M1 - Managing Fire Safety PDF

Module 1: Managing Fire Safety Module 1: Managing Fire Safety. Introduction: Overall Aims On completion of this element, candidates should be able to demonstrate understanding of the content through the application of knowledge to familiar and unfamiliar situations. Specific Intended Learning Outcom...

Module 1: Managing Fire Safety Module 1: Managing Fire Safety. Introduction: Overall Aims On completion of this element, candidates should be able to demonstrate understanding of the content through the application of knowledge to familiar and unfamiliar situations. Specific Intended Learning Outcomes When you have worked through this element, you will be able to: Outline the moral, social and economic benefits of good management of fire safety. Outline the key features of a fire safety policy. Explain the role of national governments and international bodies in formulating a framework for the regulation of fire safety. Outline the purpose of the main sources of external fire safety information. Explain the purpose of, and the procedures for, investigating fires in the workplace. Explain the requirements for recording and reporting fire related incidents. 1 The moral, social and economic benefits of good management of fire safety: The three main reasons why an organisation has to maintain good standards of fire safety are moral, social and economic. The cost of fire incidents can be substantial, ranging from repair, replacement and investigation costs, to defending legal actions. Many of the large number of fire incidents that occur, resulting in human and financial loss, are preventable. An occupier of a building has a responsibility for all visitors to the premises. 1.1 Consequences of Inadequate Fire Management: Responsibility for fire safety at work is primarily the responsibility of the employer. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 1 Inadequate management of fire safety can have serious consequences for employers and occupiers of buildings. There may be a need to comply with legal requirements and employers also have a moral responsibility to ensure appropriate working conditions where risks are minimised. There are also compelling financial reasons for implementing and maintaining high standards of fire safety in the workplace. The stakeholders of an organisation, such as shareholders, employees, clients, suppliers and 'neighbours', may all be adversely affected by the negative publicity and loss of 'corporate image' which may follow a major fire. Employee morale and motivation are also factors that could be affected by disruption caused by a major fire or explosion incident. We can summarise the reasons why an organisation has to maintain good standards of fire safety as: Moral: relating to the need to: Reduce injuries, pain and suffering; Promote a positive fire safety culture to help improve morale; Contribute to the reduction of fire-related fatalities, injuries and environmental damage. Social: relating to the need to: Comply with legal requirements; Avoid enforcement action or possible prosecution before the courts; Meet the social expectations of society regarding responsibilities of employers and occupiers of buildings. Economic: relating to the need to: Avoiding costs of repairing or replacing damaged buildings and plant; avoiding uninsured costs of cleaning up operations after a fire; avoiding costs arising from damage to the environment; avoiding costs associated with the investigation of a fire; avoiding legal costs and financial implications of false alarms. Improving levels of production and quality from a confident and motivated workforce. Enhancing the organisation's reputation and relationship with the community and other organisations. 1.2 Financial Implication of False Alarms: False alarms can arise from the use of automatic fire detection systems and may incur costs by: Reducing the availability of the fire and rescue service for real fires. Causing lost production time and ultimately increasing evacuation time in real fire situations. Increasing the risk of enforcement action being taken against repeat offenders, with the possibility of financial penalties being imposed. False alarms may be: Unwanted alarms, triggered by fumes from cooking processes, steam from bathrooms and showers, tobacco smoke, dust, insects, and aerosol sprays. Equipment false alarms, generated by faults within the system equipment. Malicious false alarms, triggered when there is no fire. False alarms with good intent, triggered when there is no fire. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 2 1.3 Size of the Fire Safety Problem: In the absence of meaningful and comprehensive international data the following recent UK statistics give an illustration of the extent of the fire safety problem. In one year the UK fire and rescue services attended around 722,000 fire and false alarm incidents - a 10% decrease on the previous 12 months. Total fires fell by 15% to around 325,000. Total fire deaths decreased by 10% to 430, of which 287 were accidental dwelling fire deaths. Primary fires fell by 9% to 128,000, and within this: Dwelling fires fell by 6% to 49,000. Fires in other buildings - including workplaces - were down by 11% to 27,000. Secondary fires fell by 20% to 185,000. The UK classification for fire statistics differentiates: Primary fire: Any fire involving: Casualties; Rescue or escape; Property; Attendance of at least five fire appliances. Secondary fire Reportable fires that: Did not involve property, casualties or rescues; were