From Fire Industry Association:
Economic climate leads to a fifth of employers ‘revising’ fire safety measures
27 June 2011
UK employers are potentially putting their employees’ lives at risk by cutting back on fire safety in the current economic climate, according to a survey commissioned by the Fire Industry Association (FIA).
Almost a fifth of bosses said they had revised fire safety measures, such as delaying maintenance checks of fire safety equipment, reducing staff training or delaying updating their fire risk assessments. This is despite the fact that 20% of them saying they have had a fire in their premises.
Some 16% admit to not having an up to date fire risk assessment and a quarter don’t even know who does their fire risk assessment.
The survey also found that a third of staff don’t know what to do in the event of a fire. Over half of staff surveyed don’t know how to use a fire extinguisher or fire alarm, while a quarter of workers don’t know where their nearest fire exit is and a third don’t know where their fire assembly point is.
Graham Ellicott, CEO of the Fire Industry Association, said:
“The figures are very worrying; 82% of employees would like more training on fire safety and 14% don’t believe their company has any fire protection. We would like to remind all businesses across the country to review their fire risk assessments, making sure they are up to date, and to continue the maintenance schedule for all their fire safety equipment.”
According to the FIA, the poorest performing sectors in terms of fire safety are arts and culture and travel and transport.
Earlier this month, the FIA published a best practice guide to fire safety in commercial premises.
The FIA workplace fire safety survey was carried out online by Opinion Matters between 21 February and 3 March 2011 among 518 decision makers and 512 employees.
Monday, 27 June 2011
Advice on Home Fire Plans
Develop a home fire escape plan today…
It could save your life tonight!
If a fire occurred in your home tonight, would your family get out safely? Everyone must know what to do and where to go when the smoke alarm sounds. Take a few minutes with everyone in your household to make a home fire escape plan, following the instructions below.
1.Draw a floor plan of your home
Include all possible emergency exits including windows if you have a 1 or 2 storey house.
Draw in all the doors, windows and stairways. This will show you and your family all possible escape routes at a glance. Include any features, such as the roof of a garage or porch, that would help in your escape.
Show two ways out of every room, if possible.
The door will be the main exit from each room. However, if the door is blocked by smoke or fire, identify an alternate escape route, which could be a window. Make sure that all windows can open easily and that everyone knows how to escape through them to safety. If windows have security bars, equip them with quick-releasing devices.
Does anyone need help to escape?
Decide in advance who will assist the very young, older adults or people with disabilities in your household. A few minutes of planning will save valuable seconds in a real emergency.
2....
Draw a floor plan of your home. You should draw a plan for each level of your home. • • •
Remember:
Plan two ways out of every room, if possible
Hold a fire drill twice a year
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside all sleeping areas
If you live in a high-rise apartment building, contact the Local Housing Officer for information on your building’s fire safety plan.
Review the plan with everyone in your household. Walk through the escape routes for each room with the entire family. Use this walk-through exercise to check your escape routes, making sure all exits are practical and easy to use. Then hold a fire drill twice a year and time how long it takes. In a real fire, you must react without hesitation as your escape routes may be quickly blocked by smoke or flames.
Practice your escape.
3....
Call the fire service by dialing 999 from outside your home
Don’t waste valuable seconds calling the fire service from inside your home. Once you have safely escaped, call the fire service from a mobile phone or a neighbour’s home.
4.....
Choose a meeting place a safe distance from your home that everyone will remember. A tree, street light or a neighbour’s home are all good choices. In case of fire, everyone will go directly to this meeting place so they can be accounted for.
5.....
Choose a meeting place outside
Draw a floor plan of your home, showing two ways out of every room, if possible.
Office
Make a fire escape plan for your family. Find two exits out of every room. Pick a meeting place outside. Practice makes perfect – hold a family fire drill at least twice each year.
6....
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home. There are two kinds of smoke alarms – photoelectric and ionization. If possible, get some of each kind or buy “combination” smoke alarms that have both types of sensors.
