Building Regulation and Fire Safety Management - Case Study Example

Title: Building regulation and fire safety management (H) Dated: February 24, 2009 Table of contents Serial # Contents Page 1 Table of contents 2 2 Introduction 3 3 Part 1: Fire Safety Strategy 1.1 Means of Detection and Warning System 1.2 Provision of Means of Escape 1.3 Provision of Means of Fire fighting 1.4 Stability of the Structure 1.5 Access for fire fighting and fire fighting facilities for fire service 1.6 Internal and External Fire Spread 1.7 Calculations (Uncompleted- further instructions) 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 4 Part 2: Fire Safety Management Strategy 2.1 Identification of Fire Hazards 2.2 Identification of People at Risk 2.3 Evaluation, Remove, Reduce and Protect from Risk 2.4 Record, Plan and Instruct 9 9 10 10 11 5 3.0 Conclusion 13 6 4.0 Bibliography 14 7 Annex 1.Organizational Responsibilities: 14 1.0 Introduction: The Anywhere Community Centre in Preston has constructed a new building for strengthening their already range of services as extended to the people in the areas of care and counseling, advice and information, the provision of advocacy and education in the building premises. The newly constructed building will provide the services like a stage room, a hall, a chapel, youth room, offices, kitchen, infant’s rooms and other allied facilities(1). The newly constructed building needs a fire safety strategy as to meet the requirements of the modern building regulations and up to the existing building standards. The strategy needs approval from the government through Approved Documents B- volume 2 Buildings other than dwelling houses or other codes including relevant applicable building legislations. The strategy will include the means of detection and warning in case of fire, escape at all times and fire fighting mechanism. The strategy as proposed for the building will also ensure the stability of the structure in event of the fire equipped with portable and automatic fire fighting systems. The strategy through its detail mechanism has designed a well coordinated mechanism that will ensure easy access during the time of fire to the fire fighting and fire fighting facilities and for all the fire fighting services(2). The strategy is including a mechanism that will avoid any internal fire spread and external fire spread during the fire incidents. Successful implementation of the strategy will ensure the achievement of the objectives of the strategy as to provide safety and security to all the stakeholders and protection of the building during the fire incidents. The strategy is consisting of two parts as Part 1 which deals with the core Fire Safety Strategy and Part 2 as Fire Safety Management Strategy which is exclusively dealing with the management issues of the strategy. Part 1: Fire Safety Strategy The Fire Safety strategy has been designed while keeping in view the population density in the building during the time of fire with adequate number of exit units as required to meet the minimum requirements of the buildings equipped with an efficient information network system that will be functional from a distant place to coordinate and execute fire fighting strategy during the time of any future fire incident. It is expected that execution of the proposed strategy will ensure safety and security of all the stakeholders with minimum loses both human and material. The fire safety management plan will also meet a legal obligation of the centre under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 to ensure the health and safety of all the implies and anyone else who enters the centre during the potential or probable fire incident time. The plan will also meet the provision of the Fire Safety Act 1990 and Fire Regulations 1991 and other similar related legislation for the fire safety management. The fire systems and procedures will be properly maintained through the adequate and updated trainings to the related staff. The capacity of the staff will be strengthening as to abridge themselves with fire safety responsibilities. Buildings and other commercial entities are prone to fire incidents during and after the time of utilizations. The fire management and strategy plan has been designed with an objective in mind so as to reduce the potential loses to their minimum levels. All the stakeholders have actively been involved through the indication of their functions and responsibilities during the pre, during and the post fire period (3). The functions of all the stakeholders have been designated while keeping in mind the actual location and size of the building in the form of a fire safety management plan. The Fire Safety Management Strategy will be supervised by a central command and control authority through a nominated safety officer called Safety Officer who will primarily be responsible for the management and control the Management Strategy in any emergency situation. The officer will have a close liaison with the Police Commander and the top Management of the Centre who will guide the officer in discharging total command for the crisis management as in accordance with the major objectives of the plan that is to maintain a secure position for all the participating parties in the centre. 