Fire Safety Strategy for Multi-Storey Buildings

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Introduction

In the current world, fire outbreaks are numerous having great effects on society. In serious fire outbreaks, the consequences can be very bad and often result in, business closure, the destruction of property worth lots of money, loss of livelihood, displacement, and damage of property, causality in human beings, and even the loss of life.

In buildings that have a lot of occupants, a fire outbreak can be very dangerous. Fire outbreaks in such buildings kill, destroy property and injure a lot of people. These hazards not only create harm but are costly too. “In 2004 (England and Wales) fire and rescue services attended to over 33,400 fires in non-domestic buildings. These fires killed 38 people and injured over 1,300, the cost of these fires was estimated at £2.5 billion” (Bluff, p. 16). These situations have triggered an interrelationship of community agencies and the fire service to come together providing incentives for curbing these issues in the community. Therefore this report is going to identify an effective and robust strategy to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities as a result of domestic fires in multi-occupancy high-rise buildings that are under construction providing overpopulated temporary housing for migrant workers. An important part of this report will discuss the problems of the occupants altering the electricity/gas supplies to provide several areas for cooking within a single dwelling, causing overheating and short-circuit dangers in conjunction with an increased lifetime risk. In doing this a risk assessment report will be necessary which will assess the risks and try to apply relevant measures within a range of safety events. This report will also evaluate the selection, location, and access to a range of resources used to achieve objectives at community safety events and then conclude by analyzing the contents of various initiatives and methods used to effectively communicate these messages to the community.

The role and the inter-relationship of the fire service, other emergency services and supporting agencies

The role of the fire service is to rescue people from fire outbreaks, buildings that have collapsed, rescue people in car accidents and wreckages, buildings on fire, and some other hazards of this nature. The rise in industrialization complexity has given rise to hazards affecting humanity which in turn has necessitated an interrelationship of fire services and other emergency services in the community to provide countermeasures on these hazards. The fire service basically provides rescue and training on firefighting while other emergencies and supporting services provide medical services and funding in disasters. The collaboration of these different bodies is necessary for the achievement of an ultimate goal that is community safety. These organizations encompass the Red Cross, health facilities, Community Based organizations, and law enforcement agencies

Risk assessment and application of relevant control measures

Identification of hazards

In this case of fires occurring in multi-occupancy high-rise buildings having overpopulated migrant workers, fire safety is not given top priority. Individuals are noted to have a rather careless lifestyle as they go about their day-to-day activities. The migrant workers are generally not aware of the dangers a fire outbreak can cause and safety measures to be taken in the event of an outbreak. Immigrant workers in these buildings use an assortment of electrical appliances, have lighters in their rooms, some might be smoking cigarettes, and are generally careless in the handling of electrical equipment and appliances. The main cause of fires though is the alteration of electricity and gas to provide several places for cooking. The mentioned aspects are the major sources of fire ignition.

Fuels for these fires are incombustible substances found in buildings that are not properly managed. The fuels include wooden stuff (furniture), clothing, beddings, waste handling and storage bins, highly combustible substances used and stored by the occupants (papers, cooking oil, and spirits), and different combustible body products.

“Fires are ignited in the presence of the source fuel sustaining the fire and oxygen” (Grayson, 24). The evaluation found the source of oxygen in these buildings to be coming from the air filtering into the room through ventilation and other openings (doors and windows). There was a minimal number of oxidizing agents found in the building and they did not pose a potential risk as they were not a key supply of oxygen.

Affected people

In these buildings, the most affected people are migrant workers who spend most of their time in the buildings and also sleep there. On the other hand construction workers are also affected as they carry out construction work on the buildings.

Here the migrants are regarded to be the most affected because when a fire tragedy happens especially at night when people are asleep, response reaction is normally minimal making the individuals highly prone. Some of these people might be associated with drinking and drugs making them more prone as a person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs cannot respond effectively in the event of a fire. Construction workers who work on the buildings are also prone as they use electricity to do hot construction works like welding. The two are the main groups of people who are at risk in case of a fire outbreak.

