Building Regulations of the United Kingdom - Case Study Example

Introduction Management of organizations is not an easy task. It requires great skill to handle people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Management involves various tasks. They include leading, organizing, controlling and planning. All these aspects require managers to have skills and the relevant theoretical background. There are different risks that are found in many workplaces. (DeHaan, 1991) These also requires that managers carry out proper planning, leading, organizing and controls in relation to risks at the workplace. Fire is one of the risks that are likely to occur. There are instances when the occurrence of a fire cannot be avoided. A variety of measures can however be taken to reduce the overall risk. (DeHaan, 1991) Managers always have to carry out risk management in the organization in order to avoid loss. This paper is dealing with the significance of carrying out risk assessment. It also includes means of escape that have to be incorporated in buildings. There is further explanation of building regulations of United Kingdom and the need of adhering to them. Building regulations Building regulations are very important in this twenty first century. This is considering the fact that many people come up with buildings which may pose threats to life and property. This could be done with or without the knowledge that the buildings are risky. These issues have been affected by costs of living standards therefore making many investors to use short cuts. This means that without any regulations to be adhered to then there would be great risks. Analysis shows there are set building regulations which have to be adhered to by relevant people in United Kingdom. This is in relation to the building and regulations Act. Research shows that these building regulations are very important in ensuring that any occurrence of fire does not easily spread out to the whole building. When these set regulations are adhered to, then they help in preventing fire from easily starting within buildings. It is quite imperative to note that these set regulations do not just consider fire cases only. They however include prevention of other possible risks like collapsing of buildings due to use of inappropriate materials. These regulations put in place requirements in terms of proper materials that have to be used when building. This is carried out so that possibility of losing lives and property can be highly minimised. It is a requirement in accordance to U.K building regulations that walls should have linings that are made of fire resistant material. This helps in preventing fire from spreading from one room to the other through walls. Floors and ceilings have to be fire rated so that they don’t easily catch fire. This is a very essential requirement especially in storied buildings. (Dugan, 2004) To avoid fire from spreading easily from one room to the other through wall cavities, building regulations require that breaks be fitted in between them. This helps a great deal as professional research shows that these cavities act as fire fans whereby fire can easily spread throughout an entire building unnoticed. Compartments that are fire tight also have to be placed between different sections of buildings. For instance a building that has six floors can have six fire tight compartments between each floor. This means that in case fire starts on fourth floor, it cannot easily spread out to the third and fifth floors. Other aspects that are required include the metals used to make pillars that support various floors. These metals should not easily collapse in case of fire since they can result in the entire building collapsing. (Garth, 1998) United Kingdom building regulations require that approved professionals carry out building of houses for they understand all the regulations. Other aspects include where to situate electrical connections within the building and how they have to be connected. This includes ensuring that all the live wires within the building are well insulated. Electrical and mechanical means of protection Every responsible person at the workplace has to ensure that proper electrical and mechanical measures are taken into consideration. This helps in preventing fires from easily starting. This is as aspect that has been greatly emphasized by experts considering the fact that many workplaces usually have many people who could be harmed. The occurrence of fire at the workplace could result in loss of property, lives and injuries may adversely affect people’s productivity. It is quite essential to ensure that stairways within buildings are fire rated. This should also be carried out on ceilings so that fire does not easily ignite these parts. Managers at the workplace have to ensure that all flammable chemicals or substances are well stored in areas where they cannot easily burn. This includes liquids like petrol among others. This is considering the fact that they can easily ignite therefore causing fire. There are some industries which carry out different processes that emit harmful gases that can easily ignite. It is required that chimneys have to be created for release of such gases so that they can be emitted to outside. It is also important that adequate ventilation is carried out so that such gases that can easily ignite are diluted by air. This helps in preventing fire from easily starting up. (Hilltop, 1994) Early warning Management at the work place has to put in place structures of facilities that will be able to give employees and other occupants early warning when fire occurs. Research shows that in the early eighteenth century, many people lost their lives in fire cases just because they did not get early information. This meant that by the time they got information, fire had widely spread such that evacuating affected buildings was big problem. That is why early warning systems had to be incorporated in many buildings. One of the most used facilities is the smoke detector. This system is able to alert all people within the building whenever there is any