Analysis of Law Ethics and Globalization with Respect to Fire Safety - Assignment 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 Analysis of law, ethics and globalization with respect to fire safety A comparative study of fire safety order 2005 application between practices central Scotland (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 “analysis of law, ethics and globalization with respect to fire safety: A Comparative study of fire safety order 2005 application between Central Scotland (united kingdom) and Abu Dhabi 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 Analysis of law, ethics and globalization with respect to fire safety 1 A comparative study of fire safety order 2005 application between practices central Scotland (United Kingdom) and Abu Dhabi emirate in United Arab Emirate 1 Declaration 2 Table of contents 3 Analysis of Law ethics and globalization with respect to fire safety 4 A comparative study of fire safety order 2005 application between practices central Scotland (United Kingdom) and Abu Dhabi emirate in United Arab Emirate 4 Introduction 4 Fire safety and globalization 5 Assessment of law in United Kingdom and how law operates internationally with respect to fire service 5 Role of fire safety globalization in affecting legislative work of personnel in the fire and rescue service 7 Ethical issues and methods of addressing them in fire and rescue service 9 Comparison between United Arab Emirates law and standards of regulation in relation to United kingdom law 10 The role of fire safety practitioner in the fire and rescue service 12 Comparison of methods of communicating fire safety policies between Abu Dhabi and United kingdom 13 Fire case study 14 Apartment fire incident in Abu Dhabi 14 Ethical impacts of the new civil defence stations 15 Conclusion 15 References 16 Websites cited 16 Books cited 19 Table 1: comparison data between Central Scotland and 20 Analysis of Law ethics and globalization with respect to fire safety A comparative study of fire safety order 2005 application between practices central Scotland (United Kingdom) and Abu Dhabi emirate in United Arab Emirate Introduction Fire safety ensures health and safety are guaranteed and economic costs of fire like medical costs, insurance compensations; destruction of property and buildings is decreased. Implementation of fire safety should be a responsibility of every person who uses a premise subject to degree of education on fire safety that the person has. This is the approach of fire safety order 2005 that places responsibility of fire safety on the user of a premise through carrying out fire risk assessment and liaising with fire rescue service to develop strategies for managing any hazards that could lead into a fire risk. This essay analyses fire safety in United Kingdom and Abu Dhabi emirate by looking into ways in which fire safety order 2005 operates and how it could be applied internationally to effect sustainable fire safety measures. The essay looks into the role of globalization in affecting legislative work of persons in the fire and rescue service subject to ethical issues that should be met in the fire and rescue service. The essay looks into the roles of a fire safety practitioner and compares how fire safety is communicated between Abu Dhabi and United Kingdom. Fire and rescue service (2005) indicates central Scotland has a population of 279,480 as at 2005 June census while Abu Dhabi, had a population of 1.3 million based on 2005 census data (Oxford business group 2005). Oil is a minor export for Scotland while oil and natural gas form Abu Dhabi’s 9% and 55 world total outputs. Dina (2008) indicates that between the year 2002-2007, Abu Dhabi suffered 14,000 fire incidents over the same period, central Scotland suffered 279 fire cases that resulted into 16 deaths in central Scotland and 4624 deaths in Abu Dhabi. Fire safety and globalization Assessment of law in United Kingdom and how law operates internationally with respect to fire service Crown-department of communities and local government (2007) indicates that fire safety law in central Scotland is a function of enforcement of regulatory reform (fire safety) order 2005 or the fire (Scotland) Act 2005. Enforcing fire safety order 2005 requires no issue of fire certificates as was required by fire certificates (Special premises) regulation 1976. The fire safety order 2005 legislation lays down responsibility for implementing fire precautions on the fire and rescue service and local fire authorities in conjunction with premise users but responsibility for enforcing of fire legislation and regulation is under the guidance of HSE for nuclear, ship building and construction. Crown-department of communities and local government (2007) argues that the fire safety order 2005 adopts fire risk based approach that differs from fire certificates (special premises) regulation 1976 through styles of demonstration of fire safety1. Health and safety executives (2007) argues that the premise fire safety personnel who is the responsible person under tenets of fire safety order 2005 is supposed to carry out fire risk assessment of the premises to demonstrate that fire safety precautions in the premises are adhered to sufficiently. The principles of fire safety order 2005 are equivalent to previous provoked generic risk assessments guidance procedures2. Health and safety executives (2007) and Crown-department of communities and local government (2007) indicates that the responsible person should ensure the premise has active fire protection like installation of automatic water sprinkler systems, smoke detectors and heat detectors that should warn premise users of fire outbreak. Article 17 of fire safety order 2005 requires timely maintenance of machinery or appliances so that their operations are efficient and should provide safety training. Article 23 of fire safety order 2005 places duty on users of premises to take responsibility and cooperate with premise owner or occupier in complying with standards set by fire safety order 