CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
The purpose of this dissertation is to seek out existing good practice in the selection process of fire protection strategies for buildings and to make suggestions that inform successful decision making on future projects. This will be achieved through the identification of the key considerations that influence design teams when selecting appropriate fire protection strategies. Further to this will be the identification of the design process and the clarification of their influence on the selection of the overall fire protection strategy.
Fire safety in buildings is not a new topic but seriously being developed by many researchers over a period of time, especially fire safety in workplace.
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Fire can be suppressed by removing either heat, which commonly means using water spray to cool the heat, or by removing the fuel, which normally means limiting or turning off the flow of gas in a gas stove or by removing the oxygen by smothering the fire with a fire blanket for example. However, we should not forget about the fact that ‘Chemical Reactions’ are also needed to keep the fire spreading. This reaction is known as the ‘Chain Reaction ‘which are heated molecules freely and rapidly moving in all directions. These molecules are very active moving around and hitting the other molecules to set fire on other molecules. Fire will continue due to the chain reaction process in which the heated molecules will touch the others until the temperature reaches the state of auto combustion where hydrogen gas and oxygen gas from the air actively take part in the burning process.
2.7 Fire safety risk assessment in buildings
The purpose of risk assessment is to assist an employer and/or a ‘responsible person’ to identify the preventive and proactive measures required to comply with the law and in doing so, ensure, as far as reasonably practical, the safety of their workforce, premises and those around them who could be affected by their activities (Furness and Muckett,2007).
Risk management explained in NFPA 1500 consists
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They can be used to collect either qualitative or quantitative data. Sekizawa et.al. (2001) used a questionnaire survey to study the behavior of people in selecting the type of escape route to evacuate from building fire. The outcome of his study was that 47% used elevators for their evacuation, while 42% used stairs and 7% used both elevator and stairs. Proulx (2001) used a questionnaire to study the occupant’s behavior during the Ambleside Fire in Ottawa on 31st January 1997. During the fire, although initially the majority of occupants decided to stay-in-place in accordance with the Fire Safety Plan for that building, many of them immediately complied with the evacuation order delivered through the voice communication system. Only 17% decided to stay in their apartments. The findings of the research using questionnaire methodology are normally demonstrated in percentage form. However sometimes it can be in qualitative form such as questioning individual responses.
One more method, but not a very common one is Heuristic Research. The root meaning of heuristic comes from the Greek word ‘hueriskein’, meaning to discover or to find. It refers to internal search through which one discovers the nature and meaning of experience and developed methods and procedures for future investigation and analysis (Moustakas,
Through out the history of the United States, a number of incidents and disasters have occurred to influence safety and protection. In the aftermath of these events, valuable lessons are learned and steps are taken to ensure nothing like that happens again. One such incident is the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, one of the most influential and horrifying incidents in United States history. The fact that both the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) and National Safety Council (NSC) trace their history back to this incident speaks to that. Sadly, the tragic events that unfolded during the Triangle fire were not surprising.
The city also didn’t have fire alarms in almost every building, just the ones that could afford it. Even some schools didn’t have a fire alarm. The fire could have been able to be prevented by using other materials. Some buildings that weren't made out of wood, still caught fire.
Norwood and Gray suggest that, “We are giving a false sense of security when we fight only fuel-limited fire during training”(59). If new firefighters have never been exposed to an out of control fire before they reach their actual jobs they will be dumbfounded once they see the difference between that and what they are used to training with. In my experience I have seen both fuel-limited training fires and out of control fires. I would have to agree that out of control fires are very dangerous and different compared to these training burns.
Also having fusible doors and inflammable materials is important, although they might be more expensive the safety of a human is more valuable than money. Towards the end of the book Esposito proposes the reader with advice to help prevent such disaster to happen again. Some of his tips to avoid being caught in a public building on fire are to look for exits as soon as you enter the place. In addition, he to reacting if a fire alarm goes of or the smell of smoke becomes obvious.