attended by four or fewer appliances. Attendances to false alarms decreased by 5% to around 396,000. The general trend is for the number of incidents to steadily decrease, but the statistics are still unacceptably high. A further impact of fire incidents is the effect on the environment that can arise from pollution. This includes: Disposal/run-off of water - contaminated with fire extinguishing agents or decontamination of fire-fighters' personal protective equipment, particularly following chemical incidents. Disposal of contaminated waste materials and debris - such as degradation products arising from combustion of building materials and specific hazardous substances such as lead and asbestos. Smoke pollution - consisting of tiny particles of soot, highly toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, and smoke from chemical fires. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 3 1.4 Roles and Responsibilities of the Occupier of a Building: The occupier of a building has a responsibility for visitors to the premises, to see that they will be safe in using the premises for the purposes for which they are invited or permitted to be there. As you would expect, an occupier should be prepared for children to be less careful than adults, and should pay special attention to any other vulnerable persons. If the occupier of the building is also an employer then there will be a responsibility to provide a safe workplace for employees, which includes the control of fire risks. 1.5 Costs of Inadequate Management of Fire Safety: Losses due to fire can cost countries a significant percentage (1% upwards) of Gross Domestic Product. We listed several financial impacts earlier, but there can also be significant disruption to a business due to: Loss of production. Injury and loss of life. Loss of business continuity with subsequent effects on sales and profits. Liability for fines and/or payment of damages in respect of fire-related injuries and losses at work. 2 Key Features of a Fire Safety Policy: Responsibility for fire safety within an organisation and the arrangements for ensuring fire safety should be documented in a written Fire Safety Policy which sets out arrangements for: Planning. Organisation. Control. Monitoring. Review. 2.1 Responsibility for Fire Safety: In order to discharge the responsibilities for fire safety organisations need to have a comprehensive fire safety management system in place with arrangements for the planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of preventive and protective measures. We can illustrate the key elements of this process for the management of preventive and protective measures in the following way: Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 4 Fire Safety Management System The fire safety policy statement should set out the general intentions, commitment and approach of the organisation and may include targets and objectives set for dealing with fire safety issues. The organisational structure should show the allocation of roles and responsibilities for fire safety to individuals throughout the organisation, from senior management to the shopfloor. Specific requirements such as: appointment of competent persons to help in carrying out the preventive and protective measures; appointment of fire marshals, and arrangements for consultation, need to be considered. The detailed specification of fire safety standards, the preventive and protective measures required in all areas, and the necessary measures to ensure that they are carried out need to be planned and implemented. It is through this process that control of fire risks is achieved. Central to this is the concept of risk assessment as the process by which the specific preventive and protective measures are identified. Responsibility for ensuring that these measures are effectively implemented should lie with a responsible person. Implementation of the fire safety policy needs to be monitored on a regular basis by collecting information about performance against the standards identified, and any failings or incidents. Typical monitoring information might include: Records of inspections and safety tours. Audit reports on health, safety and fire management systems. Incident reports, including any investigations subsequently carried out. Equipment maintenance, testing and defect records. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 5 This information should be used to assess and review the appropriateness of the current organisational arrangements, the standards being applied and the way in which they are being operated. Any deficiencies identified by the review process should be corrected by appropriate changes to the policy, organisation and arrangements for implementation. Auditing is an additional monitoring process that collects independent information on the efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of the fire safety management system in the organisation to ensure that all aspects of the system remain appropriate. 3 The Role of National Governments and International Bodies in Framework for the Regulation of Fire Safety: The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is the world's largest developer of international standards with ISO Technical Committee 92 responsible for developing fire safety standards. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is responsible for drawing up and overseeing international labour standards and ILO Recommendation R164 identifies obligations that might be placed on employers and employees in order to achieve the basic goal of a safe and healthy place of work, making specific reference to prevention and control of fires and explosions. International frameworks for the regulation of fire safety seek to ensure the safety, in the event of fire, of persons (whether they are employees, residents, visitors or others) by setting out the rights and responsibilities of persons in respect of fire safety, in particular employers and workers. Enforcement systems for fire safety vary between countries but common practice is a fire authority with a role in enforcing fire safety legislation and/or advising employers. 3.1 International Standards and Sources of Information: The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is the world's largest developer of international standards. ISO Technical Committee 92 (ISO/TC 92) is responsible for developing fire safety standards in areas such as: Fire safety engineering, design and evaluation; Performance under fire conditions of materials, products, elements of structure, structures and systems and their contents.; Application of fire safety management. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is the international organisation responsible for drawing up and overseeing international labour standards and brings together representatives of governments, employers and workers to devise programmes to improve workplace health and safety, including fire safety. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 6 The two primary outputs of the ILO are "Conventions" and "Recommendations". These set international standards and can form the basis of detailed legislation in each member country. The Occupational Safety and Health Convention (C155), describes a basic policy for health and safety at both the national level and the level of the individual undertaking. The Occupational Safety and Health Recommendation 1981 (R164) supplements C155 and provides more detailed guidance on how to comply with the policies of C155. In particular, it identifies obligations that might be placed on employers and employees in order to achieve the basic goal of a safe and healthy place of work and makes specific reference to prevention of fires and explosions and the need for measures to be taken in the event of fire or explosion. 3.2 Employers and Workers Responsibilities: There are no truly global legal standards governing workplace health and safety. Countries may have their own laws, developed over the years to tackle their own issues and concerns, but we often find similar basic approaches to protect against hazards such as fire with similar underlying principles. The ILO Recommendation R164 identifies obligations that might be placed on employers and employees in order to achieve the basic goal of a safe and healthy place of work which includes fire safety. Specifically, Article 10 of R164 puts the following obligations on employers: To provide workplaces and work equipment, and use work methods, which are safe and no risk to health. To provide appropriate instructions and training. To provide necessary supervision. To put in place health and safety arrangements adapted to suit the size and nature of the undertaking. To provide any necessary personal protective clothing and equipment free of charge. To ensure that the hours of work do not adversely affect employees' safety and health. To remove any extreme physical and mental fatigue. To stay up-to-date with knowledge in order to comply with the above. R164 says that workers should: Take reasonable care of their own safety and that of other people who might be affected the. things that they do and the things that they fail to do. Comply with safety instructions and procedures. Use all safety equipment properly and not tamper with it. Report any situation which they believe could be a hazard and which they cannot themselves correct. Report any work-related accident or ill-health. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 7 In general, international frameworks for the regulation of fire safety will seek to ensure the safety, in the event of fire, of persons (whether they are employees, residents, visitors or others) by setting out the rights and responsibilities of persons in respect of fire safety. Anyone who has to any extent control of the premises (which may be the employer) will have some responsibilities for ensuring that those occupying the premises are safe from harm caused by fire. These responsibilities may be discharged by: Carrying out a fire safety risk assessment of the premises. Identifying the control measures necessary as a result of the fire safety risk assessment. Implementing these fire safety measures. Putting in place fire safety arrangements for the on-going control and review of the fire safety measures. Complying with any specific requirements of any fire safety legislation. Keeping the fire safety risk assessment and outcome under review. Keeping appropriate records. Similarly employees may be required to: Take reasonable care to ensure the workplace is safe from harm caused by fire and do nothing that will increase the risk. Inform the employer of anything relating to the premises which could represent a serious and immediate fire safety danger or any shortcoming in the employer's fire safety protection arrangements. Co-operate with the employer, so far as is necessary, to allow them to comply with their fire safety responsibilities. 