Reduction in Number of Fires that Take Place in the UK - Coursework Example

Running Head: Community Safety Community Safety [Writer’s name] [Institution’s name] Community Safety In this report the SARA methodology is used to analyze the risk assessment which the fire services mainly the fouges fire safety service does examples of the Manchester fire service will also be used for which the their website will be referred to. The term community safety is a complex and widely interpreted phrase. It ultimately means the protection of everyone's right to live without fear for their and other people's safety. It is a relatively new concept, which has only recently taken face with the introduction of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Community safety strategies have created new partnerships and installed a sense of security and safety among local communities. Different organisations bring diverse resources, skills and knowledge to the partnership. However, each organisation has its own set of objectives to pursue and must operate within individual management systems and structures. The challenge facing community safety partnerships is to develop a local management model which is acceptable to all partners and which ensures the partnerships' objectives are achieved. Its approach is based upon the formation of partnerships between the communities, public, private and voluntary sectors (including local businesses) to formulate and introduce community based measures against crime. This is achieved by partners working closely together to strategically select, coordinate and implement their development initiatives and crime control efforts in order to produce effective results. The law imposes a responsibility on the employer to insure safety at work for all employees. The organization must take reasonable steps to insure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees at work. Failure to do so could result in criminal prosecution in the Supreme Court. SARA Methodology Scanning The problems have occurred due to carelessness of the people of the community. The problems are as follows: Overpopulated accommodation workers are altering the electrical & gas supplies to provide several areas for cooking electrical wiring is short circuiting causing fires accommodation is unsuitable for use insufficient fire protection/detection lack of enforcement of fire regulations lack of fire safety education Analysis Each above problems are occurring due to reasons which are given in the analysis section of the SARA methodology Response The problems can be reduced mainly by following regulations and giving awareness. Assessment Statistics of reduction in number of fires that take place in UK Scanning The following are the problems which most of the fire services face a good example of one such fire service is the fouges fire safety s Overpopulated accommodation workers are altering the electrical & gas supplies to provide several areas for cooking electrical wiring is short circuiting causing fires accommodation is unsuitable for use insufficient fire protection/detection lack of enforcement of fire regulations lack of fire safety education The Fire and Rescue Service has to be properly focused on fire prevention along with flexible responses to fires and many other disasters the main aim of this service is for every community to be secured from fire along with other risks. The community suffers due to these problems. Analysis . Overpopulated Accommodation The workplace or any building even if it is an apparent building should not have a lot of accommodation or employees. As the risk of fire increases and even the risk of deaths and injuries due to this fire increases. The reason behind this is that the more people there are the more difficult it is to make sure that they are not using something dangerous. Workers Are Altering the Electrical & Gas Supplies to Provide Several Areas for Cooking Many employees tend to alter the gas supplies so that cooking can be easy for them but this is very risky as it may lead to a huge fire. Electrical Wiring Is Short Circuiting Causing Fires This is the main cause of fires in both offices and homes as bad wiring leads to short circuits which may ultimately cause fires. Faulty wring is a huge risk and should be handled with great care. Accommodation Is Unsuitable For Use A lot of offices and houses are not constructed according to safety regulations this leads to many injuries and deaths due to fire. Insufficient Fire Protection/Detection The risk of a fire may arise due to carelessness of the management s well as the employees (Great Britain. Home Office 2000 p12). The fact that in most organizations the fire protection is not considered important neither are the fire diction systems upgraded or looked after. Lack of Enforcement of Fire Regulations If the fire regulations are not followed, then the risk of a major fire increases. This is the reason why a lot of offices and homes these days have to face fires. Lack of Fire Safety Education If people are not aware about the fire safety regulation then obviously the risk of fire will increase (Phil & Ed 2007 p24). Unaware people are the most dangerous risk as they do not know what to do in order to avoid such dangers, and thus they make a lot of blunders which ultimately lead to a fire. Response The prevention strategy depends on the following: Designing fire safety in all buildings according the Building Regulations; Another method will be to maintain a safe environment, by means of fire safety and other legislation, for employers and people who own commercial property tasks (Tilley 2005 p10). Insufficient Fire Protection/Detection It is important that every organization should have a good fire