ISO 16732-1: Fire risk assessment lists the following as typical objectives of a fire risk assessment: • safety of life • conservation of property • continuity of business and safety operations • protection of the environment • preservation of heritage Human Harm As we know, fire has the potential to kill or injure people. In 2020, the UK Fire and Rescue services attended 156,128 fires. Sadly, there were 231 fire-related deaths. In the US, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reported 1,318,500 fires in 2018. Sadly, there were 3655 fire-related deaths. The catastrophic Australian bushfires in 2019/20 sadly resulted in the deaths of at least 34 people. Fire can kill or injure people by the effects of heat and smoke. Heat from a fire can cause severe burns and inhalation of heated air can scorch the lining of the lungs and heat stroke can cause the person to collapse. Inhalation of smoke can cause damage to the person or prove fatal. Smoke contains toxic gases and fuel particles which on inhalation can cause the person to collapse and asphyxiation usually follows. Fires may also cause harm to people in other ways, such as sustaining injuries, whilst trying to escape a fire. Fire, heat, and smoke can spread throughout the premises, in some cases the spread can be rapid that may trap the occupants or make it difficult for them to escape. Legal Severe legal consequences may follow if it has been established that insufficient actions had been taken to prevent a fire. In England and Wales , for example, b reach of legislation can result in prosecution of the 'Responsible Person' for the failure of duties as defined in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The legislation places a legal requirement for the responsible person to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which the relevant persons are exposed for the purpose of identifying the general fire precautions, which are needed to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed by the order. By undertaking a suitable and sufficient risk assessment should ensure that the law is being followed. Impact on Overall Risk Magnitude Fires can potentially occur in any workplace or premises. They have the potential of causing severe damage, injuries, and deaths. Therefore, although the harm may be rare, the consequences will remain at the highest magnitude of risk potential for many premises. Many organisations have taken preventive and precautionary steps to minimise the likelihood of a fire commencing and the consequences if a fire did start. A well conducted risk assessment and good fire risk management system will help in lowering the level of risk. A fire hazard has two components balanced against each other, one is the possibility of a fire occurring and the other, is the magnitude of consequences of that fire, such as, a metal fabrication workshop has a high possibility of a fire due
©SHEilds – All rights reserved FCV 3 JUN 2021
Page 2 of 12
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software