3.3 Role of Enforcement Agencies and the Consequences of Non-Compliance: Enforcement for fire safety vary between countries but common practice is a fire authority with a role in enforcing fire safety legislation and / or advising employers. Failure to meet legal standards might lead to: Formal enforcement action: an enforcement agency might force an employer either to make an improvement to fire safety or to stop carrying out high risk activities. Failure to comply with formal enforcement action is usually considered to be an offence in itself. Prosecution of the organisation with punishment in the form of a fine. Prosecution of individuals with punishment in the form of a fine and/or imprisonment. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 8 4 Sources of External Fire Safety Information: The two main sources of external fire safety information are: UK Department for Communities and Local Government practical fire safety guidance. Other fire guidance such as: Ø British Standards Institute (BSI) for fire safety. Ø Confederation of Fire Protection Europe (CFPA-Europe). Ø European Fire and Security Advisory Council. Ø National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Ø National Insurance Associations, e.g. ABI (Association of British Insurers). 4.1 UK Department for Communities and Local Government Practical Fire Safety Guidance: Guides relating to the following types of premises have been published in the UK by the Department for Communities and Local Government to help the responsible person to prevent fires and reduce risk: Offices and shops. Factories and warehouses. Sleeping accommodation, such as hotels, guest houses, residential training centres. Residential care premises, such as residential care and nursing homes and common areas of sheltered housing where care is provided. Educational premises. Small and medium places of assembly, such as smaller public houses, clubs, restaurants and cafes. Large places of assembly where more than 300 people could gather, such as shopping centres, exhibition and conference centres. Theatres, cinemas and similar premises. Open air events and venues. Healthcare premises, such as hospitals, doctors' surgeries, dentists. Transport premises and facilities, such as airports, ports, and railway, bus and coach stations. These guides: Set out what needs to be done to comply with UK fire safety law. Advise on how to carry out a fire risk assessment. Identify the general fire precautions that need to be in place. 4.2 Other Fire Guidance: The following organisations produce valuable information on standards of fire safety: British Standards publications provide an essential reference for those who draw up specifications, designers and installers with responsibility for fire safety such as Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 9 architects, building professionals, building surveyors, consulting engineers, electrical contractors, fire brigades, local authorities and housing associations. The Confederation of Fire Protection Europe (CFPA-Europe) has produced publications on: Internal fire protection control; Securing the operational readiness of fire control systems; Fire protection documentation; and Guidance signs, emergency lighting and general lighting. The European Fire and Security Advisory Council, based in Brussels, co-ordinates the activities of the European associations active in the field of fire protection and intrusion protection. It develops codes of practice and advisory documents covering use, application, installation and maintenance of fire and security products and systems and publishes technical documents when no other European product standards and specifications exist The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides codes and standards, research, training, and education on fire prevention and protection. National Insurance Associations, such as the ABI (Association of British Insurers), can serve to represent the insurance industry to government, regulators and policy makers driving policy and regulation on, among other things, fire safety issues. 5 Investigating Fires in the Workplace: The main reason for investigating fires is to identify the underlying causes so that appropriate measures can be developed and implemented to prevent further occurrences, protect life and reduce fire loss and damage. All aspects of an investigation (how the fire was detected, the way the alarm was raised, how the fire was tackled, etc.) can provide information which helps in the development of further fire prevention policies and improved fire safety arrangements. More different agencies may be involved in a fire investigation depending on the type of fire (fatal, accidental, arson, etc). 5.1 Purpose of Fire Investigation: As with any other workplace health and safety issue, it is essential that fire incidents are investigated in order to learn from the event. The principal reasons for investigating a major fire are to: Determine its cause, such as: - Faulty equipment creating an ignition source. - Inadequate procedures for hot work or use of flammable substances. - Arson. Develop and introduce remedial measures to prevent a reoccurrence Establish whether the law has been broken and gather evidence if subsequent proceedings are instituted. Assess damage and gather evidence for insurance claims. Find out whether there has been a failure of individuals which could lead to disciplinary action. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 10 Assess the effectiveness of existing fire safety policies and procedures. Reassure stakeholders: - Financial institutions. - Insurance companies. - The general public. Identify trends. Allay concerns about damage to the environment and determine the effectiveness of procedures currently in place. 