic skills that can be applied in such incidents. Also ignorance makes people to use poor methods of putting out the fire hence they end up dying. Recommendations Training of staff is an important strategy of ensuring operations run smoothly. This training should be extended to issues that deal with incidents since they have become common everyday experience. Companies that have not embraced the idea of training their staff on the necessary skills should do so since this saves the company from future tragedies that could bring it down in a blink of an eye. The famous saying ‘prevention is better than cure’ should be a central theme when considering staff training programs. The companies should be made aware that profit maximization does should not be the only priority, this is because if the staff strike or refuse to work, then the profit will be more. Someone would ask, what about replacements? Replacing staff is a very delicate issue especially if the staffs were skilled; it becomes hard to find someone who can replace them. Conclusion Fires have become common today. This has necessitated the need for the implementation of methods that can help in dealing with fires. The research study conducted focussed on the issue of fires. The core issues that were of interest include staff training and institutions that have been established to deal with fire. The research went on well despite some minor challenges. The conclusion made here is that there is a growing demand of staff training since fires are inevitable sometimes and they come unexpectedly. They are different from floods that have clear signs. The study of fires reveals that the international standards set aim at guiding the training of staff. The management and staff need to be committed when it comes to the training; this means that they have to play their roles well. References: Stahl, K. A. D., & McKenna, M. C., 2006. Reading research at work: foundations of effective practice. CT: Guilford Press. Punch, K. F., & Punch, K., 2006. 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