Slide 1 BIFM Ireland Conference, Belfast 4 November 2011 Cost-Effective Fire Safety Management Stewart Kidd MA, MSc, FIFireE, FIFSM Chartered Security Practitioner
Slide 2 Of course, modern buildings don t burn. Windsor Building, Madrid, 13 February 2005 Complied fully with Spanish national building regulations (1996) and Madrid regulations (2003) Fire spread down as well as up Security guards delayed calling fire brigade
Slide 3 Of course, modern buildings don t burn.
Slide 4 The Law Difficult to cover the law in Ireland other than briefly A generic approach will be adopted The primary requirements can be found in: The South The Building Control Regulations 1997-2007 S37 of the Fire Services Act 1981 The North Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 The Fire Safety Regulations (NI) 2010 Fire Services Act 2004
Slide 5 Fire Safety: First, some numbers (Apologies for using UK data)
Slide 6 Possible Fires? Heinrich s Ratio of Injuries 1 large 1 serious fire 20 small fires 29 minor 200 near misses 300 near misses
Slide 7 NON-DWELLING FIRES BY OCCUPANCY 2009 - UK 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 PUBLIC SERVICES INDUSTRIAL OUTBUILDINGS OUTBUILDINGS AGRICULTURE INDUSTRIAL TRADE, HOTELS PUBLIC SERVICES
Slide 8 Costs of Fire (UK) 476 deaths in in year to end 30/6/08 (compared to 453 in previous period). 12,800 injuries (down from 13,400) Cost of arson is estimated by Government to be 2.44 billion (2004) Insurers estimate that 2009 school arson cost > 55 million (75% of all school fires) Total cost of fire (incl fire service, insurance, fire equipment etc) is 7.03 billion In 2009 fire insurance claims exceeded 1.6 billion at least 50% is due to arson In same year, commercial fire damage > 1 billion (+19% on 2007) Fires in homes > 420 million(+17% on 2007)
Slide 9 Perils of the Night Day Night 49% Deaths (Accidental fires) 51% 36% Deaths (Arson) 64% 44% Injuries 56% 32% No. of Large Fires 68% 27% Cost of Large Fires 73% 32% No. of Arson Fires 68%
Slide 10 Home Office/ODPM/CLG Fire Causes
Slide 11 Occurrence of Fires (All Causes) FPA 25 year average Dwellings 60% Other Commercial 15% Garages, sheds etc 7% Shops 4% Pubs, Clubs & Restaurants 3% Agriculture 2% Hospitals 2% Hotels 2% Schools 2% Places of Public Entertainment 2% Construction Industry 1%
Slide 12 Proportion of Fires due to Arson CLG 2008 Fire Statistics Places of Public Entertainment 69% Garages, sheds 69% Construction 65% Schools 60% Shops 41% Agriculture 43% Restaurants, pubs & clubs 28% Hospitals 26% Hotels 18% Other Industrial 13% Dwellings 22%
Slide 13 What are the problems? Deliberately set fires (arson) New methods of construction Careless contractors/hot work Increased fire loads Increases in electrical equipment Higher values of furnishing and equipment
Slide 14 Motives for Arson Arson Prevention Bureau, 1996, Kidd 1998* Causes for arson are varied Revenge 24% Mental illness 20% Alcohol/drugs 19% Concealment of crime 7% Financial gain 6% Excitement 5% Terrorist/extremist 2% Would-be heroism 1% Motive not determined/unclear 17% *based on 6580 arson fires
Slide 15 New Methods of Construction
Slide 16 Fire during the construction of a block of flats in Colindale, North London. Cause not established but probably discarded cigarette or malicious intent
Slide 17 Arsonists are must dangerous when they attack vulnerable people
Slide 18 Revenge is Common Cause
Slide 19 Fires Destroy Businesses & Jobs
Slide 20 Or shut off power to a whole town.