5.2 Basic Fire Investigation Procedures: A fire investigation may be carried out by a single person or a team of specialists. The approach will depend largely on the nature, severity and consequences of the incident and also if there are any important features involved, e.g. if there are casualties or fatalities. The investigation procedures and the people involved will also be different if arson is suspected. Matters that must be considered before any fire investigation begins: Preserving the fire scene. Restricting access to unauthorised persons. Making the site safe: - Isolate gas and electricity. - Condition of walls, floors, ceilings. - The presence of chemicals. Skills and composition of the investigation team Equipment required: - Excavation tools. - Cameras. Identifying and interviewing witnesses. Studying CCTV footage. Communicating with the public and the media. Liaising with the police and other external agencies. Investigation Preparation: It is essential that the safety aspects of the investigation are considered and dealt with from the beginning, such as: Potential for collapse of the building or partial collapse of roofs, walls, floors and stairs. Isolation of electricity and gas supplies to the building. Identification of the presence of gas cylinders or other pressurised vessels. Obtaining information on any hazardous substances that may have been stored or used on the premises, or in its construction, e.g. asbestos. Provision of basic personal protective equipment (overalls plus head, hand and foot protection as a minimum). Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 11 Preserving the Fire Scene: As far as possible the fire scene must remain untouched so that: The investigation team has the best possible chance of identifying the cause of the fire. Any forensic evidence required for a successful prosecution in cases of arson can be collected. Necessary activities can be carried out in a controlled way so that there is minimal disruption to the scene and any evidence is preserved, such as: Avoiding unnecessary removal of debris. Sheeting up the area. Diverting water away from the scene. Excluding non-authorised personnel. 5.3 Identifying the Cause of the Fire and Remedial Actions: To establish the cause of the fire: Identify the 'seat of fire' - the point of origin from which the fire spread. Examine the potential ignition sources in the area to indicate the direct cause of the fire: o If the fire is not accidental, the process of identifying the cause may be far more difficult and is likely to involve detailed analysis of samples and evidence collected from the scene. Identify and understand any underlying causes, such as: o Unauthorised electrical equipment brought into the workplace. o Lack of awareness, inadequate training and information. o Inadequate workplace inspections. o Poor standards of housekeeping. o Inadequate systems of maintenance and inspection. Having identified underlying causes of the incident the organisation must take action to ensure that remedial actions are taken in the form of additional preventive measures. Any such measures should be recorded with the other fire safety arrangements, and reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they remain effective and continue to provide an adequate level of protection. 5.4 Liaison with Other Agencies: An investigation into a workplace fire may involve some, or all, of the following external agencies: Fire and rescue authority - to determine the possible cause of the fire and take any necessary enforcement action. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 12 Police - if it is thought that the cause might be arson, particularly if injury or death has occurred or fraud is suspected. Enforcing authority - for enforcement under local legislation. Environment Agency - to help with the mitigation of effects of the fire and environmental effects. Forensic service - to collect scientific evidence in cases of suspected arson or to assist the Coroner where a fatality has occurred. Insurance investigators - in relation to insurance claims. Utilities companies - may be required to provide specialist input. 5.5 Arson Investigations: The deliberate, malicious attempt to start a fire with the intention of causing damage. It can often be difficult to prove that a fire was caused as a result of arson. An investigation into a deliberate fire is different from an investigation into an "accidental" fire. The Key elements of the investigation procedure into a possible arson attack include: Preserve the fire scene. Restrict access to unauthorised persons. Locate and investigate the seat of the fire. Take photographs and draw diagrams of the scene. Establish the availability of evidence from CCTV cameras. Obtain information from witnesses, including the original caller. Liaise with external investigators such as the police and those representing insurance companies. Obtain information on any previous vandalism or police activity in the area and attempt to establish a motive for starting the fire. Evaluate the evidence obtained, establish the cause and prepare a report. 6 Recording and Reporting Fire-Related Incidents: An employer may need to report a fire-related incident under local legislation if it has resulted in a fatality or major injury. It is important that organisations have internal procedures (accident book, fire logbook, general incident/ occurrence book) to record the required information relating to fire incidents. 