Law, Ethics, and Globalization with Respect to Fire Safety - Coursework Example

Name of the university Name of the department Name of the student Registration number of the student Course title The course number Academic year Investigation into law, ethics and globalization with respect to fire safety A study of fire safety order 2005 application and fire safety practices between Bedfordshire (United Kingdom) and Abu Dhabi emirate in United Arab Emirate Date of submission Signature of the student Name of the lecturer Declaration I…student name.. of student registration number…student registration number…certify that this academic work entitled “investigation into law, ethics and globalization with respect to fire safety: A study of fire safety order 2005 application and fire safety practices between Bedfordshire (United Kingdom) and Abu Dhabi emirate in United Arab Emirate” is my own original work except as cited in the references. This academic work has never been submitted before for award of any academic certificate and is not currently in candidature for award of any certificate in any institution of higher learning Name of the student Signature of the student Date of submission Table of contents Name of the university 1 Investigation into law, ethics and globalization with respect to fire safety 1 A study of fire safety order 2005 application and fire safety practices between Bedfordshire (United Kingdom) and Abu Dhabi emirate in United Arab Emirate 1 Declaration 2 Investigation into Law, Ethics and Globalization with respect to fire safety 4 A study of fire safety order 2005 application and fire safety practices between Bedfordshire (United Kingdom) and Abu Dhabi emirate in United Arab Emirate 4 Introduction 4 Demographic characteristics of Bedfordshire 5 Demographic data on Abu Dhabi Emirate 5 Fire case studies 5 Fire case study in Bedfordshire (UK) 5 Fire case study in Abu Dhabi 6 Assessment of fire safety laws in the UK and modalities the fire safety law operates internationally with regard to fire safety. 6 Role of fire safety globalization in affecting legislative work of personnel in fire and rescue service 7 Methods of addressing ethical issues in the fire and rescue service 9 Responsibilities of fire safety practitioner 10 Contrasting features between fire safety standards in UK and Abu Dhabi 11 Ethical impact of new defence stations in UAE 12 Fire incident in Abu Dhabi’s apartment 12 Conclusion 13 References 13 Books cited 13 Websites cited 14 Table 1: comparison data between Central Scotland and 17 Investigation into Law, Ethics and Globalization with respect to fire safety A study of fire safety order 2005 application and fire safety practices between Bedfordshire (United Kingdom) and Abu Dhabi emirate in United Arab Emirate Introduction Fire incidents claim lives of many people and bring about destruction of property. Fire incidents have been associated with deaths resulting from smoke inhalation due to lack of cavity barriers that could restrict spread of flames and smoke. Increased frequency of fire incidents occur due to compromised fire safety standards that have potential to stimulate increase of health care insurance costs. In many instances, insurance firms fail to insure premises due to high risks of fire subject to lack of compliance with fire safety regulations. This usually follows fire risk appraisal of the premise by insurance risk appraiser. In many premises, there is evidence of lack of emergency plans and practices results into occupants who don’t understand direction of escape when fire occurs. In others premises, travel distances to protected stairwell is long and some lack active and passive fire protection. This essay determines application of fire safety laws in UK and modalities in which the fire safety laws helps to safeguard health and safety of premise users. The essay highlights responsibilities of fire safety practitioner, the consequences of fire safety globalization in helping to update building fire and fire codes in developing nations and ethical issues that should advise sustainable delivery of fire safety concerns to beneficiaries. The essay concludes by contrasting fire case studies in Bedfordshire core and Abu Dhabi to illustrate fire safety status between the two states. Demographic characteristics of Bedfordshire According to wikipedia (2008) Bedfordshire has 14 fire stations and recorded 1700 emergency calls (Bedfornh.org, 2005) of which 680 of the calls were fire incidents that resulted into 96 deaths. Bedfordshire had a population of 381572 according to 2001 population census (Bedfordshire County 2002). The main industry in Bedfordshire is wool (Table 1). Demographic data on Abu Dhabi Emirate Abu Dhabi Emirate is one of the seven states of United Arab Emirate. She had a population of 1.3 million in 2005 (Oxford business group, 2005). Abu Dhabi emirate shares legal, political, and economical functions with other six United Arab Emirates within federal framework although Abu Dhabi, as an Emirate has jurisdiction over her civic law enforcement and maintains upkeep of her local facilities. Her gross domestic product reached $63000 in 2006. Her industry is crude oil oriented (visitAbuDhabi.ae, 2008). New world encyclopedia (2008) indicates the population of Abu Dhabi was 1,463,491 at the end of 2006 and her population growth rate is at 4.93% (visitAbuDhabi.ae, 2008). The fire rescue source responded to 14,000 fire incidents that resulted into 4624 deaths between 2002 and 2007 (Dina 2008). Abu Dhabi Emirate has five fire and rescue status. Fire case studies Fire case study in Bedfordshire (UK) A fire incident occurred in Bedfordshire at 0352 hours and damaged 75% of the building. The fire fumes were a mixture of caustic soda vapors, propane combustion products like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and asbestos dust. Presence of asbestos triggered warning of buildings in the direction of the wind to have their doors and windows to their houses closed since asbestos is a health hazard. There were no fatalities reported (Bedfordshiretoday, 2009). Fire case study in Abu Dhabi According to gulfnews (2009) a fire broke out in a warehouse in Sharjar in a petrochemical industry and led to destruction of four other industrial premises due to poor building codes and regulations. The spread of the fire was brought about by strong winds. There were no fatalities