Put them inside or near every bedroom. Test them monthly to make sure they work. Put in new batteries once a year.
7.....
Know how to put out a small pan fire by sliding a lid over the flames, or using a damp dishcloth.
Teach every family member to “Stop, Drop, Roll and Cool” if clothes catch fire by dropping immediately to the ground, crossing hands over your chest and rolling over and over or back and forth to put out the flames. Cool the burned area with cool water and seek medical attention for serious burns.
Consider having a home fire sprinkler system installed if buying a new home.
8.....
Learn how and when to use a fire extinguisher. Learn when it is safe to do so. As a rough guide, when smoke is at ceiling level and flames are at hip height it should be safe to use an appropriate fire extinguisher.
A dry powder type extinguisher is a multi purpose extinguisher suitable for small fires in the home.It can be used on fires of electrical origin or combustible solid fires. eg paper, fabrics, clothes etc.
It could save your life tonight!
If a fire occurred in your home tonight, would your family get out safely? Everyone must know what to do and where to go when the smoke alarm sounds. Take a few minutes with everyone in your household to make a home fire escape plan, following the instructions below.
1.Draw a floor plan of your home
Include all possible emergency exits including windows if you have a 1 or 2 storey house.
Draw in all the doors, windows and stairways. This will show you and your family all possible escape routes at a glance. Include any features, such as the roof of a garage or porch, that would help in your escape.
Show two ways out of every room, if possible.
The door will be the main exit from each room. However, if the door is blocked by smoke or fire, identify an alternate escape route, which could be a window. Make sure that all windows can open easily and that everyone knows how to escape through them to safety. If windows have security bars, equip them with quick-releasing devices.
Does anyone need help to escape?
Decide in advance who will assist the very young, older adults or people with disabilities in your household. A few minutes of planning will save valuable seconds in a real emergency.
2....
Draw a floor plan of your home. You should draw a plan for each level of your home. • • •
Remember:
Plan two ways out of every room, if possible
Hold a fire drill twice a year
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside all sleeping areas
If you live in a high-rise apartment building, contact the Local Housing Officer for information on your building’s fire safety plan.
Review the plan with everyone in your household. Walk through the escape routes for each room with the entire family. Use this walk-through exercise to check your escape routes, making sure all exits are practical and easy to use. Then hold a fire drill twice a year and time how long it takes. In a real fire, you must react without hesitation as your escape routes may be quickly blocked by smoke or flames.
Practice your escape.
3....
Call the fire service by dialing 999 from outside your home
Don’t waste valuable seconds calling the fire service from inside your home. Once you have safely escaped, call the fire service from a mobile phone or a neighbour’s home.
4.....
Choose a meeting place a safe distance from your home that everyone will remember. A tree, street light or a neighbour’s home are all good choices. In case of fire, everyone will go directly to this meeting place so they can be accounted for.
5.....
Choose a meeting place outside
Draw a floor plan of your home, showing two ways out of every room, if possible.
Office
Make a fire escape plan for your family. Find two exits out of every room. Pick a meeting place outside. Practice makes perfect – hold a family fire drill at least twice each year.
6....
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home. There are two kinds of smoke alarms – photoelectric and ionization. If possible, get some of each kind or buy “combination” smoke alarms that have both types of sensors.
Put them inside or near every bedroom. Test them monthly to make sure they work. Put in new batteries once a year.
7.....
Know how to put out a small pan fire by sliding a lid over the flames, or using a damp dishcloth.
Teach every family member to “Stop, Drop, Roll and Cool” if clothes catch fire by dropping immediately to the ground, crossing hands over your chest and rolling over and over or back and forth to put out the flames. Cool the burned area with cool water and seek medical attention for serious burns.
Consider having a home fire sprinkler system installed if buying a new home.
8.....
Learn how and when to use a fire extinguisher. Learn when it is safe to do so. As a rough guide, when smoke is at ceiling level and flames are at hip height it should be safe to use an appropriate fire extinguisher.