6.1 Recording and Reporting Fire-Related Incidents and Injuries: There may be legal requirements in respect of reporting fire-related injuries and/or dangerous occurrences specified by local legislation. Reportable incidents under UK legislation include: Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 13 Fatalities. Major injuries - fire-related examples: o Loss of consciousness caused by asphyxia or exposure to a harmful substance. o Any acute illness requiring medical treatment or loss of consciousness resulting from inhalation. o Any other injury leading to heat-induced illness or unconsciousness or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours. Over-three-day injuries. Dangerous occurrences - fire-related examples: o Electrical short circuit or overload causing fire or explosion. o An explosion or fire causing suspension of normal work for over 24 hours. o Recording and Reporting Fire-Related Incidents and Injuries o A road tanker carrying a dangerous substance overturning, suffering serious damage, catching fire or the substance is released. o Sudden, uncontrolled release in a building or into the open air of specified amounts of flammable liquids or gases. o Explosion, collapse or bursting of any closed vessel or associated pipe work. 6.2 Other Internal Recording Systems: There is no standard format for the internal records held by individual organisations on accidents/incidents or fire safety arrangements but there may be requirements to record and retain certain information. Accident Book: This records all work-related accidents and a disease reported by employees and includes the following details: o Full name, address and occupation of injured person. o Date and time of the accident. o Place where accident happened. o Cause and nature of injury. o Name, address and occupation of person giving notice, if other than the injured person. The Accident Book serves two main purposes. It provides: o The initial record of the accident, which may then be used as a basis for any investigation. o A record of any injury (or disease) which could give rise to a claim for compensation. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 14 Fire Logbook: The Fire Logbook records the fire safety arrangements; typical contents include details of: o Persons with specific responsibility for fire safety. o Basic fire safety advice. o Specific preventive and protective measures identified in the risk assessment. o Details of the premises (including location of assembly points, etc.). o Maintenance and inspection arrangements for all fire-related systems. o Maintenance work conducted (e.g. service visit or non-routine attention). o Location and description of all fire equipment. o Routine tests of: § Fire detection and alarm equipment. § Emergency lighting equipment. § Portable fire-fighting equipment. o Faults and defects relating to: § Fire detection and alarm equipment. § Emergency lighting equipment. § Portable fire-fighting equipment. o Significant findings of workplace inspections (e.g. fire doors, escape routes and emergency exits). o Significant findings (e.g. areas for improvement) of fire drills. o Staff undergoing fire awareness training. o Any fire-related incidents in or on the premises. General Incident/Occurrence Book: This records non-routine events, occurrences or incidents in a specific logbook; the information can be used to: o Provide a summary of significant events. o Help in investigations. o Identify any trends or patterns of events over a period of time. Country Specific Forms: Broad requirements for reporting and recording certain loss events including firerelated incidents are set out in the ILO Occupational Safety and Health Convention (C155) and the accompanying protocol (P155). Employers should record and notify these types of occupational accidents and dangerous occurrences, inform employees about the recording system and notifications, and maintain records and use them to help prevent recurrence. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 15 The ILO code of practice specifies a minimum recommended notification dataset: Enterprise/establishment/employer details: o Employer - name/address, telephone number. o Enterprise - name/address. o Establishment - name/address, economic activity, size. o Injured person: name, address, age, sex, employment status, occupation. o Additional information: § Injury - fatal, non-fatal, nature, location; incident and its sequence location of place of accident, date and time; type and related agent. § Dangerous occurrence details - date, time, location, type, circumstances. The following is an example of an official data collection form used in the UK for Notifiable Accidents or Dangerous Occurrences (which include explosion or fire causing suspension of normal work for over 24 hours). Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 16 Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 17 6.3 Risk Assessment Review: Records of accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences provide valuable information that can be used when reviewing and revising fire safety risk assessments. After a significant or major fire or explosion incident the relevant risk assessment should be reviewed, and revised in light of the findings to include additional control measures which should: Be fully implemented. Take into account all persons who may be affected by the hazard. Continue to be effective. Provide an adequate level of protection. Module 1: Managing Fire Safety 18