2005. Role of fire safety globalization in affecting legislative work of personnel in the fire and rescue service Health and safety executives (2007) and Crown-department of communities and local government (2007) argues that sustainable fire safety regulatory reform is a set of technical transfer of global fire safety standards for instance fire safety standards from industrialized nations to lesser nations that are on the steps to industrialization (Braithwaite & Grabosky 1998). Globalization3 of fire safety requires implementing need for fire safety awareness through inter-agency liaison and communication of commitment towards fire safety that require putting into practice fire safety order 2005 protocols in order to realize and reap benefits associated with fire safety order 2005 (Gunninghan & Johnson 1999). Fire safety globalization faces the challenge of transferring the body of knowledge that should be a function of the need to preserve the beneficiary’s nation’s sovereignty. Adoption of fire safety order 2005 would ensure nations utilize accredited standards of construction materials laid down by approved document B that ensures the premises irrespective of whether it is a dwelling or non-dwelling has both active and passive fire protection and each room or floor is a fire compartment that cannot allow spread of fire vertically or horizontally hence confine fire at its source (Gunninghan & Grabosky 1999). Fire safety globalization would ensure there exists fire emergency service systems in nations and provide for communication between various levels of bureaucracy which would ensure any problem that compromises fire safety is known and can be managed well (Ayres & Braithwaite 1992). Globalization of fire safety would ensure premises have a central fire safety monitoring point subject to availability of smoke and heat detectors that log an automatic call to fire department when there is risk of outbreak of fire before the fire safety personnel at the control room of the premise makes a manual call to confirm fire outbreak (Black 1997). This would help to reduce economic costs of fire as the premises would have automatic water sprinkler systems that could extinguish the fire before it gains momentum to spread and warning system that alerts users of the premises of fire outbreak and immediate evacuation is implemented through use of protected stairways (Ayes and Braithwaite 1992). Fire safety globalization brings about harmony in fire safety economic processes and sustainable management of economic costs of fire (Braithwaite & Drahos 2000). Globalization results into social global change that catalyzes improvement of fire safety standards by providing reference framework on sustainable technical expertise in guaranteeing health and safety of premise users. Globalization fire safety regulation should have political backing in order to achieve it technical activities of managing fire incidents. The political globalization context is a function of responsibility and ideal conception of the society that shapes what is viewed and perceived as a risk and makes suggestions on how variety of risks can be dealt with according to society’s perspectives. The law should maximize efficiency of the competitive nations and markets where entities utilize creativity and integrity to succeed (Gunninghan & Johnson 1999). Ethical issues and methods of addressing them in fire and rescue service Merseyside fire and rescue service (2009) indicates Fire and rescue service that is enacted as fire and rescue service act 2004 works towards achieving sustainable level of safety in the community should address social and ethical issues that could affect its service delivery. Buying of products should be implemented via competitive tendering procedures while small purchases should be implemented through product quotation followed by purchase orders placement. Procurement procedures should be a function of contract awarding decisions that factor creation of opportunities to suppliers of products and services. The procurement procedures should conform to legal obligations by complying with UK laws, international laws with respect to European Union protocols for instance and procurement rules subject to contract standing orders. Companies should be placed for fire and rescue approval for contract procurement by submitting relevant documents and response to advertised contracts should be accompanied by need for the respective companies to comply with expression of interest rules by submitting relevant supporting documents subject to prequalification questionnaire or invitation to tender information. Bedfordshire and Luton fire and rescue service (2009) indicates ethical considerations should be implemented through compliance with disability discrimination act 1995, gender recognition act 2004, providing positive attitude towards disabled persons and encouraging their participations irrespective of gender and provision of relevant training to develop staff to challenges of different scales of fire fighting (Nottinghamshire and city of Nottingham fire and rescue authority 2007). Humberside fire authority (2006) indicates elimination of bullying incidents and sexual intimidation as well as promoting sustainable use of positional authority. Hartlepool borough council and Cleveland fire authority (2006) and Cornwall (2008) indicates there should be compliance with employment equality (religion or belief) regulation 2003 and no gender bias subject to compliance with employment equality (sexual orientation) regulation 2003. Comparison between United Arab Emirates law and standards of regulation in relation to United kingdom law Fire safety in UK should be implemented through compliance with regulatory reform (Fire safety) order 2005 or part 3 of fire (Scotland) Act 2005 or the fire safety (Scotland) Regulation 2006 that is enforced by fire and rescue authorities, local fire authorities. While the Abu Dhabi fire safety is enforced by civil defence that works closely with fire and rescue service as well as environmental