Risk Assessment of Fire Outbreaks in Accommodation Centre - Case Study Example

Risk assessment of fire outbreaks in Accommodation Centre Name Course Instructor’s Name June 3 2010 Table of Contents Risk assessment 3 Identification and analysis of potential hazards in schools 5 Risks posed by these hazards 7 Control and reduction of the impacts of these risks 8 The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 9 Integrated Risk Management Plan 10 Conclusion 11 Reference 12 Risk assessment Risk assessment involves determination of the value of what may facilitate the occurrence of injury or harm to persons in a specified work place or grouping place in order to evaluate whether enough measures have been put in place to alleviate the occurrence of the harm or whether more precautions are required to prevent the occurrence of an injury (Kemshall & Pritchard, 1996). Risk assessment ensures that nobody gets injured or ill. It is the requirement of the law for risk assessment to be undertaken in any workplace. This ensures that ill health and accidents resulting from workplace poor conditions do not occur. Risk assessment involves five steps. The first step is the identification of the hazard. This involves identification of anything at the workplace that has the potential of causing harm. During the identification process one is expected to concentrate on hazards that are more significant which may cause pronounced harm (Kemshall & Pritchard, 1996). To be able to identify the hazards which are more significant, all those involved at the work place should be consulted. For instance in school setting the students, teachers, the management and the support staff should be consulted in order to identify the cause of say fire outbreaks in the school (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). The second step is the identification of the person(s) who are at risk of being harmed. This may include say school community (students, teachers, management and support staff) or members of the public who may be involved in fire extinguishing in the school setting. The third step in risk assessment is evaluation of the risks and the measures that are in place to prevent the occurrence of the risk (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). It is important to consider the likelihood of each hazard causing harm. This helps in determining the necessity of additional risk reduction measure. During risk assessment some risks may still remain and hence its significance should be assessed and decided upon. It is essential to ensure that you put in place all the measures required by the law and the standards of the industry. This step ensures that the risk is reduced as much as possible. The possibility of eliminating the risk should be considered and if not possible ways of controlling the risks so that the harm posed is as low as possible. Various principles may be applied to control the risks (Kemshall & Pritchard, 1996). First, options which are less hazardous should be tried. Second people should be guarded from accessing the hazard. Third, exposure of persons to the potential hazard should be reduced. Fourth, protective equipment should be issued to people involved. Finally, welfare facilities should be provided. This third step of risk assessment ensures that costs that may be incurred in case of accident occurrence are alleviated. The fourth step in the process of risk assessment is the recording of the findings. All significant hazards identified and the relevant conclusions made (in terms of existing controls and what need to be done) should be recorded in writing. The findings should be communicated to the persons concerned (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). This ensures that the assessment made is proper and the hazards which are significant have been dealt with appropriately and that the precautions put in place are reasonable and that the chance of a risk occurring are very low. The records taken can be presented to inspection team in case they are requested. They help to demonstrate that reasonable steps had been taken to prevent harm in case the firm is involved an accident (Kemshall & Pritchard, 1996). The final step in risk assessment is the reviewing and revision of the assessment. This ensures that new hazards that may arise as the firm grows and acquires new equipment are correctly assessed and necessary preventive measures undertaken to reduce risks. Identification and analysis of potential hazards in schools Generally, it means that the behaviours of the students and their lifestyles contribute towards increase in fire incidents (Kemshall & Pritchard, 1996). The video tapes indicate that the building is constructed well with enough spaces for student activities; there are no hanging materials or attachments that can necessitate occurrence of fires (Kemshall & Pritchard, 1996). However, threats are posed by uncontrolled lifestyles of the students, and hence, it is paramount to ensure the risk assessment in place addresses these unique students behaviours. The steps provided in the risks assessment section may be followed to ensure that students appreciate consequences associated to their behaviours. What are the hazards? Who might be harmed and how? What are you already doing? What further action is necessary? Action by whom? Action by when? Done Cars accidents Students may be injured because of presences of cars within the accommodation centre Placing appropriate signs directing students Ensuring cars are packed strategically and within provisions set Educating students of importance of moving around consciously Supervisors, staff, students and subordinate From now on Informing drivers to park their cars based on laid down procedures Security personnel and institution management From now on Electrical malpractice Students due to faulty electrical