smoke therein. There are also fire detectors which have been made in such a way that they will detect any small fire within the building. These detectors are connected to voice alarms which alert the occupants within the building. These detectors are normally placed at the ceiling level so that they can easily alert occupants of every room. These features are quite important as fire can start at a place within the building where people cannot easily detect. Other features also include indicator panels that help in giving early warning when there is fire. (Rampton, 2003) It is quite essential that management at the workplace ensure that these facilities are constantly checked to ensure that they are in proper working condition. Employees at the workplace have to be trained about the alert systems and the information that they pass across when they produce certain sound, light etc. (Maundy, 2001) Why carry out risk assessment? It is very important that actions take by management be carried out with great understanding. Many managers have asked this question in the past. This also includes reasons as to why the law is very strict on this issue. The truth of the matter is that many workplaces pose many risks to employees and other people within premises. This could be due to the nature of the work that is being carried out. Another factor is that in case fire occurs at the workplace then there are high chances of very many people being affected. This prompted the U.K government to put in place measures that have to be adhered to including frequent risk assessments of buildings. It is quite essential to carry out risk assessment as this enables managers to know of nay hazards that could be within the premises. It also enables management to take proper measures. This includes putting in place early fire and smoke detectors within buildings. Other steps can also be taken including training employees and other relevant people on what do in case there is fire at the workplace. This includes how they can use various means of escape in order to get to safety. (Garth, 1998) This knowledge always comes in handy at the appropriate time. Risk assessment also helps in taking measures that could reduce the risks of even eradicate them completely. After carrying out risk assessment, managers or responsible person at the workplace can easily get advice on various steps to be taken from the relevant local authorities. Assessment also enables management to incorporate measures that would mitigate effects of fire when it occurs. This can especially target the property within the building and also people. (NFPA, 1993) For instance the management can get insurance for fire so that they can get compensation. Insurance also helps the injured so that they can get proper medical attention. This helps in preventing panic in case of fire. It also enables business to continue operating even after being affected by fire. This is normally very essential in organisations that have very expensive equipment that cannot be easily replaced in case they are destroyed. Means of escape Structures can be put within buildings such that occupants easily get to place of safety when fire occurs. This calls for consideration of various factors. This includes possible places where fire can start. This usually calls for putting in place means of escape at different places. For instance they can be placed at both the front and the backyard. This means that when fire starts at the front side, then occupants can easily use backside means of escape to get to safety and vice versa. (Dugan, 2004) Windows can be used as means of escape. This is especially when they are placed at levels where people can easily access. Means of escape also include exits that specially structured for escape purposes. In this case the exits are fire rated. It is very important that such exits have clear signs that they can be used during emergency to get to safety. Stairways that are pressurized can also be used as means of escape. This is due to the fact that they don’t easily ignite therefore easily allowing people to get to safety. Such stairways have to be on every floor of the building so that people on any of the floors can easily get out to a place of safety. Research shows that proper measures have to be taken so that means of escape like stairways do not easily allow smoke as this would hinder fast evacuation from premises. Other factors that have to be considered when putting in place means of escape include the following; (Dugan, 2004) The number of people using the building The number of floors within the building Availability of physically handicapped within premises- the available means of escape should enable these minority group to easily access safety unaided How people from affected room can escape How people on various floors can get to the ground level How people on ground floor can get to safety Conclusion Fire safety regulations are quite essential. That is why building regulations have been put in place. These building regulations give guidelines on standards that buildings have to adhere to. They help in preventing fire from spreading throughout the whole building. They also include mechanical and electrical measures. Fire risk assessment is quite essential as it helps management can make plans to reduce or eliminate risks. This helps management to train employees on how to handle fire situations at the workplace. Such assessments have to be carried out constantly according to set regulations. Both mechanical and electrical means usually help in reducing the chances of occurrence of fires. It is also very important early warning has to be given to occupants within the building in case of a fire. There are different methods that are used to do so. They include fire and smoke detectors. Means of escape are structures that are incorporated within building that enable occupants to get away from building to safety. They comprise of pressurized stairways and well positioned windows. Workplaces have to comply with building regulations in order to avoid or prevent loss of property and life. Read More