agency that have regulatory responsibility over fire safety requirements. Under Abu Dhabi, fire certificates for new buildings are issued while in UK, there is no issuance of fire certificate to demonstrate compliance with fire safety order 2005. According to fire safety order 2005, every building in UK should meet minimum requirements for compliance with fire safety order 2005 while in Abu Dhabi and older buildings are exempted from complying with fire safety regulations due to costs involved in meeting the regulations which is an indicator of below average standards of fire protection as compared to UK. Buildings in Abu Dhabi do not have fire warning systems like smoke detectors and the users of the premises do not get trained on fire safety precautions. The premises do not have fire emergency management plans like presence of emergency exits, action to take in the outbreak of fire, presence of protected stairways that users can use to exit from the building safely or presence of emergency routes that have directional signs and independent lighting systems. Government and military hospitals in Abu Dhabi are not subject to compliance inspections and do not carry out fire risk assessment or audits but private hospitals, residential premises and hotels are liable to one formal audit per year coupled with a one snap inspection annually. The premises don’t fit fire outbreak warning systems because it is not a requirement. In UK, installation of fire outbreak warning systems like smoke and heat detectors is a mandatory requirement and the responsible person is supposed to carry out fire risk assessment to demonstrate compliance and should document fire risk assessment reports. The role of fire safety practitioner in the fire and rescue service The roles fire safety practitioner in the changing world environment include developing fire safety policies that work towards promotion of health and safety as a human right (Stockholm manifesto 1989). The fire safety practitioner should liaison with. Other emergency agencies in implementing fire safety laws and regulations to as to improve fire safety service delivery to the community. The practitioner should take part in formulation of strategies for effecting fire safety and carry out risk benefit analysis to determine fire risk high groups in a premise and other users who are vulnerable to fire risks outcomes like handicapped persons, children and pregnant women. The practitioner should take part in developing fire safety surveillance systems at all levels and identify fire risk factors that can result into injuries or predispose occurrence of fire incidents. The practitioner should work hand in hand with government agencies to develop fire safety programs that should be aimed at reducing economic costs of fire like injuries, deaths and loss of property. In realizing this objective, the fire safety practitioner should liaison with government agencies to identify strategies for managing economic costs of fire and prioritize the modalities depending on risk factors that prevail in variety of premises. The practitioner should support efforts towards sustainable fire safety programs by taking part in global initiatives for fire safety development and actively talking part in fire safety research across cultural dimensions (Isviporg.com 2008). Comparison of methods of communicating fire safety policies between Abu Dhabi and United kingdom In UK, communication of fire safety is achieved through training of community members of fire safety that is carried out by the fire and rescue services. The fire and rescue service visits residents at home to educate them on fire safety and to provide free smoke and heat detectors as well as installing them. The community takes part in learning fire emergency exit plans of the premises of their residence and is free to visit the fire and rescue service to learn more on fire safety. Many UK residents understand fire safety precautions and carry out fire risk assessment of their residential premises. Community liaison and inter-agency partnership in developing fire safety framework helps to reduce economic costs of fire. The residential premises have smoke alarms installed and heat detectors as well as protected stairways. Upon a fire alarm sound, the residents follow the emergency exit plans that they are familiar with and exit safely from the building. This ensures number of injuries in fire incidents in UK is very low and the destruction of property is minimal upon outbreak of fire due to use of passive and active fire protection. The fire and rescue service also posts educative material on its website. In Abu Dhabi, there are no home visits of fire and rescue service and there is no provision of fire safety educative materials like DVD’s. Fire safety in Abu Dhabi is communicated through training of employees in organizations with aim of reducing fire incidents in organizations (Adgas 2004). Organization sponsor fire safety training of their employees on management of fire accidents and casualty prioritization. The fire and rescue service takes part in campaigns on fire safety. Organizations take part in joint fire training (Akram 2009) and organizations liaison with police towards implementing APD solutions with corporations like NOKIA, communicating fire safety in the internet which does not benefit those who do not have access to internet. Fire case study Apartment fire incident in Abu Dhabi According to Absal (2009) fire incidents in Abu Dhabi increase direct economic costs of fire in terms of destruction of property (fire incident dated August 30, 2008in Abu Dhabi Paper and Carpet Factory in Musaffah) and the incidents have an effect of affecting economic investment because foreign investors may get scared by level of health and safety of their employees if the organization provides health insurance policies to its employees. The poor infrastructure is responsible for increased incidents because the buildings don’t meet requirements laid down by building codes in terms of prevention of internal spread