A dry powder type extinguisher is a multi purpose extinguisher suitable for small fires in the home.It can be used on fires of electrical origin or combustible solid fires. eg paper, fabrics, clothes etc.
Tragic Fire Death in Invergordon
From STV 26th June 2011:
Six-year-old boy dies in fire at family home as mother and sister leap to safety
A mother and daughter are in hospital after jumping from a first-floor window of their burning home in Invergordon.
A six-year-old boy has died after being trapped in his burning family home.
The boy, named locally as Aiden Davidson, was trapped in the blaze while his mother and elder sister escaped by jumping out of a first-floor window.
The alarm was raised at 2.27am on Sunday when neighbours heard screams coming from the end-of-terrace house in Cromarty Drive, Milton in Invergordon.
More than 20 firefighters were called to the scene and battled the blaze for several hours to bring the fire under control.
A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "It was terrible. We heard a massive blast, like dynamite.
"I ran to the house and tried with others to get in - but the fire was just too hot. Others were pulling people away.
"It took some time for the fire engines to arrive, so we were trying to do what we could.
"The girl was then thrown from the first-floor window, followed by her mother. She landed badly and broke her arm and hurt her back."
Six-year-old boy dies in fire at family home as mother and sister leap to safety
A mother and daughter are in hospital after jumping from a first-floor window of their burning home in Invergordon.
A six-year-old boy has died after being trapped in his burning family home.
The boy, named locally as Aiden Davidson, was trapped in the blaze while his mother and elder sister escaped by jumping out of a first-floor window.
The alarm was raised at 2.27am on Sunday when neighbours heard screams coming from the end-of-terrace house in Cromarty Drive, Milton in Invergordon.
More than 20 firefighters were called to the scene and battled the blaze for several hours to bring the fire under control.
A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "It was terrible. We heard a massive blast, like dynamite.
"I ran to the house and tried with others to get in - but the fire was just too hot. Others were pulling people away.
"It took some time for the fire engines to arrive, so we were trying to do what we could.
"The girl was then thrown from the first-floor window, followed by her mother. She landed badly and broke her arm and hurt her back."
Fire at Whitburn Miners Club. Had a Fire Risk Assessment been carried out?
From BBC Scotland:
Fire causes roof to collapse at Whitburn Miners Club. The building was well alight when firefighters arrived on the scene.
The roof of a social club in West Lothian has collapsed after an early morning fire.
A fire service spokesman said Whitburn Miners Club was "well alight" when firefighters arrived, after a passer-by raised the alarm at 0445 BST.
About 50 Lothian and Borders firefighters were involved in tackling the blaze.
A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said no-one was injured as a result of the fire.
Police closed roads surrounding the building and put up cordons.
Investigations into the cause of the blaze are to be carried out by the fire service
Fire causes roof to collapse at Whitburn Miners Club. The building was well alight when firefighters arrived on the scene.
The roof of a social club in West Lothian has collapsed after an early morning fire.
A fire service spokesman said Whitburn Miners Club was "well alight" when firefighters arrived, after a passer-by raised the alarm at 0445 BST.
About 50 Lothian and Borders firefighters were involved in tackling the blaze.
A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said no-one was injured as a result of the fire.
Police closed roads surrounding the building and put up cordons.
Investigations into the cause of the blaze are to be carried out by the fire service
Friday, 24 June 2011
Thanks to all our Blog followers.Amazed at the stats from all over the world.
I have just checked the statistics for this Blog and was amazed at the interest shown from many different Countries.
A big thank you to all. Why don't you get involved and have your say on any topic posted and generate debate and banter.
Leave your messages in the Comments sections.
Thanks again. Dennis
A big thank you to all. Why don't you get involved and have your say on any topic posted and generate debate and banter.
Leave your messages in the Comments sections.
Thanks again. Dennis
I Pod owners beware. Battery explodes causing fire.