indication system. Every system should be double checked. The Manchester fire service guide states that where an electrical fire-warning system is required then a simple arrangement usually consist of following: manual call points near the exits with minimum one call point on every floor. Electronic sirens or bells; as well as a control and indicator panel. A substitute system which is interrelated along with combined manual call points along with sounders is also acceptable (John& John 2003 p16). If the building has parts where a fire may start from unnoticed or where employee are working by themselves and may notice the fire, then it might be essential to improve the fire-warning system to incorporate an automatic fire detection or set up an system for automatic fire-detection and warning. Every office should be inspected via fire authority to check ways of escape, fire fighting equipment and warning after which the fire authority will fire issue a certificate. Any violatation of the certificate can lead to prosecution of the employer or responsible manager (http://www.compactlaw.co.uk/free_legal_articles/health_and_safety.html) Lack of Enforcement of Fire Regulations In order to make the organizations a safer place the building regulations should be renewed to guarantee that they can handle the varying trends and latest developments in building design; To arrange awareness of fire safety They will have to make a new legislative structure which will introduce fire cover based depending on risk by means of integrated risk management planning. Without Government making these methods of safety will be not possible for the Authority. Failure to ensure safe working practices could also lead to an employee suing for personal injury or in some case the employer being prosecuted for corporate manslaughter, and even company bankruptcy (Great Britain 2006 p12). Beside the legal responsibility, employers also have an implied responsibility to take reasonable steps as far as they are able to ensure the health and safety of their employees is not put at risk. So an employer might be found liable for his/her actions or failure to act even if these are not written in policies. Also, the safety officer should assess the level of risk as against the cost of eliminating the risk in deciding whether he have taken reasonable steps as far as they are able. For example; the safety officer may be responsible for providing safe plant and machinery and safe premises, safe system of work and competent trained and supervised staff. Overpopulated Accommodation Fouges fire service should make sure that the organization should not be that populated that In premises where there is a low occupancy level and all the occupants are able bodied and capable of using the means of escape without assistance; an extremely small chance of a fire; not many if any extremely flammable material a fire; fire cannot increase quickly; and may be detected fast so thus people will promptly get to know that a fire has started and thus can escape, if this happens then the risk can generally be considered as being ‘lower’. They can also do this by looking in to Manchester fire service as they do the same, they can go through to their guide on the Manchester fire service website. Accommodation Is Not Suitable For Use Most of the accommodation while planning a house or mostly houses are not according to the regulations of construction and thus have a huge risk. The Manchester fire service is very active in such situations; they recommend people to build their offices of home fouges fire service should make sure that, before the construction on a building begins, the fire risk has to be reviewed and assessment should take place so that the additional dangers which are likely take place can be predicted. Risks to people should be evaluated, especially in those buildings that carry on being occupied (Rasbash 2004 p35). Carelessness in pre-planning may result in disorganized management of fire safety measures. To evaluate the risk in on a certain premises the construction of that particular place along with its layout should be evaluated as well. A structural survey is not necessary at all, till there is doubt that the structure of the building is damaged or if any necessary fire protection structure is not there or damaged, however inspection to find out weather there are any straightforward paths by which the smoke and fire might spread and ways to stop it from spreading. Usually buildings which are older will have a lot of empty areas, probably hidden from inspection, which will permit smoke as well as fire to spread all over the structure. It may be any kind of building, but typical situations should be taken under consideration that might help the spread of fire and smoke. Workers Are Altering the Electrical & Gas Supplies to Provide Several Areas for Cooking When the workers alter gas supplies to provide several areas for cooking they in the true sense playing with fire as there is huge risk (Paul & John 1999 p53) Due to the fact that these cooking processes can function with high temperatures, which consists a lot of oil and combustible things to eat. According to the fouges fire service All electrical installations should be regularly inspected by a competent electrical engineer appointed by you, or on your behalf, in accordance with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAW Regulations).53 The use of low voltage equipment should conform to the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994,54. Electrical Wiring Is Short Circuiting Causing Fires The main cause of fires is: incorrect fuse ratings; damaged or inadequate insulation on cables or wiring; embitterment and cracking of cable Sheathing in cold