Slide 21 What causes these fires? Arson - between 40-65% Electrical - around 13-15% Cooking - around 10-11% Contractors and hot work > 10% Other causes (in unknown) > 13%
Slide 22 So what can we do about it? Plan: To prevent fires To take appropriate action in event of fires To minimise the impact of a fire
Slide 23 To Prevent Fires: Understand the nature of fire Be aware of the common hazards Take immediate action to eliminate hazards Inspect all parts of buildings regularly Use common sense Develop fire awareness approach
Slide 24 Systematic Approaches (1) Fire Risk Assessment Implement measures to reduce hazards disclosed Prepare plans Train staff Consider risks of arson Consider impact of firefighting activity
Slide 25 Systematic Approaches (2) Implement measures to mitigate losses Record keeping Ensure escape routes are adequate Undertake improvements in compartmentation Ensure proper exit signing and lighting Early detection and warning Business continuity Fire fighting Manual Automatic Smoke ventilation
Slide 26 For a fire to take place: There needs to be three different elements: Something to burn - ie a FUEL Oxygen to sustain the burning - from the AIR A HEAT source - to raise the temperature of the fuel to the point where it will burn When these three come together, fire will continue to burn until either all the fuel or air is consumed.
Slide 27 Fire Triangle heat fuel oxygen
Slide 28 Sources of Heat (1) Smoking materials Electrical short circuits Contractor s hot work Light bulbs Overheated equipment Extension leads
Slide 29 Sources of Heat (2) Friction Lightning strike Chemical reaction Spontaneous combustion Bonfires and burning brands Fireworks Defective equipment - ovens etc
Slide 30 Hazard Spotting Think of the place in which you normally work: How many heat sources are present normally? What about occasionally? Even the average office has 6.
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Slide 36 Other Hazards in Office Buildings Storage of flammables including paint etc Improper storage in utility areas/cupboards Poor maintenance of electrical equipment include: Wattage of bulbs Frayed cables Defective appliances Excessive storage of combustibles Obstructed escape routes Poor signage Emergency lighting not working AND: No 1 Poor Staff Training
Slide 37 Portable Appliance Testing in Offices Do not believe the salesmen! You do not have to test all office equipment every year HSE says that in most cases all that is required is a visual inspection :, Q. What do I have to do to maintain my electrical equipment? A. For the most part, visually inspect it. By concentrating on a simple inexpensive system of looking for visible signs of damage or faults, and putting them right, you will prevent most electrical accidents from occurring. INDG236 (rev1 04/11)
Slide 38 Modern Industrial Buildings Many large buildings are constructed without any knowledge (at the time) of what they will actually be used for Large single storey buildings are used as warehouses, factories, retail premises and for composite purposes Many such buildings will change their use several times during their life Some buildings change use seasonally eg vegetable packing warehouses
Slide 39 Vegetable packing seems a low risk industry? 2 Nov 2007 Atherstone, Warwicks 4 firefighters killed, 26 Feb 2008, Whittlesey, Cambs 2 employees injured
Slide 40 Possible Problems Composite buildings storage and retail in same structure often with no fire separation Significant fuel loads When does storage become industrial? Changes of use Speculative building Occupier is often detached from owner at several removes Modern supply chain management requires extreme flexibility Modern methods of building light structures, sandwich panels, combustible insulation
Fire Risk Assessment Slide 41
Slide 42 Fire Risk Assessment Forms a key part of the requirements of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations and NI Fire Regulations Actually a requirement of the EU Workplace Directive Just starting to assess risk reduces the impact Useful tool to prioritise risk improvements Provides measure of cost-effectiveness BUT: the law only requires life risk to be assessed. (Fire law is mainly concerned with life safety). It makes sense to do one risk assessment to cover both life and property risks including consideration of the impact of fire/heat/smoke/firefighting water on building fabric contents and work processes
Slide 43 Risk Management Tools Examine each risk/hazard possibility, can it be: Eliminated (use a safer product) Protected against (fixed fire protection) Transferred (contract-out the process) Financed (insure or set up funding process) Avoided (don t undertake the activity) Accepted (understand the risk and accept any consequences)
Slide 44 More on FRA www.riskconsultant.com/assets/files/riskass e.pdf No charge!
