Fire risk assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Fire risk assessment - Essay Example Fires can be avoided, or minimized, through careful risk management. Risk management involves listing down the risks involved in the premises and dealing with these risks. Human error – and fire – can be dealt with effectively with careful planning and an equal amount of study on the possible causes of fire. This paper is a risk management report on a furniture factory which manufactures dining room furniture and directly sells them to the public. Covered in this report are the application of methods of fire risk assessment and the necessary laws and regulations regarding safety in the workplace. We are concerned of the safety of people occupying buildings and premises. Qualitative and quantitative researches on fire safety are included in the discussion. The report will cover several aspects on fire prevention such as the materials used in furnishings and structures and their susceptibility to different types of fires, disposal and handling of dangerous substances that can cause fire in the premises, and many other aspects of fire safety. It is important to note that fire safety is a broad concept that carries many subtopics which are interrelated but relevant to this report. Fire safety is everyone’s concern but puts a lot of pressure and responsibility on the part of the owner and employer of business. The key legal requirements we would like to discuss in addition to risk management issues are the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) and the Explosives Atmosphere Directives 99/92 EC (ATEX 137), which are closely related to our case study of a furniture factory. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 encompasses fire safety methods and prevention which are applicable only for England and Wales. This law covers many aspects of fire prevention and places a lot of responsibility on the shoulder of the employers and owners of business. It is also an ex tension of the first law, the 1997 Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations, which was not fully followed to the letter by employers and owners of business. (Grice, 2009, p. 23) Under the 2005 Order, the owner or employer acts as the ‘responsible person’ who is entrusted to prevent the risks of fire in his/her business premises, the area of responsibility, and must do everything in his/her power to conduct the necessary risk assessment. The provisions of the 2005 Order are clear about the different circumstances when the fire can occur. Risks of fire can be minimized by following the law. The responsible person must ensure that structures are constructed and maintained within guidelines prescribed by law. Fire prevention is safety itself, and this may correlate or link with the use of the right materials prescribed by the 2005 Order to ensure the safety of the persons in the premises. RISK MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES â€Å"Risk management starts and ends with quality.† (Kent, 2004, p. 31) Risk management means early identification of the threat of risks in the premises and finding out the proper solution to the identified risks. This is known as risk management process. It is one of the most important tasks for any company, business, or organization. Without the implementation of an effective risk management plan, the chances of failure of business are increased. Risk management planning is not only important for the success and stability of the business operation but also is