From WNI Fire
22nd June, 9:45 a.m. Tuesday morning At Farmington High School, New Hampshire, the battery of an iPod exploded causing a fire and small explosion leading to a toxic fume scare. According to an article on Foster.com, the fire was started by a 16-year old boy when he was sitting in class bending his iPod back and forth. The battery broke and started to smoke and spark in his hands. He then decided, like most people would, to drop the iPod on the floor which caused a small explosion and a fire.
Students tried to put the fire out using water which actually made it worst. Eventually, the fire extinguished itself but caused smoke that smelled like acid which caused the students in the classroom to become nauseous and get headaches. The school was locked down and the ventilation system was turned on to clear the smoke so that students were able to finish their final exams.
Two students were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure and all students that were effected were brought to the cafeteria to be examined by EMS personnel. For the rest of students, they went about their day as planned.
Although it is rare for iPod batteries to explode, it is not totally unheard of. When the lithium batteries that power iPods, get overcharged or overheated, there is a small chance that they will explode.
The last well know incident of an iPod exploding was in 2009 when Apple was sued by a Cincinnati, Ohio mother when her son was burned when his iPod exploded in his pocket.
22nd June, 9:45 a.m. Tuesday morning At Farmington High School, New Hampshire, the battery of an iPod exploded causing a fire and small explosion leading to a toxic fume scare. According to an article on Foster.com, the fire was started by a 16-year old boy when he was sitting in class bending his iPod back and forth. The battery broke and started to smoke and spark in his hands. He then decided, like most people would, to drop the iPod on the floor which caused a small explosion and a fire.
Students tried to put the fire out using water which actually made it worst. Eventually, the fire extinguished itself but caused smoke that smelled like acid which caused the students in the classroom to become nauseous and get headaches. The school was locked down and the ventilation system was turned on to clear the smoke so that students were able to finish their final exams.
Two students were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure and all students that were effected were brought to the cafeteria to be examined by EMS personnel. For the rest of students, they went about their day as planned.
Although it is rare for iPod batteries to explode, it is not totally unheard of. When the lithium batteries that power iPods, get overcharged or overheated, there is a small chance that they will explode.
The last well know incident of an iPod exploding was in 2009 when Apple was sued by a Cincinnati, Ohio mother when her son was burned when his iPod exploded in his pocket.
Fire risk assessment competency criteria published
I know I posted this before but it is important enough to repost. Please click on the link for the whole story.
The long awaited competency criteria for fire risk assessors have been published as a draft document for public comment.
Competency Criteria for Fire Risk Assessors has been put together by the cross-industry Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council. It sets out criteria that could be used by professional bodies and third party certification bodies to register or certificate fire risk assessors and organisations providing fire risk assessment services.
The document sets out broad criteria for fire risk assessors of both “simple buildings” – where the fire risk assessor might, for example, be an employee of the occupier – and “complex buildings”, which will require higher levels of knowledge understanding and preferably experience on the part of the fire risk assessor.
For complex buildings, fire risk assessors will need to have the “specific applied knowledge and skills of an appropriately qualified specialist”. Such criteria – which are detailed in nine separate appendices to the document – include appropriate knowledge of:
the assessment of risk from fire
applicable legislation
appropriate guidance
behaviour of fire in buildings
behaviour of people in fire situations
means of escape
fire prevention
fire protection
management of fire safety
Knowledge can be obtained by academic study, training, working alongside others, short courses, continuing professional development or any combination of two or more of these.
The deadline for comments on the draft document is 7 September 2011 [download a comment form here].
The foreword to the document states:
“In the light of experience, including the emergence of inadequate fire risk assessments for premises that suffered multiple fatality fires, there has been growing concern regarding the competence of those who provide fire risk assessment services to duty holders on a commercial basis.
“As a result of these concerns, the Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council emerged from the fire sector with the encouragement of Government. The raison d’être of the council, which comprises a broad group of relevant stakeholders, is to establish criteria against which the competence of a fire risk assessor can be judged.”
“The Competency Council for Fire Risk Assessors is an open group that has emerged from the fire sector to address the issue of competency criteria for fire risk assessors,” said Iain Cox, chief fire officer of Berkshire and the council’s chairman. “It was widely felt that the requirement to use competent persons for fire safety works should extend to those who make the risk assessments upon which such works are based.”