of fire through linings. The buildings have increased risks of external spread of fire due to building inter-distance. Residents’ complaints on health and safety of the buildings are not addressed by relevant authorities because the old buildings do not comply with new fire regulations due to costs expected to be incurred to bring them to modern safety standards. Therefore justice is not delivered by the authorities by failing to meet required safety standards. The Abu Dhabi buildings and infrastructural facilities suffer from power interruption that may make residents ability to escape from the building hard if there could have been outbreak of fire. The fire incidents make people unable to do their activities-of-daily-living because they get injured (Absal 2009). Ethical impacts of the new civil defence stations The new civil defence stations will bring about improvement of provision of fire safety in premises and transportation sector by ensuring owners of premises and oil or gas transporting vehicles abide by fire safety requirement. The new stations will forge for improvement of infrastructure with respect to fire safety and ensure premises have both passive and active fire protection. With improved fire safety mechanisms, Abu Dhabi will have reduced economic costs of fire which in turn will reflect on the economic growth. Conclusion Abu Dhabi’s fire safety position could benefit from fire safety globalization by adopting regulatory reform (fire safety) order 2005. The fire and rescue service should develop strategies towards communicating fire safety measures to the community and ensuring the community takes part in implementing fire safety order 2005. The fire and rescue service should integrate ethical factors into its framework of delivering service to the community by addressing concerns of the community towards guaranteeing health and safety. The ethical integration framework should be a function of justice viewpoint, economic viewpoint , safety viewpoint and infrastructural improvement. References Websites cited Absal, . (2009) Frequent fires in some Abu Dhabi Buildings worry residents. Retrieved on 11th may 2009 from http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/09/03/26/10298372.html Adgas (2004) News Vol 19 issue number 212. Retrieved on 2nd may 2009 from http://www.adgas.com/Portals/3/NewsletterEnglish/2004/April2004Eng.pdf. Earls, A.R. (NFPA) (2001) Globalization: Reshaping the fire and safety business, NFPA journal, July/ Augusts 2001. Retrieved on 1st may 2009 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3737/is_200107/ai_n8970289/ Bedfordshire and Luton fire and rescue service (2006) Disability equality scheme 2006-2009. Retrieved on 30th April 2009 from http://www.bedsfire.com/EqualityandDiversity/Documents/Eq%20and%20Div%20Docs/DisEqSc.pdf. Central Scotland fire and rescue service (2005) Central Scotland : Fire and rescue service protecting the heart of Scotland. Retrieved on 4th May 2009 from http://www.centralscotlandfire.gov.uk/about-us/organization/firestations.html Crown (2005) Explanatory notes to fire (Scotland) act 2005, 28th June 2005, chapter 5, crown 2005. retirved on 1st may 2009 from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2005/en/aspen_20050005_en_1 Crown-department of communities and local government (2007) Regulatory reform (fire safety) order 2005: Guidance note 2: determination of disputes by the secretary of state. October 2007, Department of communities and local government, London, 2007. retrived on 2nd may 2009 from http://www.unitetheunion.com/pdf/071018DeterminationsGuide-Final.pdf. Communities and local government (2008) Incident command: fire and rescue manual-fire service operations, 3rd edition, Volume 2.retrived on 2nd may 2009 from http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/incidentcommand3rd Cornwall country fire brigade (2008) Cornwall country fire brigade equality and diversity strategy 2008-2018. Retrieved on 1st may 2008 from http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/pdf/p/e/DraftEqualityDiversityStrategy2008_2018.pdf. Dani (2008) our current events: 14,000 fire accidents in UAE in the last five years, wed, April 2008. Retrieved on 4th May 2009 from http://our-current-events.blogspot.com/2008/04/1400-fire-accidents-in-uae-just-in-5.html Fire and rescue service (2008). Retained fire fighter recruitment - Application information. Retrieved on 1st may 2009 from http://www.bucksfire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C68E919B-D048-40E0-88C3-98EEFFF19775/0/2RETAINEDFIREFIGHTERRECRUITMENTAPPLICATIONINFORMATIONFINAL.doc. Hartlepool Borough council and Cleveland fire authority (2006) Agreement for the provision of legal services 2006/2007-2008/9. Retrieved on 1st may 2009 from http://www.clevelandfire.gov.uk/EasySite/lib/serveDocument.asp?doc=2042&pgid=1442.Buckinghamshire Health and safety executives (2007) Regulatory reform (fire safety) order 2005, Fire (Scotland) Act 2005: General enforcement guidance and advice. Operational circular, 12th march 2007health and safety executives. Retrieved on 2nd may 2009 from http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/fod/oc/200-299/217_5.pdf. Hemmingfire.com (2008) safety at work- a must: Ready to Drop into Dubai? 01 October 2008, industrial fire journal. 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Oxford, Oxford university press. Table 1: comparison data between Central Scotland and Details Central Scotland Abu Dhabi Population as at 2005 279,480 1.3 million Industry Oil (minor) Oil and natural gas (major) Fire stations 17 5 Number of fires between 2002-2007 279 14000 Deaths from fire incidents between 2002-2007 16 4624 Methods of reducing home and industry fire Identify capacity for community safety Examine current risk profile subject to risk of life ,and property and implement predictable changes to the current profile Provide active and passive fire protection to buildings Educate community on fire safety measures Adopt risk based fire management approach (fire safety order 2005) Read More