1.1 Means of Detection and Warning System The Fire Safety Management Strategy as proposed for the newly constructed building is equipped with an alternative system of interconnected smoke alarms or point detectors which are incorporated with manual call points .The system will also posses separate sounders in all major areas of the building. All the major rooms and hall area will have automatic fire detection and warning system supplemented with control panel which is in a position to identify the area or room where the alarm has been raised and the system will become functional and operational as and when required. The control panel will be located in the entrance area of the building so that the same may be utilized in minimum possible time as its reaction time for the whole system to become fully functional. 1.2 Provision of Means of Escape The fire safety management strategy as proposed is provided with the three means of escape during the fire incidents. These are located in the hall area, infants’ room and youth room. These areas have been identified in the plan and highlighted in the overall map of the strategy. The areas have widely been displayed in all the major areas of the building so that all the entrants may be well aware of their presence in the building. These locations have also been included in the communication plan which may be utilized by all the key stakeholders during the time of implementation of the strategic plan. The three locations will provide sufficient and easy access to the inmates and the clients during the fire incidents. 1.3 Provision of Means of Fire fighting The fire fighting instruments are essential components of the whole fire fighting strategy and are utilized for controlling the fire in any potential incident of the fire. These instruments are arranged in the ground floor and also provisions are made for their presence in the mobile fire fighting unit as proposed in the assembly area of the building. These instruments are updated on periodic basis and are used in mock exercises. The fire fighting instruments are highlighted in the overall plan and their identification will help the key players to utilize them during the actual operations of the fire fighting. 1.4 Stability of the Structure The fire fighting strategy as proposed for the newly constructed building is consisting of a plan addressing all the necessary key areas during the operations. The walls of the building both internally as well as externally are supplemented with required fire fighting brackets and insulators so as to help the overall system to deal with the incident effectively. The plan will be implemented through a team of trained man power under the control of a fire safety officer. 1.5 Access for fire fighting and fire fighting facilities for fire service The fire fighting strategy and the whole plan is designed on the basis of easy access to the fire fighting facilities and fire services during the time of operations. The fire fighting facilities are placed in the ground portion and in the assembly area of the building. The services are designed with a team of core fire fighting manpower where the responsibility chart for each member of the team has been designed. The fire fighting services will become available in a reaction time of thirty seconds from the start of the fire. The equipment will be in a steady position and the team will become functional under the command of Fire Fighting Security Officer who will be the focal person for the implementation of the plan with the active assistance of all other relevant agencies. 1.6 Internal and External Fire Spread The internal and external fire spread is a common factor during the fire incidents. The strategy has a well designed mechanism that will block the internal and external fire spread during the fire incidents. All the rooms and major facilities are equipped with materials that will block the internal spread of fire. The walls of the building are supplemented with breaks and blocks so as to prevent fire spread. Similarly, internal walls of the room are provided with insulating material so as to block the spread of fire during the fire incidents. Externally, all the walls of the building are provided with material that averts the spread of fire during any potential future fire incident. 1.7 Calculations (Uncompleted- further instructions) The fire incidents are recorded in a specific pattern so as to minimize the hazards associated with the fire incidents. Calculations associated with the fire incidents are helpful in the improvement of the future fire management strategies with an objective in mind to ensure safety and security of the buildings as well as of the human beings associated with the building. The following format is designed for achieving the objectives. Serial number: Date of previous fire incident Number of causalities / injuries The response of the fire fighting system Part 2: Fire Safety Management Strategy 2.1 Identification of Fire Hazards The Fire hazards identification signal are proposed for the strategy for its effective usage and effectiveness. The signals are designed on color pattern basis with a color-coded array of total four numbers or letters arranged in a diamond shape structure which is given below, selection of one or more system will provide necessary details about that system. The blue, yellow and red, fields are the symbols of health, reactivity, and flammability, respectively. All these colors are used in number sequence ranging from 0 to 4. A value of zero indicates that the material poses essentially no hazard for the health; a rating of four indicates extreme danger for all the aspects of life. The fourth value that is in white column tends to be more variable, both in meaning and its usage during the implementation of the strategy. 