Risk evaluation

The risk evaluation in these particular buildings showed that most fires might be ignited due to carelessness. Some other fires can be brought about by faulty electrical appliances, hot construction works, and accidental cases. The chief cause of probable fires though is the altering of electricity and gas supplies to provide several areas for cooking within dwellings otherwise designed for single usage. This causes overheating and short-circuiting dangers which cause a fire.

Assessment on individuals prone showed that the hazards could affect a lot of people judging by the number of migrant workers in the buildings. The smoke again poses risks to occupants as smoke usually forms “deep and thick sheets which can obscure vision, bring out breathing difficulties, jeopardize rescue operations, cause confusion, release poisonous toxins and obstruct routes for escape” (Kamau, p. 67). Smoke has the ability to spread to all rooms in the buildings affecting everyone in the buildings because, “it penetrates to other rooms through gaps in the walls, ceiling, and the floor. Heat also raises as the fire gets trapped and the temperature rises” (McElroy, p. 82). The situation is made worse at night after the closure of doors and windows.

Conduction also poses a major problem as such buildings usually have a lot of materials made of metal which retain and transmit heat to other areas. When this heat makes contact with combustible materials fire can spread more quickly.

Evaluation of the risk notes that the buildings are incomplete thus there are no working escape routes for use in case of a fire outbreak. In addition, the buildings are high rise which means in an event of a fire outbreak especially on lower floors the people above will be trapped. Other notable risks are in fire management and fighting equipment. As the buildings are still under construction there are no adequate firefighting equipment and warning systems installed. The above-named factors are the ones compromising the safety of the people in the buildings.

Reduction and removal of the hazards

To get rid of fire outbreaks in these buildings, identification of the sources of ignitions and reducing them significantly should be done. Fuel for these fires should also be identified and appropriate actions which include proper storage and removal of the same taken. Measures of reducing ignition are as follows; encouraging no or safe smoking, making sure that cigarettes are properly put out after smoking, making certain that electrical appliances function properly and according to instructions given by the suppliers, and finally making sure that all cooking involving gas and electricity is carried out in a proper way that does not put the occupants at risk.

In the reduction of fire, fuel recommended measures involve the total removal of these materials from the building and keeping combustible materials in designated storage that is away from any source of the fire. Furthermore, the occupants are supposed to be made aware of “combustible materials and paper products that might bring about the risk of catching fire. Cloths should be arranged properly with regular waste management and disposal practices embraced” (Grisons, p. 91). When all this is taken into consideration, the issue of combustible materials can be properly managed.

The risk reduction measures in the buildings are supposed to entail the “provision of early fire warning, reducing fire by removing combustible materials, controlling the number of people in the accommodation center and increasing awareness together with student training” (Jones, p. 69). In addition, the buildings need some kind of fire warning system that electronically detects fires. Recommendations for these systems are that they should be fitted with smoke signals and a control panel for better monitoring. All these risk reduction measures must comply with the fire and rescue services act 2004.

Firefighting equipment is also needed in these buildings for extinguishing any kind of fire that could possibly erupt. Although the buildings are not complete, firefighting equipment should be availed. This equipment must comprise adequate fire extinguishers put in strategic places for easy accessibility. These again must have signs showing where they can be found, notices showing the directions of usage, and the kind of fires for each specific extinguisher. The extinguishers are also supposed to be checked regularly to make sure they are operational and for refills.

In addition to these safety measures, there is the need for functional escape routes in these buildings to effectively cater to the kind of population. This is to be done in such a way that people in the building “should be able to evacuate safely from any fire hazard and get to a place of reasonable safety. From there they will be able to go directly to a place of total safety away from the building” (Grisons, p. 124). These routes are supposed to be free of any blockages, should be enough, and be able to provide for the quickest and shortest routes out of the buildings.

Notices and signs are essential for guiding people to ways of escape, the location of fire extinguishers, and warning systems. The buildings are supposed to be equipped with this as they are required by the health and safety regulations. These signs are to be in picture form to enable everyone to know the meaning easily. All these are supposed to be strategically placed for better viewership and understanding.

