Le Meridien hotel in Abu Dhabi - Risk Management - Case Study Example

Table of content 1.0 Introduction 2 2.0 Fire safety features in hotel 3 2.1 Automatic alarm systems 3 2.2 Sprinkler system 3 2.3 Smoke and heat detection alarms 3 2.4 Exit signs on fire doors 4 2.5 Pressurized stairways 5 2.6 Sirens on vehicle 5 2.7 Water supply (dry and wet riser) 5 3.0 Risk factors to the crews and the guests 6 3.1 Time of response 6 3.2 Evacuation time 6 3.3 Travel distance 8 3. 4 Communication within the building 8 3.5 Kitchen 8 3.6 Distance of fire engines from Le Meridien hotel 9 3.7 Back draughts 9 3.9 Number of floors 9 4.0 Steps to risk assessment 11 Date to review: 11 Assessments are annual review unless the task changes/alters 11 5.0 Conclusion 12 1.0 Introduction Risk management is all about implementation of strategies in order to alleviate or minimize risks. Le Meridien hotel in Abu Dhabi has got fifty four floors. This hotel is situated in a place where it is very easily accessible. That is right in town. Analysis of the hotel shows that it currently employs approximately seven hundred people. The hotel is known to accommodate a maximum of fifteen thousand clients. (Bass, 2008) The hotel is structured in such a way that one can easily manoeuvre around. The ground floor consists of the waiting lounge, the reception area and other recreational areas. This includes tennis court, children’s playing court among others. Also included in the hotel are swimming pools, Jacuzzis and eight steam rooms. In most cases, these areas are low risks for fire. The Le Meridien hotel also has got final exits for emergencies. They are ten in number. Eight are on the ground floor while two are on the first floor which exit to the staircase. There are eight lifts that are used within the building and they reach the fifty fourth floor. Each floor has five exits that connect to the staircase. Lifts for fire fighting have also been incorporated and they are four in number. These make it safer for fire fighters to access the affected areas. 2.0 Fire safety features in hotel 2.1 Automatic alarm systems Analysis of the Le Meridien hotel shows that there are automatic alarm systems within the building. These have been put in place so that they can alert the management and guests whenever there is a fire in any of the rooms. This has been carried out because the management cannot be checking on every room. This is due to the privacy that is accorded to the guests. The alarm ensures that the occupants of the building receive the earliest possible warning that there is a fire within the building. ‘This lowers the risk to life from fire.’ (Robertson, 1989) 2.2 Sprinkler system The sprinkler system is used to quench fire when it occurs. ‘This system is automatic and it always has water for any emergency.’ (Ford, 1997)The sprinkler system is designed in such a way that the affected area only is sprinkled. This lowers the risk of the fire spreading to other rooms. ‘It also lowers the risk of the loss of life because the system does not need human facilitation.’ There are two sprinkler systems on each wing of the building. 2.3 Smoke and heat detection alarms Le Meridien hotel in Abu Dhabi has got fire and heat detectors. These have been put in fire prone areas and also in all the guest bedrooms. In case there is smoke or temperatures in any rooms, where smoke can be expected normally, such as kitchens the alarm bell will ring. Therefore using the heat detection alarms helps the management to deal with any fire in its initial stages. This, in a real sense lowers the risk of property being destroyed without any person noticing. It also helps to lower the risk of people around the area getting hurt as they will receive an early warning. These alarms enable prompt action that reduces the risk loss of property or even life. 2.4 Exit signs on fire doors Exit signs on fire doors are mostly put in place to show that one can easily use it to escape during any fire. ‘They are normally shown in the noticeable colours of green and white so as to comply with the British or American (NFPA) standards.’ (NFPA, 1993)The Le Meridien hotel in Abu Dhabi also has exit signs on fire doors and break-glass release bolts on doors that should normally be locked but must be capable of opening in case of a fire. They indicate how the door should open for instance, through pushing a horizontal bar. These doors are never locked using keys. This enables the people in the building to escape easily in case of any fire. This also enables easy access of the people who try to save those who are trapped in the building. ‘Therefore the exit signs on fire doors, break- glass call-points and the fire notices help in reducing the risk of the loss of life and burns during fire.’ (Hardin, 2008) 2.5 Pressurized stairways A Pressurized staircase or stairway is a specially featured stairway which can be pressurized above normal atmospheric pressure by the use of specially installed fans in the event of a fire. This has also been carried out on the stairways in Le Meridien hotel. In most cases when fires occur, people normally move to the stairways. Since they are pressurized, it becomes very easy for the people within the building to easily find safety because the pressure keeps any smoke from any fire out of the staircases. This reduces the risk of loss of lives as people seek safety. 2.6 Sirens on vehicle Le Meridien hotel in Abu Dhabi has got an ambulance that is permanently sited within the premises. As usual this vehicle has got sirens that indicate that there is an emergency. This ambulance helps in reducing the time taken to transport an injured guest to hospital. Therefore there is reduction on the risk of loss of lives when a fire occurs. 2.7 Water supply (dry and wet riser) There is an adequate water supply within the Le Meridien hotel. There is a wet riser within the hotel. This helps in providing an effective water supply to any floor of the hotel to quench fires therefore reducing the risk of destruction of property. ‘The wet risers are usually used by the fire fighting teams when fires occur’. They also help in reducing the risk of people getting injured by the fire. (Carey, 2008) 3.0 Risk factors to the crews and the guests 3.1 Time of response In case of the occurrence of a fire in Le Meridien hotel, the fire fighters have to be contacted. In most cases the services are known to attend the scene within a minimum of thirty minutes. This is quite dangerous because sometimes fires spread so fast and can result in multiple deaths since this building accommodates very many people. The people who can be hurt in this hotel are the guests and staff. There was an incident at the hotel where one of the rooms caught fire while the guest was out. He forgot an electric water heater in the room. The room was locked and slowly the fire affected adjacent rooms. The fire fighters delayed and the property was destroyed. The management could not easily access the spare keys to the room. It is recommended that prompt action from fire fighters be taken and the management has to ensure that the spare keys to the rooms are easily accessible. 