The publication of the competency criteria follows the launch last month of BAFE SP205, the new scheme for the third party certification of companies offering fire risk assessment services. The closing date for public comments for that document is 1 July.
Download Competency Criteria for Fire Risk Assessors and the official comment form:
http://www.info4fire.com/news-content/full/fire-risk-assessment-competency-criteria-published?OmniTest_CampName=editorial-newsletter-24-06-11&OmniCamp_Name=editorial-newsletter-24-06-11&OmniWS_Name=info4fire.com%20-%202689&OmniWS_ID=265&OmniPR_Name=Newsletter_Info4Fire%20Weekly&OmniPR_ID=1506&OmniLink_Label=Fire%20risk%20assessment%20competency%20criteria%20published&OmniDBG_URN=&OmniDBG_File_ID=&OmniSeg_Code=&OmniCC_Code=&OmniComp_Name=FIRE%20ISK%20LTD&OmniJob_Title=Managing%20Director&Omni_Source=
The long awaited competency criteria for fire risk assessors have been published as a draft document for public comment.
Competency Criteria for Fire Risk Assessors has been put together by the cross-industry Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council. It sets out criteria that could be used by professional bodies and third party certification bodies to register or certificate fire risk assessors and organisations providing fire risk assessment services.
The document sets out broad criteria for fire risk assessors of both “simple buildings” – where the fire risk assessor might, for example, be an employee of the occupier – and “complex buildings”, which will require higher levels of knowledge understanding and preferably experience on the part of the fire risk assessor.
For complex buildings, fire risk assessors will need to have the “specific applied knowledge and skills of an appropriately qualified specialist”. Such criteria – which are detailed in nine separate appendices to the document – include appropriate knowledge of:
the assessment of risk from fire
applicable legislation
appropriate guidance
behaviour of fire in buildings
behaviour of people in fire situations
means of escape
fire prevention
fire protection
management of fire safety
Knowledge can be obtained by academic study, training, working alongside others, short courses, continuing professional development or any combination of two or more of these.
The deadline for comments on the draft document is 7 September 2011 [download a comment form here].
The foreword to the document states:
“In the light of experience, including the emergence of inadequate fire risk assessments for premises that suffered multiple fatality fires, there has been growing concern regarding the competence of those who provide fire risk assessment services to duty holders on a commercial basis.
“As a result of these concerns, the Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council emerged from the fire sector with the encouragement of Government. The raison d’être of the council, which comprises a broad group of relevant stakeholders, is to establish criteria against which the competence of a fire risk assessor can be judged.”
“The Competency Council for Fire Risk Assessors is an open group that has emerged from the fire sector to address the issue of competency criteria for fire risk assessors,” said Iain Cox, chief fire officer of Berkshire and the council’s chairman. “It was widely felt that the requirement to use competent persons for fire safety works should extend to those who make the risk assessments upon which such works are based.”
The publication of the competency criteria follows the launch last month of BAFE SP205, the new scheme for the third party certification of companies offering fire risk assessment services. The closing date for public comments for that document is 1 July.
Download Competency Criteria for Fire Risk Assessors and the official comment form:
http://www.info4fire.com/news-content/full/fire-risk-assessment-competency-criteria-published?OmniTest_CampName=editorial-newsletter-24-06-11&OmniCamp_Name=editorial-newsletter-24-06-11&OmniWS_Name=info4fire.com%20-%202689&OmniWS_ID=265&OmniPR_Name=Newsletter_Info4Fire%20Weekly&OmniPR_ID=1506&OmniLink_Label=Fire%20risk%20assessment%20competency%20criteria%20published&OmniDBG_URN=&OmniDBG_File_ID=&OmniSeg_Code=&OmniCC_Code=&OmniComp_Name=FIRE%20ISK%20LTD&OmniJob_Title=Managing%20Director&Omni_Source=
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