Introduction to Fire Safety Management This page intentionally left blank Introduction to Fire Safety Management Andrew Furness CFIOSH, GIFireE, Dip OSH, MIIRSM, MRSH 2 Martin Muckett MA, MBA, CMIOSH, MIFireE, Dip OSH 2 AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD PARIS • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803 First edition 2007 Copyright © 2007, Elsevier Ltd. 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Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular, independent verifi cation of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress For information on all Butterworth-Heinemann publications visit our web site at http://books.elsevier.com ISBN: 978 0 7506 8068 4 Typeset in 9.5/12 pts Helvetica by Charon Tec Ltd (A Macmillan Company), Chennai, India www.charontec.com Printed and bound in the UK 07 08 09 10 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Contents PREFACE ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS x ABOUT THE AUTHORS xi ILLUSTRATIONS CREDITS xii 1 FIRE SAFETY FOUNDATIONS 1 1.1 Defi nitions 1 1.2 Scope and nature 2 1.3 The moral, legal and fi nancial reasons for promoting good standards of safety within an organisation 2 1.4 The legal framework for the regulation of fi re and health and safety 4 1.5 The legal and fi nancial consequences of failure to manage fi re and health and safety 21 1.6 The nature and sources of safety information 25 1.7 The basis of a system for managing safety 26 1.8 Case study 28 1.9 Example NEBOSH questions for Chapter 1 29 2 SAFETY POLICY 30 2.1 The importance of setting policy 30 2.2 Key features of a safety policy 32 2.3 Case study 34 2.4 Example NEBOSH questions for Chapter 2 35 Appendix 2.1 – Policy statement 36 3 ORGANISING FOR SAFETY 37 3.1 Introduction 37 3.2 Safety management roles and responsibilities 37 3.3 Joint occupation of premises 44 3.4 Consultation with employees 45 3.5 Safety committees 48 3.6 The supply chain 49 3.7 Work equipment 50 3.8 Hazardous substances 52 3.9 The provision of buildings 54 3.10 Case study 55 3.11 Example NEBOSH questions for Chapter 3 57 Appendix 3.1 58 4 SAFETY CULTURE 59 4.1 Introduction 59 4.2 The concept of safety culture and its various components 59 4.3 Tangible indicators of safety culture 61 4.4 How to assist in the development of a positive safety culture within an organisation 63 v Contents 4.5 Factors promoting a negative culture 71 4.6 External infl uences on safety culture 72 4.7 Internal infl uences on safety culture 73 4.8 Human behaviour 75 4.9 Human failure 79 4.10 Effecting cultural change 80 4.11 Case study 81 4.12 Example NEBOSH questions for Chapter 4 81 Appendix 4.1 82 5 PRINCIPLES OF RISK ASSESSMENT 83 5.1 Introduction 83 5.2 Defi nitions relating to risk assessment 84 5.3 Risk assessment and the law 85 5.4 Competency to conduct risk assessments 86 5.5 The risk assessment process 87 5.6 Communicating the fi ndings of a risk assessment 96 5.7 Case study 97 5.8 Example questions for Chapter 5 97 Appendix 5.1 – Example of a general activity risk assessment record and action plan 98 6 GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CONTROL 101 6.1 Introduction 101 6.2 Principles of prevention 101 6.3 The hierarchy of risk control measures 103 6.4 Supervision and monitoring 106 6.5 Safe systems of work 107 6.6 Emergency procedures 112 6.7 Case study 114 6.8 Example exam questions for Chapter 6 115 7 PRINCIPLES OF FIRE AND EXPLOSION 116 7.1 Introduction 116 7.2 The chemistry of fi re 116 7.3 Classifi cation of fi re 121 7.4 Principles of fi re spread 122 7.5 Explosion 127 7.6 Case study 134 7.7 Example NEBOSH questions for Chapter 7 135 8 CAUSES AND PREVENTION OF FIRE 136 8.1 Accidental fi res 136 8.2 Causes of fi re relating to construction and maintenance 141 8.3 Arson 143 8.4 Prevention of fi re 147 8.5 Case study 166 8.6 Example NEBOSH questions for Chapter 8 166 Appendix 8.1 – Example hot work permit 167 Appendix 8.2 – Example hot work checklist 169 Appendix 8.3 – Construction phase fi re safety checklist 170 9 FIRE PROTECTION IN BUILDINGS 172 9.1 Defi nitions 172 9.2 Fire protection (preventive and protective measures) 173 9.3 Legislative requirements 173 vi Contents 9.4 Building construction and design – preventive and protective measures 175 9.5 Means of escape 188 9.6 Case study 236 9.7 Example questions for Chapter 9 237 Appendix 9.1 – Classifi cation of purpose groups 238 Appendix 9.2 – Limitations on travel distance 239 10 SAFETY OF PEOPLE IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE 240 10.1 Perception and behaviour of people in the event of a fi re 240 10.2 The measures needed to overcome behavioural problems and ensure safe evacuation of people in the event of a fi re 249 10.3 Emergency evacuation procedures 254 10.4 Assisting disabled people to escape 258 10.5 Case study 262 10.6 Example NEBOSH questions for Chapter 10 263 Appendix 10.1 – Example personal emergency evacuation plan questionnaire for disabled staff 264 Appendix 10.2 – Example of responsibilities of fi re wardens 266 11 MONITORING, AUDITING AND REVIEWING FIRE SAFETY SYSTEMS 268 11.1 Benefi ts of monitoring and measuring 269 11.2 Active safety monitoring procedures 269 11.3 Conducting workplace inspections 272 11.4 Auditing fi re safety management systems 275 11.5 Reviewing performance 278 11.6 Case study 280 11.7 Example questions for Chapter 11 281 Appendix 11.1 – Sample of performance indicators 282 Appendix 11.2 – Sample of fi re evacuation review/debrief log 283 12 REACTIVE MONITORING – REPORTING, RECORDING AND INVESTIGATION 284 12.1 Fires and other adverse events 284 12.2 Statutory requirements for recording and reporting adverse events 291 12.3 Civil claims 