3.2 Evacuation time This is the time when the people within the building have to leave because of a fire. This is one of the crucial moments and needs good planning. The services attend the scene mostly when people have already started finding their way out. This is dangerous because most of people within the hotel do not know how quickly a fire can spread. ‘This makes people take wrong moves and end up getting hurt’. The victims are people within the building at the time of the fire. (Carey, 2008) There was an incident where there was a fire on one of the fourteenth floor. The fire caught the front part of the rooms and the guests started running to the doors yet the fire had already affected the whole corridor. The hotel management failed to manage the evacuation. It is recommended that the management plans and supervises the evacuation process. The graph below illustrates how risk increases above the fire floor during an outbreak of fire. Source; Zayed 10 20 25 30 40 50 60 3.3 Travel distance The travel distance for service people is not far. This can be disadvantageous in the sense that they may assume it is near and will make it soon but result in delay. Those at risk are guest and employees. In many fire incidences the emergency crews arrive late because they dilly dallied. The emergency crews need to be time conscious and treat all calls as if it is an emergency. 3. 4 Communication within the building Communication within the building was affected by lack of electricity and the power back-up failure. The services were therefore not able to arrive in good time. This is dangerous as it can lead to loss of lives. Victims are staff and clients. In this incident the fire occurred at night when there was no power. ‘It is recommended that alternative power backups should have regular maintenance so that they don’t fail when needed.’ (Hall, 1997) 3.5 Kitchen The kitchen is common area where fire is likely to occur. In this incidence the service crew arrived on time. The people who can be hurt are the cooks. This happened when the electric cooker burst in flames but service crew quenched it on time. It is recommended that electric appliances have regular checks. 3.6 Distance of fire engines from Le Meridien hotel The fire station is very close to the building though the engines are sometimes not close to the building. The service crews usually attend the scene in good time. When the engines are not close then it becomes difficult to quench the fire because it has more time to spread. Those at risk are hotel staff and guests. The number of fire engines provided need to be sufficient to deal with the largest fire that could be anticipated. The management has to ensure that there are always enough vehicles available. 3.7 Back draughts Analysis of Le Meridien hotel Indicates that proper ventilation has been incorporated in order to avoid back draughts and flashovers. Back draughts usually occur where there is limited ventilation and a fire produces gases with un-burnt pyrolysis material. Accumulation of this results in deflagration when air is allowed in the room. 3.8 Fallen glass and debris Fallen glass and debris can really be harmful especially to any passers-by. The service crews arrived at the scene on time. The First State Bank in Los Angeles had such an occurrence. There was a fire that involved broken glass that adversely affected water supplies. 3.9 Number of floors When there is a fire the emergency crew tries to be there in the shortest time possible. The danger with many floors is that in case of a fire, those at the highest floors are at the highest risk. These are guests and even workers who may be serving. If an incident occurred at night on fifty fourth floors when power is off then many people on top floor would be injured. Alternative communication is recommended so that it is handy in such instances. The graph shows high risk at night and in rooms on higher floors of the hotel as compared to the rooms on ground floor. Source; Zayed ] High Risk Low 10 20 30 40 50 55 60 4.0 Steps to risk assessment Hazard = task/ activity with the potential to cause harm Type of injury which could result if harm occurs Type of People & number affected Likelihood of injury occurring Severity of Harm if injury does occur RISK LEVEL L; M; or H. Current Control Measures in place Further Control Measures required Person Responsible to implement further measures required And Date to implement Date to review: Assessments are annual review unless the task changes/alters With CURRENT CONTROL in place L M H L M H Leaving water heater un-attended Burns FF (67) MM (30) 4 4 8 Give strict rules on use of water heater Use automatic heaters Management 11-07-2008 Using candles in rooms Burns FF (43) MM (25) 2 2 4 Strict measures not use them Relief after doctor’s attendance managers 13-07-2008 Using inflammable fabric in kitchen Burns FF(50) MM (30) 3 3 9 Provide non-flammable fabric Relief after doctor’s attendance managers 16-07-2008 Smoking in rooms Inhaling harmful gases MM (60) 3 4 10 Give strict measures not to smoke Relief after doctor’s attendance managers fire fighting rescue exhaustion FF,(50) 3 3 9 Relit crew in request Automatic relief after 30 min, drinking water managers 19-07-2008 Evacuating the hotel Exhaustion and injuries from falling objects FF (40) 2 2 4 Managers to supervise evacuation Relief after administering first aid managers 23-07-2008 5.0 Conclusion Risk management is very essential especially in places where there is a likelihood of the risks occurring. Le Meridien hotel in Abu Dhabi has got fifty four floors. There are various aspects that have been put in place to reduce risks in case of fires. This includes automatic alarms, sprinkler system, and exit signs on fire doors and sirens on vehicles among others. There are risks especially when there is a fire at night on the top floors and there is no power. It is recommended that regular checks on electric appliances be carried out. The fire crew should also be more prompt when there is an emergency. All the factors discussed above must be considered together to identify an integrated risk management plan for the hotel. Read More