2.2 Identification of People at Risk The Fire Fighting strategies are designed to minimize the risks associated with the potential threats like fire. People are the major and most vulnerable part of the whole strategy as to ensure their protection and safety through the implementation of the strategy. The risks are the likelihood of a hazard actually causing harm to the life and property and in the instant case both human and the building. However, people are the main concern for the whole strategy. If there is a fire, the main priority of the strategy is to ensure that all the persons reach a place of safety in a quick manner. Putting the fire out with the implementation of the strategy is the second step to this because the greatest danger from fire in a busy building like the Anywhere Community Centre in Preston is the spread of the fire, smoke and, heat through it. If a building does not have adequate means of detecting and warning, or adequate means of escape from the scene, then a fire can trap persons or they may be overcome by smoke and heat before they can leave the place. All the people associated with the building including the workers, the staff, the fire fighting personals and the clients are equally vulnerable to the fire but the clients are the easy target of the fire incidents as this group is comparatively unaware about the hazards and the fire management strategy. 2.3 Evaluation, Remove, Reduce and Protect from Risk The proposed strategy is subject to evaluation on the basis of its effectiveness in terms of achieving the objectives and targets of the strategy. The Fire Safety Management Strategy as proposed for the new building of the Community Centre in Preston will serve the purpose to protect and safe the life and property as associated with the strategy. The strategy has been formulated in consultation with all the stakeholders so as to meet the relevant provisions of the Building Regulations 2006.The strategy will be evaluated on the basis of its future results and virtual minimum loses both human and financial during any fire incident. The segments which found to be useless will be removed or reduced from the strategy so as to achieve maximum results from the implementation of the strategy. The strategy will be streamlined as on the basis of learning by doing approach. 2.4 Record, Plan and Instruct Record The Fire Safety Management Strategy will be implemented with its proper documentation and record. The strategy will help in the achievement goals and targets as designed for the strategy which include safety and security of the people and the building as through the observance of the fire safety. Plan The plan of the strategy will is mainly relying on the followings: 1. The methodology for carrying out fire safety risk audits with the implementation of the purposed strategy will be circulated in simple language , 2. The design , installation and maintenance of the fire system will ensure the safety and security of all the participants and workers during the time of fire incidents , 3. The proposed management plan includes a safety awareness and training program for all the stakeholders so as to update their knowledge and skills to deal with the fire incidents to minimize losses as a result of the fire event in the center. The training segment will enhance the knowledge of all the relevant persons and sensitize them to deal with the incident effectively, 4. The fire safety equipment will be used as the tools to tackle the issue in a systematic and coordinated mechanism, 5. The plan has a laid down system including fire exit centers with their proper displays at main entering centers in the building, moreover, a parallel coordination center has proposed as a mobile unit in the shared access road side of the building. The unit will remain parked in the outdoor assembly area. A fire alarming system has been installed at the roof top of the hall area. The siren will be given during the threat time and all the major players will take their position during the execution of the fire safety management strategy. Instructions and implementation The Fire Safety Management Strategy for the newly constructed building of the Anywhere community center in Preston will be executed with a well coordinated mechanism as consisting of a number of persons and organizations ,the names and detail of responsibilities of each major component is given as Annex 1.The fire fighting equipment will be installed in the corridors and the assembly area for ensuring their availability to the staff during the operations relating to the implementation of the strategy. The staff will make mock exercises as on regular basis so as to strengthen their skills to deal with any potential incident relating to the fire in the centre. The building will be equipped both internally as well as externally in the shape of insulators so as to stop the spread of the fire (4). The building will be constructed with gaps so that the fire may face obstacles during its spared. 