reported. Assessment of fire safety laws in the UK and modalities the fire safety law operates internationally with regard to fire safety. Fire safety laws in United Kingdom are implemented by demonstrating conformity to regulatory Reform (fire safety) order 2005 or satisfaction of safety requirements outlined by section 3 of fire (Scotland) Act 2005 or demonstrating compliance with fire safety (Scotland) Regulation 2006 (Health and safety executives, 2007). Building should confirm to requirements laid down by Approved Document B 2007 that requires premises to have means of escape, means of fire warning and detection systems, minimal internal spread of fire through linings and facades and use of construction products that have high fire resistance (Crown, 2005). Health and Safety Executives (2007) indicates fire safety legislation requires a responsible person1 to have an up-to-date data on the position of fire safety of the building. Fire safety order 2005 doesn’t require issue of fire certificates as a method of demonstrating adherence to fire safety legislation but demands responsible person to carry out fire risk assessment to identify any fire hazards and demonstrate corrective measures taken to reduce opportunities of the risk factors triggering or predisposing occurrence of a fire outbreak. Health and safety executive (2007) argues that it is responsibility of responsible person to ensure safety of users2 of premises Health and safety executives (2007) indicates that safety enforcing agencies implement regulatory reform order 2005 by ensuring responsible person abides by outlined requirements, failure to which the enforcing body has authority to issue penalties which can be financial fines or imprisonment. These penalties can be revoked by the responsible person if he feels lack of consultation on degree of compliance were not adequately stated or communicated (Crown-department of communities and local government, 2007) Non compliance with regulatory reform order 2005 takes the form of failure to carry out fire risk assessment, change of information by responsible person to falsify fire safety status or failure to implement corrective measures or to show corrective measures was implemented in terms of date, time and certified person or company involved including their contact addresses (Health safety executives, 2007). Role of fire safety globalization in affecting legislative work of personnel in fire and rescue service Gunninghan & Grabosky (1998) argues that globalization of fire safety is transfer of knowledge on fire safety standard from a developed country that has applicable modern fire safety codes to a developing nation with aim of improving fire safety standards or helping the developing nation to prevent fire incidents that occurred in the developing nation which stimulated formation of the improved fire safety standards (Ayres and Braithwaite, 1992). Fire safety globalization has an effect of bringing together global resources towards prevention and management of fire disasters. Globalization of fire safety brings about improved partnership within a country’s different agencies towards working together to bring about safety stands in premises and residential dwellings (Gunninghan & Johnstone, 1999). The inter-agency partnerships involve close partnership of police agency, ambulance agency, fire and rescue agency, building agency and building planners. In terms of emergency response, fire safety globalization ensures common terms are adopted with regard to an incident and chain of command is strictly adhered to under guidance of an incident commander when fire and rescue services respond to international disasters (Black, 1997). This implies globalization of fire safety has an effect of bringing about better utilization of resources in the fire and rescue service and ensures fire appliances are standardized. Globalization of fire safety through standardization of fire fighting appliances ensures establishment of sustainable global fire safety and economically helps to increase life expectancy (Ayres & Braithwaite, 1992). Globalization of fire safety stimulates integration of ethical values in the fire safety whereby the delivery of service is made a derivative of infrastructural facilities that support sustainable fire safety (Earls-NFPA, 2001). With this regard, globalization of fire safety brings along equal opportunity to fire service regardless of gender, nationality or racial backgrounds implying globalization of fire safety fosters global unity and may be a catalyst of change towards nurturing peace in the world due to "oneness" brought about by fire safety globalization (Gunninghan & Johnston, 1999). Globalization of fire safety has an effect of improving flexibility of fire safety statutes through adoption of UK regulatory reform order 2005 (Gunninghan and Johnson 1999). Methods of addressing ethical issues in the fire and rescue service Global fire safety standards is integral product of fire safety strategies that utilize ethical considerations in developing fire and rescue service framework that is a function of addressing concerns of community like justice, safety, infrastructure and economic issues. Global fire safety should be a function of a forum that realizes creation of equal opportunities without sexual orientation, considerations on basis of beliefs and religion or disability by complying with equal opportunity regulations (ISVIP org 2008). Adoption of Global fire safety should address ethical functional standards like conduct of employee by providing principles on employee behaviors that prohibit stigmatization or victimization (Cornwell County fire brigade, 2008). This should be demonstrated through zero tolerance of employee bullying either on sexual grounds, racial, religious or disability (ISVIPorg 2008).There should be standardization of procurement procedures to comply with recommended standards of ethics as highlighted by UK procurement law or EU procurement directives that should not breach or contravene contract standing orders with regard to procurement procedures that call for issue to contract tenders (Humberside fire authority, 2005). The awarded company for any tender though competitive bidding should satisfy ethical requirements stated under expressive of interest (EOI) (ISVIPorg 2008). Responsibilities of fire safety practitioner The fire safety personnel is required by Regulatory reform