Fire Operations

Faheem Ul HasanAviation & Corporate Security

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Do The Math

• 43% of businesses that suffer a significant fire never reopen

• 28% of businesses that do open, close within three years

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Some Reasons These Businesses Failed

• Loss of inventory, information, physical plant

• Loss of market share

• Loss of customer confidence

• Decline in employee morale and attitude

• Negative publicity

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Keys to a Successful Fire Operations Program

• Prevention

• Accountability

• Testing

• Control

• Operatives

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Keys to a Successful Fire Operations Program

• Prevention– Through education and housekeeping

• Accountability– Someone is responsible and everyone knows it– Written plans are updated, accurate and accessible

• Testing– All aspects of your system– Realistic drills are conducted

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Keys to a Successful Fire Operations Program

• Control– Life Safety– Damage Control

• Operatives– Trained and Tested Responders– Contingency Plans

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Prevention

• Develop visible programs and document them

• Educate employees

• Everyone is responsible for Good Housekeeping

• Conduct frequent Fire Safety Inspections

• Enforce Smoking Policies

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Prevention During Construction

– Temporary Heating Units

– Cutting and Welding

– Poor Housekeeping

– Smoking

– Separate Temporary Combustibles from Equipment

– Provide Fire Watch during Hot Work

– Secure Gas Cylinders

• Approximately 25% of loss during construction is caused by fire

• Common Exposures:

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Prevention

• General Fire Safety

• All workplaces must have both – Emergency Action Plan– Fire Prevention Plan

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Prevention

• Emergency Action Plan must contain the following elements– Procedures for

• Evacuation and Routes

• Stay-behind employee

• Headcount after evacuation

• Rescue and Medical Duties for applicable employees

• Reporting fire and emergencies

– General OSHA Fire Safety

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Prevention

• Emergency Action Plan must also contain these elements

– Emergency contacts— names and titles

– Sufficient number of employees trained to assist

– General OSHA Fire Safety

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Prevention

• Fire Prevention Plan must contain:– List of major workplace hazards as well as:

• Proper handling, storage, potential ignition sources, control procedures and fire protection equipment to control them

– Names of personnel responsible for • Maintaining fire prevention or control equipment

• Control of fuel source hazards ( leaks, spills and pressure releases)

– General OSHA Fire Safety

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Prevention

• Fire Prevention Plan must also contain:– Written housekeeping procedures for

flammable and combustible waste materials– Written procedures for maintaining heat

producing equipment (boilers, burners, heaters) and their fuel supplies.

– General OSHA Fire Safety

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Prevention

• Employee Training– The employee must be told the parts of the plans

needed to protect himself upon initial assignment– The written plan must be kept in the workplace

and made available to the employee for review– General OSHA Fire Safety

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Prevention

• Employee Training– The employee must be told the parts of the

plans needed to protect himself upon initial assignment

– The written plan must be kept in the workplace and made available to the employee for review

– General OSHA Fire Safety

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Prevention

• Proper number of exits to permit the prompt escape of employees

• Exits must be at least 28” wide

• At least two exits, remote from each other, if blocking one would result in endangering the safety of the employee

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Prevention

• No lock or fastening devices on fire exits

• Exits can never be behind a room that is subject to locking

• Route to exit may not be through a High Hazard area unless shielded

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Prevention: 1910.36 Requirements

• Exits and routes clearly marked and maintained free of obstructions

• Adequate and reliable illumination of exits

• Doors and routes that do not lead outside must be marked “Not and Exit“

• All fire safety equipment shall be continuously maintained in operable condition

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Accountability

• One person designated as the Emergency Coordinator

• Clear lines of responsibility both up and down from that person

• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for departments and individuals

• Senior management are responsible for the implementation and documentation of a fire safety plan

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Testing

• Test all aspects of the plans– Evacuation Drills– Phone Notifications– Paging Systems– Medical Response– Secondary Power Supplies

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Control

• Control is critical to minimizing injury and damage due to panic and confusion

• Notification and Communication Procedures– Must be a centrally coordinated interface between

personnel responding to the incident and fire systems

– All responding personnel must universally understand alarm types, zones, floors, areas, etc.

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Control

• Response– Properly trained response personnel

(Security, Engineering, Wardens, Fire Brigade, etc.)

– Response equipment working correctly (extinguishers, air packs, containment, etc.)

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Operatives

• Representatives from each location, function and shift must be knowledgeable of their particular fire and emergency procedures

• Building Management– Responsible for tenants, systems and possibly

operations

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Operatives

• Employees– Responsible for their own safe environment.

Focus on prevention, not protection– Contractors must abide by your procedures

• Equipment – Medical supplies, tools and lighting, water,

vacuums, portable generators, respiratory protection devices

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Operatives• Facilities

– Operate building systems, maintain exit routes, label every pipe, fuse box and fire panel closet

• Fire Wardens – Responsible for the safe evacuation, headcount

and relocation of peers

• Managers – Accountable for safe work environment for

their employees

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Operatives

• Public Relations – Your interface with the media

• Security – Operate systems– Public address– ENL– Response

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Operatives

– Contract Security

– Sprinkler and Fire Systems Contractors

– Refrigeration

– Tool Rental

– Food

– Window Glass

– Roofing

– Lodging

– Cleaning and Landscapers ( tree removal )

– Plumbers, Electricians, Carpenters, etc.

– Heating Oil and Fuel Supplies

• Vendors—Establish contractual agreements with some of the following:

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Top Ten Takeaways

1. Don’t rely on a leased building manager to educate your employees

2. Use the “Not an Exit” system when necessary

3. Never store anything in exit stairwells

4. Don’t number doors on exit stairwells, number the wall instead

5. Educate contractors and enforce policies

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Top Ten Takeaways

6. Be creative with your evacuation drills

7. Label Exits and Routes near the ground also

8. No dumpsters near the building

9. Educate employees and your personnel upon assignment

10. Document everything, Be an Outspoken Proponent of Fire Safety

Thank You All