HSE- Health and Safety Executive • It is the body responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare. • It exists as an independent regulatory act and is in the public interest to reduce work related death serious injury across Britain’s workplace. • Effects all employed in Britain from major injuries. •
The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 left an indelible mark on the history of firefighting. This catastrophic event led to significant advancements in fire suppression techniques and fireground tactics that continue to shape the modern fire service. The lessons learned from the fire prompted reforms, legislative changes, and the establishment of organizations dedicated to fire safety. Today, the impact of the Great Chicago Fire serves as a reminder of the importance of continuous improvement, innovation, and a proactive approach
It is important to the environment that there be controlled fires for any number of reasons such as, putting the nutrients back into the soil, and clearing out debris that could be hazardous if a wildfire were to occur. This does not come with out it 's faults, sometimes the fire becomes to big to handle and they become near misses or wildfires. Prescribed fires are great for the ecosystem and the overall well being of forests. They make ecosystems more diverse and replenish the soil for new plant growth. When they do controlled fires they greatly reduce the chances of there being an extreme wildfire in that area.
Choose Your Lifeline The primary way that firefighters extinguish fire is by using water to absorb the heat. When fighting a fire it is important to understand the tools brought in to a scene and how to use them. A hose line is the number one must have tool for all fire crews at a fire.
The Grenfell Tower fire tragedy is presumed to have claimed 79 lives. Initially, the local council authorities were blamed for approving the construction of substandard high-rise buildings that threatened public safety (Scott p.1). On the contrary, it appears most of these assumptions were flawed, since additional revelations were exposed. For example, construction experts blamed the rapid spread of the fire on the of the 1967 archaic design standards. In addition, the failure was attributed to the external cladding that had been installed in the £10 m refurbishment.
There is a debate about using prescribed fires. Prescribed fires are fires that help reduce the catastrophic damage that wildfire creates. prescribed fires work most of the time, but they can be faulty at some points. That's why some people don't agree with using prescribed fires. Even though they sometimes don't work, they can be really helpful when they do work.
Local officials in Richmond, Virginia have yet to mandate the installation of residential fire sprinklers in new housing construction, affecting the level of protection against structure fires in the municipalities. In order to safeguard these citizens, local representatives need to reexamine proof that home sprinkler systems preserve property, and save lives. When engaging fire officials and local Virginia builder’s about the topic of residential sprinkler systems installed in the home, two different viewpoints will be presented. Hazard (2009) stated fire officials credited sprinkler systems for saving people, however, builders argue that the mandating will cause an unjustified increase to homes in an already frail housing market (para 4).
Could the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory have been prevented? My answer to that question is no. Like I pointed out once before when the blaze happened modern fire science and technology was not yet invented. I also think the fire was a valuable lesson and motivator to prevent more
Escape fire is defined as a fire intentionally set to provide protection against a larger uncontrolled fire (Heineman & Fromke, 2012). This documentary maintains that in order to
TASK 1.1 Importance of operation management Operations management (OM) is the business function responsible for managing the process of creation of goods and services. It involves planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling all the resources needed to produce a company’s goods and services. Because operations management is a management function, it involves managing people, equipment, technology, information, and all the other resources needed in the production of goods and services. Operations management is the central core function of every company. This is true regardless of the size of the company, the industry it is in, whether it is manufacturing or service, or is for-profit or not-for-profit.
In this essay I will be arguing for the idea of using controlled fires to protect wild areas because fighting fire with fire to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. By having these controlled fires we could help save forest and vast lands from getting destroyed by unwanted fires. Therefore, by having these fires we could help control the climate change, which has helped make fire seasons longer and it makes it harder to control these fires when fire season starts. for example, wildfires have destroyed "On average, more than 100,000 wildfires, also called wild land fires or forest fires, clear 4 million to 5 million acres. " When they use controlled fires, they make sure they have a plan.