3.0 Conclusion The proposed Fire Safety Strategy will cover all the area of the newly constructed building of the centre. The strategy through its various players will be operative in a coordinated and systematic manner. All the stakeholders may like to execute the strategy in calm and quite manner but in directional pattern with the proposed command and control mechanism and alarm system. The observance of the strategy will help in minimizing looses both human and material as the strategy has an inbuilt mechanism for achieving its objectives. It is expected that Anywhere Community Center in Preston will achieve its objective through the implementation of the strategy and the strategy will serve as a model strategy for its replication by all other similar centers for seeking similar results with the use of trained manpower and other physical and financial inputs. The strategy will help the administration to seek necessary clearance from other bodies so as to execute their businesses as attached with the centre. 4.0 Bibliography: 1. Wisner, Ben; P. Blaikie, T. Cannon, and I. Davis (2004). At Risk - Natural hazards, people’s vulnerability and disasters. Wiltshire: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-25216-4.    2. Alexander, David (2002). Principles of Emergency planning and Management. Harpenden: Terra Publishing. ISBN 1-903544-10-6.  3. Jaffin, Bob (September 17, 2008). "Emergency Management Training: How to Find the Right Program". Emergency Management Magazine. Retrieved on 2008-11-15. 4. Buchanan, Sally. "Emergency preparedness." from Paul Banks and Roberta Pilette. Preservation Issues and Planning. Chicago: American Library Association, 2000. 159-165. ISBN 978-0-8389-0776-4 Annex 1. Organizational Responsibilities: Serial # Person l Organization Responsibility 1 Occupational Health & Safety Council To endorse the fire safety management strategy as designed to fulfill its objectives as per relevant provisions of the building laws and the fire safety acts 1990 and 1991. 2 Director Operations The director operations will implement the proposed strategy with all its details. The director operations will serve as a focal point and major coordinating body with all the stake holders including top management of the center, the police department, the clients, media personals and the staff for the execution of the strategy. The director operations will also provide on the spot instruction to the clients with charts and details showing details about the exit points during the fire incidents. 3 Manager Security The manager security will ensure the construction of infrastructure as per its approved designs, installations and maintenance of the requisite fire systems as consistent with the requirements of the fire safety management strategy. The manager is also responsible for the inward and outward movement of the fire workers during the executions. The manger security will be assisted by a number of dire safety officers so as to implement the strategy in an effective manner. 4 Maintenance officer The officer will ensure effective maintenance practices as established in compliance with the relevant legislation relating to the fire safety management strategy. The officer will also ensure observance of the accepted and approved designs for the implementation of the strategy. 5 Project Manager The project manager will implement the project as per all its approved components. He / She will also make evaluation of the strategy at regular intervals to the top management for making any revision in the strategy. 6 Police director The police director will serve as a bridge among all the related parties during the execution of the strategy .The director in consultation with the top management will provide necessary guidelines to all the other stakeholders to deliver their assignments during the period of execution of the strategy. The ambulance services will seek basic information from the director during the evacuation of the victims and causalities if any during the operations as to implement the proposed strategy. 7 Top management of the Anywhere Centre The top management of the Anywhere Center will have the authority to approve the Fire Safety Management Strategy along with any amendment if required. 8 The Clients The clients will observe the guidelines as issued and displayed by the executing authorities. The clients will make themselves aware of the exit gates as identified in the newly constructed building of the centre. 9 Media personals The Media personals will illustrate the strategy with the help of their respective electronic and print media so as to transfer the relevant knowledge to all the stakeholders for its usage during the execution of the strategy. 10 Mobile coordinating unit A mobile coordinating unit will be established in the outdoor assembly area. The unit will receive signals from the top siren and other key players of the strategy for coordinating with the fire fighting unit of the strategy. The mobility of the unit will be broadcasted through all means of communication for seeking desired results through the implementation of the strategy. 11 The ambulance services Two ambulances vehicles will be available for the assistance of the fire fighting staff. Read More