short circuiting Ensuring no loose wires are available Providing measures to control consequences of short-circuiting Frequent checking of accommodations Maintenance department, and accommodation management From next week Installing electricity breaks in case of fires the electricity is automatically switched off Maintenance department, and accommodation management From next month Falls and slip The accommodation centre has corridors, and poorly light areas may result in falls and slip attributed to students Lightening the corridors and any other path e.g. staircases Educating and informing students on the of importance of switching on and off the lights Accommodation centre management and accommodation centre representatives From tomorrow Smoking, alcohol and drug usage Students, accommodation management, and other stakeholders within the vicinity of institution Educating students on threats associated with such lifestyles Students should not be allowed to smoke or take drugs within accommodation centres Disciplinary measures should be in place Institution management and administration From now on Risks posed by these hazards From all the possible hazards in school setting, students’ carelessness in their residential areas poses the greatest risks. This is to both the students themselves, employees tending their residential areas and the fire rescue personnel who may come to extinguish the fires in case of fire outbreaks. All these people may be injured in case of fire outbreaks and hence their safety is at risk. In addition, fire outbreaks in residential areas may result in destruction of accommodation facilities (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). Costs arising from destruction of properties and injury treatment costs may escalate in case the fire outbreaks in the students’ residential areas are not prevented or reduced. The injuries involved can also rise in case the fire rescue authorities do not put in place mechanisms to reduce cases of people being hurt during such fire outbreaks (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). Even though cases of fire outbreaks in school laboratories are rare, their occurrence may have devastating effects including loss of life, injury and destruction of school learning facilities and properties. Thus there is still need to tighten the measures in place and to educate laboratory technicians and the students on ways to eliminate or reduce outbreaks in the laboratory settings (Kemshall & Pritchard, 1996). Elimination or reduction of such fire outbreaks may safe the authorities from spending large sums of money to provide new equipments and facilities and to attend to injuries that may occur during fire outbreaks. Fire outbreaks arising from the kitchen due to careless staff members may be uncommon but their effects are also of great magnitude in case they occur. The staff may lose their lives or be injured in the cause of fire outbreaks. The school property may also be destroyed and hence the school management will incur lots of costs in terms of treatment of its injured employees and restoration of the destroyed facilities. Thus there is also need to ensure that the kitchen staff is sensitized on ways of alleviating fire outbreaks at all times. New staff needs to be well trained on how to use electrical appliances and how to reduce fire outbreaks prior to being left to run the facility. In case any equipment is acquired and has any potential to cause fire outbreaks, the staff needs to be educated on how to handle it in such a way that the incidents of fire outbreaks are reduced (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). Control and reduction of the impacts of these risks To reduce the impacts of these risks, there is need for combined efforts of the fire rescue authorities, the school management, teachers, school support staff and students to come up with ways of reducing fire outbreaks. The fire rescue authorities need to consult all other involved persons in order to come up with modalities of addressing the risks. Collaboration between the management and the fire rescue authorities can help instil the necessary rules and regulation that can reduce or even eliminate cases of fire outbreaks (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). Collaboration between the teachers and the rescue authorities can help in educating other members of the school on ways of reducing fire outbreaks and ways of fighting the fires in case of outbreaks. The authorities may also consult the students on how they could reduce fire outbreaks. The fire rescue authorities may also help the management in acquiring the necessary equipments such as smoke detectors and fire extinguishing equipments and their installation to ensure that the response to fire outbreaks is prompt and effective (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). The fire rescue authorities could also train some of the school members on how to fight fires and ways of reducing their outbreaks so that they may be the first people to respond to any fire outbreaks prior to arrival of the fire and rescue authority personnel. The fire rescue authority in collaboration with the management of the school may form an inspection team. This team should be involved in the monitoring of the school facilities from time to time to ensure there are no hazards posed to the school community (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). The team should be charged with reporting any possible hazard promptly to allow necessary action to be undertaken on time. This integrated method will ensure that many fire outbreaks are prevented and the school community is protected from injury that may arise as a result of fire outbreaks. In addition, this will ensure that the response to any fire outbreak is prompt hence saving many school properties from being damaged. All