order 2005 to carry out fire statutory duties that require him or her to demonstrate fire safety practices that meet fire safety recommended protocols and policies (Hemmingfire.com, 2008). The practitioner is supposed to evaluate fire safety codes and aggressively enforce them. He should carry out fire safety inspection in premises to ensure responsible person demonstratives compliance with fire safety order 2005 regulation and take necessary steps where non-conformity exists (Health and Safety Executives, 2007). In delivering his responsibilities, the practitioner should play the role of a fire and safety mentor by educating and providing valuable information to responsible person on methods of helping fire safety status (Health and Safety Executives, 2007). The practitioner should analyze the responsible person’s fire risk assessment to identify any fire hazards that the responsible person observed and determine if any corrective measure was implemented (Merseyside fire and rescue service, 2009). The practitioner should liaise with other agencies on efficacies of the proposed corrective measure by creating an environment for consultation and partnership working across Intra-and Inter-agencies (Fire and rescue service, 2008). These steps should form procedures for the responsible person to develop fire reduction measures that are in line with fire safety needs of the community (West Yorkshire fire and rescue service, 2008). The practitioner should tighten restriction on use of construction products that are flammable and have potential to propagate fast spread of fire (SLAC 2008) as well as strengthen efforts for installation of fire suppression systems like automatic water sprinklers (Lancashire fire and Rescue service, n.d.). It is responsibility of the fire safety practitioner to ensure fire safety strategies that are adopted have no negative impacts on the environment. The practitioner should ensure his team of staff as well as volunteers have relevant training on fire safety and have competence in handling fire appliances (Lancashire fire and rescue service, n.d.) Contrasting features between fire safety standards in UK and Abu Dhabi Fire safety in the UK is implemented by complying with Regulatory Reform (fire safety) order 2005 while fire safety in Abu Dhabi emirate is implemented by complying with various international standards like Australia, Hon Kong, British or United States of America. In UK, fire safety strategies are formulated based on risk approach mechanism that advise what corrective measures to adopt for identified risk hazard while in Abu Dhabi, fire safety strategies are a function of holistic approach which is performance oriented. Risk based approach is far much better than performance based approach (health and Safety Executives, 2007). In UK, every state complies with requirements of Regulatory Reform (fire safety) order 2005 while Abu Dhabi emirate has her own right to structure her civic law enforcement and maintain her local facilities (Dani, 2008) . Fire safety in UK is enforced by the fire and rescue authorities in conjunction with other emergency agencies while in Abu Dhabi, the principal players in fire and rescue service are the police and civil defence departments with help of fire and rescue service. The enforcement criteria for fire safety in UK are achieved through inspection of premises for compliance with regulatory reform (Fire safety) order 2005. In Abu Dhabi, government and military hospital do not have inspections for compliance with fire safety regulation. It is Hotels, private hospitals, dwelling building and industrial premises that get one snap inspection and one formal inspection annually. In UK, active fire protection which is a function of installation of fire detection systems like heat detectors, smoke detectors and automatic water sprinklers is a mandatory (Health and Safety Executives, 2007)while in Abu Dhabi, it is not a mandatory due to cultural reasons of lighting flames that can trigger false alarms. In UK, every building regardless of age should comply with regulatory reform order 2005, in Abu Dhabi; old buildings do not comply with fire regulations. Ethical impact of new defence stations in UAE The new defence stations in UAE will stimulate enforcement of fire hazards corrective measures that will be passed on by the police, civil defence or fire rescue service. This will ensure a greater population understands fire safety standards and improve safety. The new defence stations will work in harmony with ethical consideration principals of equal opportunity creation in order to bring about economic development, realization of social and moral justice, stimulation of political responsibility that can suffocate efforts of fire safety standards and improvement on infrastructure which is core element in sustainable fire safety prevention strategies (. Fire incident in Abu Dhabi’s apartment Absal (2009) argues that fire incidents in Abu Dhabi have high economic costs in terms of responding to fire by fire rescue service, loss of employment by those who are injured, loss of infrastructure and low man hours annually as a result of sick offs of people injured in fire incidents. Absal (2009) indicates fire incidents pose a threat to health and safety of premise occupants. Fire incidents in Abu Dhabi leave premises without electrical power which is ran ingredient for economic development. These incidents are due to poor industrial facilities that don’t comply with building codes either because premises owners neglect compliance or authorities don’t enforce safety regulations. It takes complaints of premises residents to get power back which is social injustice Conclusion The status of fire safety in Abu Dhabi is below average compared to United Kingdom. This is because in United Kingdom, fire safety is a responsibility of every occupant of a premise as required by the regulatory reform (fire safety) order 2005. Abu Dhabi should therefore seek to improve her fire safety standards by adopting fire safety globalization which would have an effect of changing Abu Dhabi’s fire performance approach to risk based approach towards fire safety. Adoption of globalization of fire safety will bring about integration of ethical issues and eventually breed creation of equal opportunities regardless of sex orientation, beliefs, religion or race. 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