Action in the Event of Fire Slide 45
Slide 46 Action in the Event of Fire Sound the alarm Call the fire and rescue service (FRS) Evacuate the premises Assist disabled people, contractors etc Check premise is empty Verify persons at assembly points Other actions
Slide 47 Other Actions Fire fighting Preventing re-entry Meeting the FRS Contractors and visitors Isolate power and gas Operate plant/system shutdowns
Slide 48 Training Fire Wardens Legal duties Common causes of fire Action in the event of a fire Use of equipment provided Human behaviour in fire How to conduct an evacuation Assembly points Fire and people with special needs
Slide 49 Exits and Routes Where particular legal requirement, such as specified signs or the provision of locking devices on fire exit routes exist then these must be complied with
Slide 50..but if doors need to be held open
Slide 51 Not all fires can be prevented Fire growth should be restricted Fires respect only walls & water Compartmentation is a powerful tool
Slide 52 Spot the potential problem in this refuge. There are also issues with relying on refuges: The fire service have made it clear that unless there is an agreement in writing in place they will not guarantee to take responsibility for the removal of occupants from refuges. Their view is that the evacuation of people from buildings is the responsibility of the Dutyholder for the premises
Slide 53 Liaison with the Fire Brigade At operational level as well as with fire safety departments Visits by watches Joint planning for larger sites (including exercises) Consider need for involving police and ambulance services for very large sites or locations with particular hazards Don t forget water supplies
Slide 54 In larger premises, exercises are essential
Slide 55 Not a good time to start liaising
Fire Detection and Extinguishing Systems Slide 56
Slide 57 Fire Detection Systems Fire or smoke sensor Heat Smoke/Ionisation Smoke/photo-optical Smoke/aspiration (VESDA) Flame/infrared Flame/ultraviolet Flame/flicker CO/CO2 Call points Control panel and power supply Bells/klaxons/lights Remote signaling Building services shutdown
Slide 58 AFD Systems are Expensive! Let s make sure that they are not left disabled 1. Criminal offence 2. Invalidates insurance 3. Really, really embarrassing! Test them weekly by operating a different callpoint
Slide 59 Automatic Systems Gas Systems Chemical (ie FM 200, FE 13) Inert Systems (ie CO2, Inergen) Wet Systems Sprinklers Water Mist Foam
Slide 60 What can sprinklers offer? Detect a fire Extinguish or control the fire Raise the alarm locally Call the fire brigade and unlike smoke detectors, if you burn the toast, they will not operate!
Slide 61 Non Automatic Systems Fire Extinguishers Water Powder Foam/Foam Spray Carbon dioxide Fire blankets Hose Reels Wet/Dry risers Landing valves Hydrants
Portable Extinguishers Slide 62
Slide 63 Fire Extinguishers Portable extinguishers, where provided must be of an appropriate type, size and must be in date. There is no expiry date as long as a unit remains serviceable CO2 portables need to be pressure tested every ten years and the test date must be stamped in the metal body. Other extinguishers should be inspected not less than every twelve months and recharged as necessary
Slide 64 BS EN3 Categories (UK)
Slide 65 Halon Extinguishers have been illegal in European Workplaces since1 January 2005
Slide 66 Staff Training All staff, including parttimers must be trained in all aspects of their role in fire safety Fire Wardens and others (such as security, catering and maintenance staff should receive additional training New staff should be at least briefed in their first week
Slide 67 Signs must comply with the current standards and regulations EN/EU Compliant
Slide 68 Signs But beware too much information!
Slide 69 Records and Back-ups Ensure that key records and data are backed up and stored either in a different building or off site. Data safes can help but should be in a protected location (ie ground floor under a staircase) - never in the basement.
Slide 70 Fires during construction of very tall buildings is a bad idea!
Slide 71 Or foolish information.
Slide 72 Remember: Circumstances change Risk assessments must take account of these Re-do risk assessments if buildings, utilisation, materials or processes change Don t forget special events In an FRA, consider the weather
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Slide 74 BIFM Ireland Conference, Belfast 4 November 2011 Cost-Effective Fire Safety Management Stewart Kidd MA, MSc, FIFireE, FIFSM Chartered Security Practitioner