these efforts are in line with the fire and rescue services Act of 2004 to reduce fire outbreaks and promotion of safety of the community involved. The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 The act requires all the authorities involved in fire and rescue activities to be involved in the promotion fire safety in their respective area of jurisdiction (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). The act notes that previous research shows that it is easier to prevent the occurrence of fires rather than dealing with the consequences of fires. The act for example cites that most deaths associated with fire outbreaks usually occur prior to the knowledge of fire rescue authorities. Thus the act advocates for prevention of the fire outbreaks in order to save lives of the vulnerable groups and hence ensure the safety o0f the concerned communities (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). The act notes that sustainability of communities is mainly threatened by fire and that it costs England and Wales about £ 6.6 billions each year to address fire related problems and out of which £ 2.2 billions is due to arson (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). The Act further recognizes the importance of speedy and efficient respond of the Fire and Rescue Service. However it emphasizes that the prevention of the fire outbreaks is the best way to save peoples’ lives and reduce associated losses and injuries. The Act notes that many people lose their lives to fire as they sleep and many could be lacking smoke alarms. It is noted in the Act that in spite the efforts of Fire and Rescue Authorities to prevent fire outbreaks, the outcomes are varied and thus it requires that all authorities should prioritise prevention (Health and Safety Executive, 2010). The Act cites that identification of groups at risk through Integrated Risk Management Plans (IRMP) have been initiated by various authorities. The Act however requires that the authority balance prevention activities with intervention efforts. Integrated Risk Management Plan Integrated Risk Management plans are essential for various reasons. First, they are instrumental in the identification of potential and existing risks in a certain place. Secondly, they help in evaluating response and preventive measures which are in place and determining their effectiveness (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). Third, IRMP help in the identification of ways of improving the response and measures that are in place and help determine standards and policies which can be used for prevention and intervention of the risks. Finally, IRMP are used in determining resources which may be required to implement the standards and the policies (Kemshall & Pritchard, 1996). IRMPs implements local fires cover standards in place of the national ones. They put their focus on people instead of planning in addition to identifying all risks posed by fires, and how to reduce and manage them (Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, 2010). During preparation of IRMP, the fire rescue authorities need to consult with the concerned community. This ensures that its implementation is not faced with rejection from the concerned community (HM Fire Service Inspectorate, 2007). These consultations help in explaining the performance of the service, any possible opportunities that exit which can be used to improve the safety of the community and how the proposed changes will implement these improvements. Conclusion Fire outbreaks in school residential areas have drastically increased. These fires are because of carelessness of the students and vandalism in addition to suspected arson. There is need to reduce these incidences as they pose danger to the safety of school community and property. An integrated approach where there is combined effort of the school community and the fire and rescue authorities may help to reduce or even eliminate these fire outbreaks. Education of the school community on ways of reducing fire outbreaks and response mechanism in case there is fire outbreak can drastically reduce the cases and assure the safety of the school community. To do this a risk assessment to identify the possible hazards is essential. This also helps in identification and evaluation of those at risk and how much risk they are exposed to. Risk assessment also helps to identify ways of preventing the occurrence of these fires in addition to recording, reviewing and revision of the assessment. The implementation of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 ensures the safety of the community in this case the school community and ensures that responses to fire outbreaks are prompt to alleviate the impacts of the fire. Reference Cote, A. 2003. Organizing for Fire and Rescue Services. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Health and Safety Executive. 2010. Health & safety legislation. Available at http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm?harvard_id=63#63 [Accessed 3 June 2010] HM Fire Service Inspectorate. 2007. Fire and Rescue Service manual: Vol. 2: Fire service operations, Incidents involving rescue from road vehicles, Volume 2. London: The Stationery Office. House of Commons Defence Committee. 2009. Defence Contribution to UK National Security and Resilience. London: The Stationery Office. Kemshall, H. & Pritchard, J. 1996. Good practice in risk assessment and risk management, Volume 1, 5th Ed. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. 2010. Risk Management Plan 2008/11. Available at http://www.lancsfire.gov.uk/IRMP/rmp2008-11.asp [Accessed 3 June 2010] Office of Public Sector Information (OPSi). 2010. Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. Available at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/ukpga_20040021_en_1 [Accessed 3 June 2010] Read More