The overall safety work should be assigned to a specific individual for proper supervision. Regular checking of the overall safety of the building should also be done. This is to be done in stages; some checks are to be done daily, some weekly, monthly and annually. These tests should cover all safety checks, fire extinguisher refills, and the routine maintenance of safety equipment. “All structural fire protection and elements of firefighting should be inspected and any remedial action carried out. Specific guidance on the maintenance of timber fire-resisting doors should also be given” (Grisons, p. 82).

Implementation and findings

Risks identified by this assessment are mainly neglect, carelessness and ignorance brought about by migrants in these buildings. The risks are then facilitated by a combination of factors involving igniters, fuels and oxidizing agents. The assessment identifies the sources of fire to be misused electrical appliances, matchsticks, lighters and cigarettes. The fuels were identified to be wooden furniture, clothing, mattresses, blankets, papers, personal combustible materials and waste materials kept in the buildings. These are the factors that can easily start a fire in these buildings.

Fire reduction strategies that could be applied to these buildings include:

Operating safe smoking zones, ensuring proper installation and usage of electrical appliances, ensuring that electrical fuses and circuit breakers are in good conditions, making sure sockets are not overloaded, checking on maintenance hot work (welding), the removal of all flammable materials, arranging rooms properly, proper waste disposal and security monitoring to prevent arsons (Grayson, p. 45).

Mitigation of these hazards is in the embracing of disciplined practices discouraging fire outbreaks. The affected persons should also be given training in countering these fires, allocation of better building facilities to the immigrants, the use of fire equipment, and how to raise alarms. Other measures include “first aid training, evacuation measures, training on what exactly to do in the case of an outbreak and how to call rescue services” (Grisons, p. 82).

Review

In reviewing this assessment several important matters are put into consideration. The occupants of these buildings should be adequately informed about the dangers of fire outbreaks; they should be shown how to act in the event of an outbreak, instructed to adhere to safety regulations and finally, they should be able to contact firefighters in case of a fire breakout. The buildings again do not have adequate space to host the kind of people occupying them, so alternative housing should be put up to host the migrants. Changes on the buildings should also be counter-checked to make sure they adhere to safety regulations, fire equipment should be installed, and the safety concern brought out by the inhabitants addressed accordingly. When all this is put into consideration the fires in this building will be effectively curbed.

Selection, location and access to resources used to achieve objectives at community safety events

In England, community training is highly encouraged for preparing people to cope with emergency cases especially in locations where help is not readily available. “The training provides basic emergency skills needed immediately following a major disaster, when emergency services may not be available and when residents may have to rely on each other for life-saving and life-sustaining needs” (Grisons, p. 156)

Contents of various initiatives and methods used to effectively communicate fire safety messages to the community

As much as a rapid response is needed to effectively rescue people in disastrous fires communication about community safety is necessary. Various initiatives and methods are effectively put up to curb fire outbreaks in the community and reduce significantly the probability of these fires occurring. These initiatives include interrelating with concerned organizations to teach the community on fire safety, putting up alcohol projects to curb alcohol-related fires, creating fire and safety awareness by organizing training on fire fighting and first aid measures, giving advice on how people can protect themselves from fire and training people on health and safety issues in the community. The main target groups are “old people, children, and young people, ethnic minorities or faith groups, people with learning or physical disabilities, people with alcohol or drug use problems, people living in poor housing conditions and people with mental illness” (Jones, p. 201).

Conclusion

Therefore, as shown in this report, with proper hazard assessments and management together with the following of available safety and health legislation and the involvement of all stakeholders’ hazardous fires can be successfully addressed. The report then concludes that when proper risk evaluation is done, public awareness together with preventive measures put in place and necessary legislations followed this issue can be effectively mitigated.

Works cited

Bluff, Ronald. Roles of a fire fighter. London: Oxford university press, 1987. Print.
Grayson, James. “Causes of fires.” International journal of fire control 12.2 (1996): 42-78. Print.
Grisons, Brian. Fire prevention measures. Nairobi: East African Publishers, 2008. Print.
Jones, Daniela. Fire risk reduction. Nairobi: East African Publishers, 1987. Print.
Kamau, Samuel. Effects of fire hazards. Kampala: East African Publishers, 2009. Print.
McElroy, Daniel. Fire rescue management. London: Oxford university press, 1998. Print.

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