environments. According to the fouges fire service: All electrical installations should be regularly inspected by a competent electrical engineer appointed by you, or on your behalf, I accordance with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAW Regulations).53 The use of low voltage equipment should conform to the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994,54 including the requirement to be CE marked. Lack of Fire Safety Education Lack of safety education is what leads to fires a good way to resolve this issue is to give awareness to the concerned people Fouges fire service should encourage health and safety and safety education in the workplace. It would be wise to would place emphasis on executives, management, supervisors, and team leaders in becoming proactive in marketing of a new and positive safety-training program. Encourage subordinates the use of health and safety policies and proper procedures in the work place would reduce the accidents (Andrew & Martin 2007 p44). Relating to the employee the improvements needed and awareness of the employee in relation to their jobs, attitudes, attributes and environment. But just as important knowing the safety hazard and offering better understanding of the safety standards and what employees are like, which allows you to be able to avoid disasters and future hazards that the company may be confronted with Additionally, it is always advisable to have a written code of conduct, rules regarding training and supervision, and rules on safety procedures. This should include information on basic health and safety requirements, leaflets and posters giving warning of hazards are always advisable. In any event you must establish a health and safety policy/program if you employ five or more people. Fouges fire service can take the example of the Manchester fire station The Manchester fire station also provides easily understandable information to employees, the parents of children you may employ, and to employers of other persons working in your premises about the measures in place to ensure a safe escape from the building and how they will operate, for example: Any significant risks to staff and other relevant persons that have been identified in their fire risk assessment or any similar assessment carried out by another user and responsible person in the building. As well as the t fire prevention and protection measures and procedures in your premises and where they impact on staff and other relevant persons in the building (http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/firesafetyrisk2) Assessment The fouge fire service has been active in changing the approach to attempt and alter the method in which things are done; it In order to reduce fire risks the fire department should: Is proactive in stopping fires along with other risks, rather than just acting in response to fires; Helps the wider plan of social inclusion, neighbourhood restoration and reduction of crime; Have useful institutions that assist with its responsibility and goal; is well-managed and efficient The new risk assessment t has in deed reduced the fire Key statistics in the monitor show: The United Kingdom Fire and Rescue Services attended 862,300 fire and false alarm incidents in the 12 months to 31 March 2007 - a slight increase on the previous 12 months. There were 448 fire deaths in this period- down 5 per cent on the previous 12 months and the lowest figure since records began in 1950. Dwelling fire deaths fell by 4 per cent to 324, the lowest total since 1960. However, all fire death figures for 2006/07 should be treated with caution as they are still provisional and subject to change. Primary fires fell by 5 per cent to 156,800. This is the lowest total since 1983. Within this dwelling fires hit a 30 year low (55,000, down 4 per cent), fires in other buildings - including workplaces and areas where people gather - are at their lowest since 1958 (down 6 per cent to 32,500) and road vehicle fires again fell (by 9 per cent to 57,500) to their lowest total since 1990. Secondary fires rose by 5 per cent to 261,200. Attendances at false alarms increased by less than 1 per cent to 435,700 continuing the trend since 2001. Within this there was an 11 per cent fall (to 32,200) in malicious false alarms and a slight increase (to 238,700) in false alarms due to apparatus (http://www.gos.gov.uk/gosw/news/newsarchive/688340) Conclusion Thus by means of the SARA methodology it can be concluded that the fouges fire services needs to evaluate it’s risks so that it can further reduce the number of fires in UK. References Andrew Furness, Martin Muckett (2007); Introduction to Fire Safety Management: The Handbook for Students on NEBOSH and Other Fire Safety Courses, Butterworth-Heinemann p44 Butterworth-Heinemann p 16 D. Rasbash (2004); Evaluation of Fire Safety, John Wiley and Sons, p35 Great Britain (2006); Fire Safety, The Stationery Office, p12 Great Britain. Home Office (2000); Fire Safety: An Employer's Guide, Stationery Office Books p 12. http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/firesafetyrisk2 retrieved on 23 January 2009 http://www.gos.gov.uk/gosw/news/newsarchive/688340 retrieved on 23 January 2009 John R. Ridley & John Channing (2003); Safety at Work, Edition: 6, Paul Stollard & John Abrahams (1999); Fire from First Principles: A Design Guide to Building Fire Safety Edition: 3, Taylor & Francis p53 Phil Hughes & Ed Ferrett (2007); Introduction to Health and Safety in Construction: the Handbook for Construction Professionals and Students on Nebosh and Other Construction Courses, Edition: 2, illustrated Butterworth-Heinemann, p 34 Tilley Nick (2005); Handbook of Crime Prevention and Community Safety Willan Publishing p10 Read More