293 12.4 Investigating fi re-related events 293 12.5 Basic fi re-related investigation procedures 295 12.6 Dealing with the aftermath of fi res 302 12.7 Case study 303 12.8 Example questions for Chapter 12 304 Appendix 12.1 – F2508 RIDDOR report form 305 Appendix 12.2 – FDR 1 Fire Service fi re report form 307 Appendix 12.3 – Sample false alarm report form (adapted from BS 5839-1: 2002) 311 13 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF FIRE 312 13.1 The sources of pollution in the event of fi re 312 13.2 The legal obligations related to environmental protection in the event of fi re 314 13.3 Preplanning to minimise the environmental impact of fi re 315 13.4 Containing water run-off 318 Appendix 13.1 – The quantities of substances that bring an industrial site within the scope of the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH) 322 Appendix 13.2 – Example of a pollution incident response plan 324 14 FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT 328 14.1 Introduction 328 14.2 Defi nitions relating to fi re risk assessment 328 vii Contents 14.3 Risk assessment process 329 14.4 Example questions for Chapter 14 339 Appendix 14.1 – Example of a fi re assessment record and action plan 340 15 SUMMARY OF KEY LEGAL REQUIREMENTS 345 15.1 Acts of Parliament 345 15.2 Regulations 345 15.3 The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSW Act) 346 15.4 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 349 15.5 The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 350 15.6 The Environmental Protection Act 1990 350 15.7 The Fire and Rescue Service Act 2004 (FRSA) 352 15.8 The Occupiers’ Liability Acts 1957 and 1984 355 15.9 The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 355 15.10 Water Resources Act 1991 (as amended by the Environment Act 1995) 356 15.11 The Building Regulations 2000 356 15.12 The Chemicals (Hazardous Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002 358 15.13 The Confi ned Spaces Regulations 1997 (SI 1713) 360 15.14 The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (SI 320) 362 15.15 The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1999 (SI 743) 367 15.16 The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (SI 2677) 370 15.17 The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (SI 2776) 374 15.18 The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (SI 0635) 376 15.19 The Gas Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1992 (SI 0711) 378 15.20 The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (SI 2451) 379 15.21 The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 (SI 1513) 379 15.22 The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 (SI 0917) 381 15.23 The Health and Safety (Information for Employees) Regulations 1989 (SI 682) 381 15.24 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (SI 3242) 382 15.25 The Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 1992 (SI 2966) 385 15.26 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (SI 2306) 386 15.27 The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (SI 1541) 389 15.28 The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (SI 3163) 392 15.29 The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 (SI 0500) 393 15.30 The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Safety Signals) Regulations 1996 (SI 0341) 395 15.31 The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992 (SI 3073) 396 15.32 The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (SI 3004) 397 ABBREVIATIONS 400 INDEX 403 viii Preface Introduction to Fire Safety Management has been produced for all students taking the NEBOSH Fire Safety & Risk Management Certifi cate, whether as part of a face to face training course or as part of a distance learning programme. It will also be of signifi cant use for those undertaking a programme of study for Level 3 and 4 S/NVQ in Fire Safety. The book is the approved reference material for those undertaking IOSH certifi ed Fire Risk Assessment, Principles and Practice programmes and the Fire Safety Management programmes at the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH). This book has been produced to provide those establishing fi re safety management systems within their workplace and those undertaking fi re risk assessments, on behalf of the responsible person, with an all encompassing reference book without the need to initially access the huge range of British and European Standards in relation to fi re and risk management. The material included within the text effectively covers both the National General Certifi cate (NGC1) material and the Fire Safety & Risk Management (FC1 & 2) materials so that those studying for the full NEBOSH programme do not have to purchase two text books. It is also useful for those who have not undertaken a course of study to have reference to general safety management principles and arrangements, as many fi re safety books fail to address the management principles and detail only physical fi re safety systems (fi re alarm, suppression, detection, etc.). Given that the materials included within this text book also cover previous MCI units for the Emergency Fire Service Management (EFSM) S/NVQ, the material within this book will also assist those serving in the emergency Fire & Rescue Services as part of their development programmes, particularly those starting within the Fire Safety and Community Fire Safety areas. We hope that you fi nd the Introduction to Fire Safety Management both a useful reference book for your course of study and a source of reference when undertaking fi re risk assessments and establishing fi re safety management systems. Andrew Furness Martin Muckett July 2007 ix