Fire Protection Engineering

 

What is the need?

As much as we provide for requirements like provision of firefighting equipment, it is also true that we can only do so much when it comes to fire safety. It is also common knowledge that we can only apply helpful tips and reminders as initial remedies but what if protection of one’s life and property becomes a high-level risk? What if simple procedures or availability of safety devices cannot guarantee safety? What if fire prevention becomes too limited and leaves us defenseless in times of emergencies? This is where fire protection engineering sets in.

Engineering the Risk

This field of expertise refers to the application of scientific and engineering principles as well as rules and professional judgment. Understanding the causes and effects of fires and behavior of people towards relative events, is also vital in this field of knowledge. Generally, people have the tendency to protect and secure life amidst possible dangers. Sometimes, our reaction towards fires also determines the kind of action that we are about to take as far as use of equipment is concerned. On the other hand, fire protection engineering provide people with substantive information regarding fires and safety. Their work provides people with comprehensive details on how to effectively manage and take control of the situation, particularly in times of fires and related incidents.

Objectives

The objectives, in relation to prevention and fire protection, are also achieved by fire engineers through fire assessments and determination of factors and risks. They likewise provide data to mitigate potential fire damages through structure, proper design, construction and arrangement of buildings and transportation systems. They also provide evaluation relative to preventive and protective measures, to limit fire hazards and consequences. They are also involved in post-fire investigation and analysis, and provide evaluation and feedback. In addition, fire engineering also includes the direction and control of proper equipment, which is helpful in determining strategies during rescue operations and firefighting missions. The design, installation and development of fire detection and fire control are also included in this field of work.

Expertise

Since fire engineers possess the education, experience and training necessary in fire prevention, they clearly understand the nature and mechanisms involved in fires. Their knowledge regarding fires is so extensive that they even understand how fires originate and take place. They perform relative studies and seek to detect, control and extinguish fires in the quickest possible manner. Their expertise likewise enables them to anticipate the behavior of processes, structures and materials needed in ensuring protection of life and property.  Understanding of fires proves to be vital in integrating fire safety systems in buildings, industrial structures and similar facilities, making fire protection engineers to essential in fire safety. With these as requirements, fire engineers are working doubly hard to prevent fires from claiming lives and causing further damage. Their work has taken them to areas where none of us would dare to even participate. Indeed, fires remain as a national threat, that a need for fire engineers becomes necessary. Their expertise not only provides additional protection, they are integral in the development of fire detection and provision of control policies, procedures and codes.

Yours In Fire Safety

Alex

Fire Readiness For The Disabled

Disability Discrimination

Employers providing services to the public must also take responsibility for ensuring that disabled people can leave the building safely in the event of fire. If you don’t, it may be viewed as discrimination under The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) . It may also constitute a failure to comply with the requirements of the National Building Codes. 

This means that you are required to do even more to ensure that disabled people do not face discrimination by not being provided with a safe evacuation plan from a building.

Below are some of the steps you can take to equip your establishment with the necessary measures required by law.

Mobility impaired people

There is a vast range of people who fit into this category, with wheelchair users being the most prevalent. However, issues relating to this group of people may also be relevant for people with heart conditions or asthma.

The preferred option for escape for people with mobility impairments are by horizontal evacuation either into another fire compartment or evacuation lift. If you aren’t able to house these facilities however, a possible facilitating measure may be the provision of suitable handrails on stairways.

For wheelchair users or those who are unable to manoeuvre themselves easily during an emergency, an evacuation lift should be utilised, if possible. If this facility is not available, it may be necessary to carry a person up or down an escape stairway. Carry-down can be achieved in a number of ways, either in a specially designed evacuation chair, in the person’s own wheelchair or even using an office chair.

Hearing impaired & deaf people

It is important to ensure that hearing-impaired or deaf individuals are alerted in the case of fire. When only an audible fire alarm is present, this may not be a sufficient alert for an emergency situation.

There is an increasing range of auxiliary aids on the market to combat this issue. The ideal solution is to fit rooms with flashing beacons above the fire exits, which can be set up as part of your current fire alarm system. This should ensure that those with hearing impairments know when an alert is in progress.

Unfortunately the requirement for installing these type of fire alarms for the deaf are not mandatory at present.. In the event of fire, the hard of hearing are at particular risk when they are asleep. There are now several solutions available which enable them to be made aware when the fire alarm sounds, through the use of high intensity LED lights and vibrating pads.

Visually impaired & blind people

In the event of a fire, individuals who are visually impaired will be assisted significantly by good signage and orientation clues. Although not every establishment will have made the provision to provide specialist orientation information, it is possible to make use of existing elements within the building that may assist the visually impaired to facilitate their own evacuation.

Consider what you can implement into your own business environment with ease; we suggest good colour contrasts on the walls, supportive handrails and step edge markings on escape stairs and different textured flooring for escape routes. The more orientation clues that are provided the less assistance is required by members of staff, though there will still be a need to inform the visually impaired that these clues are present. This will allow employees to focus their attention on other individuals who perhaps require more physical support in leaving the premises.

Hopefully you will re-assess your risk assessment and fire safety proceedings to accommodate for those with a disability. Remember that you will not always be able to instantly recognise whether a person suffers from a disability or not, so you must ensure you are vigilant and prepared in the situation of such an incident arising.

Yours In Fire Safety

Alex

Why Your Business Should Have Fire Alarms For the Hearing Impaired

 

Often Overlooked

Are you responsible for Commercial, Industrial or Residential buildings? Do you have people with a hearing impairment living and working within the confines of these areas? Recognising and integrating people with disabilities is slowly being woven into the fabric of society, providing practical changes to our homes and offices to make their lives a little easier. But what about fire safety for the hearing impaired?
Australian Standard (AS) AS1603.17-2011 Automatic fire detection and alarm systems – Warning equipment for people with hearing impairment applies to smoke alarms for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, however, the standard is not currently mandatory. If the AS 3786 appears on a smoke alarm for hard of hearing people, it refers only to the smoke alarm sensing unit and does not include the strobe light or the vibrating pad. Living with deafness creates a world in which you are isolated from those around you just because you cannot hear what they’re hearing. Going through life this way can be especially challenging. You have to come up with ways to compensate for everything you’re missing. When someone knocks at your door, you can’t hear it. If the phone rings, you never know. A person who’s deaf living in a hearing world can find a lot that’s frightening and frustrating. One way to make your world a little safer and less frightening is by installing a fire alarm for the deaf.

The Deaf Need Fire Protection, Too

People who are deaf need adaptive technology in order to make sense of their world. Since a deaf person can’t hear a regular fire alarm, they need ones that are specially-designed to meet their needs. You’ve got to realize that they are basically alone in their world and would feel isolated and vulnerable. We need to do everything we can to make their life a little easier as well as more secure. 

The Way Deaf Fire Alarms Work

A system which uses strobe lights is the best you can buy for a person who is deaf. Once a fire is detected and the lights begin flashing, it will be impossible for anyone to ignore them. The lights are bright enough to wake the deaf person when they are sleeping, and they won’t take “no” for an answer as they remind them over and over as they flash their warning to get out of the building immediately.

By giving that deaf person you know the gift of safety and security, you’ll be showing them just how much you do care about their safety. 

To find out more about your obligations contact one of our expert team from Complete Fire and Pumps

Yours In Fire Safety

Alex