Fire Risk Assessment-computer Sains

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MUHAMMAD IQBAL

MUHAMMAD ISKANDAR BIN BASARUDDIN

KUNG TZE PING

HUAN LIN

August 20, 2009

UNIVERSITY SAINS MALAYSIA

FIRE RISK ASSESSMENTCASE STUDY: COMPUTER SAINS BUILDING-UNIVERSITY SAINS MALAYSIA


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I. MANAGING FIRE SAFETY

Good management of fire safety is essential to ensure that fires are unlikely to occur; that if they do occur they are likely to be

controlled or contained quickly, effectively and safely; or that, if a fire does occur and grow, everyone in your premises is able to

escape to a place of total safety easily and quickly. The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire

safety procedures, fire prevention measures, and fire precautions (plans, systems and equipment) are all in place and working properly,

and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention (Source: Fire Safety Risk Assessment, Department for

Community and Local Government, Eland Houses, Bressenden Place London SW1 E 5 Du, Mei 2006)

As we are aware fire not only can injure or kill the people, whether the people inside the building or surrounding the building, but

also can seriously damage or even destroy your business. The purpose of fire assessment is not just collecting the data and file, but

how it use to improve Safety Management systems. The assessment have to be practical and in the systematic way. Naturally, there

cannot be an off shelf solution. Every workplace has different view and scenario on the fire hazards, so there are many aspects to be

look into and how it can improve the fire safety management. So it is vital that assessors are able to seek commitment from the top of

the organization and to consult with all relevant personnel, to ensure that they are aware on this assessment.

Paradigms are being shifted to emphasize the concept of fire assessment and safety systems as organizations attempt to

effectively reduce losses and protect their reputation. So much so that all employees must have an understanding of fire, how quickly

it can spread, and how devastating its impact can be. With this knowledge, employees will be better equipped to recognize fire hazards

not just in their work environments but also in their homes. They will be able to take steps to introduce and practice fire safety


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behaviors. The main objective of fire risk assessment is to ensure compliance with the requirements local authority in term of fire

safety to protect the people from the risk of fire.

II. FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE

Current legislation on fire precautions and procedures deals with the following general requirements:

Means of detection and giving warning in case of fire

The provision of means of escape from premises

Means of fire fighting

Training of employees and others in relation to fire safety

In addition, fire legislation requires employers to:

Carry out fire risk assessments of workplaces and take into consideration employees, visitors, contractors, members of the public

and others who may be affected by activities carried out within their premises.

Identify significant findings of the fire risk assessment and record the findings.

Implement and maintain suitable control measures for controlling the risk from fire.

Provide information, instruction and training to employees and others about fire precautions in the workplace.

The following procedure should be followed:


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a) The Occupational Health and Safety Department will carry out fire risk assessments on each building of the University used for

teaching and research. A schedule of Fire Risk Assessments will be produced and published by the Occupational Health and Safety

Manager.

b) The following documents will inform the fire risk assessment:

Previous fire risk assessment documentation

Actions plans arising from any previous fire risk assessment or fire inspection

Fire evacuation procedures including Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans

c) Fire Risk Assessments will be recorded on the Universitys Fire Risk Assessment form, copies of which will be retained by the

Occupational Health and Safety Team, the Estates and Physical Resources Department and any other parties deemed appropriate.

d) Once the fire risk assessment has been carried out, the documents will be forwarded to the appropriate Heads of

School/Department, together with a copy to the Estates Department. Heads of School/Department, the Estates Department and the

Occupational Health and Safety Department will meet as appropriate to discuss the findings of the fire risk assessment.

e) Following this discussion, the Building Fire Action Plan will be updated and agreed. It will clearly state which actions need to be

undertaken and who is responsible for each action.

f) Fire Risk Assessments will be reviewed annually by the Occupational Health and Safety Team.


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III. THE AIMS OF FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

A fire risk assessment is an organized and methodical look at your premises, the activities carried on there and the likelihood

that a fire could start and cause harm to those in and around the premises.

The aims of the fire risk assessment are:

To identify the fire hazards

Before we can go further on identifying the fire hazards, we have to know what the meaning of hazards is itself. A hazard is

something that has the potential to cause harm. Risk is the chance, whether is high or low of that harm occurring.

The best way to identify the fire hazard is to understand the things that need to create fire hazards. As the principle, fire has a

triangle of needs which is fuel, high temperature or heat and oxygen. If deprived of any of these needs, building fires will be

extinguished.

Fuel

OxygenHigh

Temperature

or HeatFIRE


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Fig.1. FIRE TRIANGLE NEEDS

In general, this triangles influence the buildings design is as follows. The fuel is the building structure and contents, where

the designer controls the choice of structural and finishes materials. The temperatures achieved in fires are well beyond the ability of

building cooling systems to control, so special water systems are often installed to deprive fire of the high temperature it needs.

Oxygen may be denied to a fire partly by limitations on ventilation, but these can have serious safety consequences.

To reduce the risk of those hazards causing harm to as low as reasonably practicable. As stated before, fire kills people. This

is might be a probably reason, why people rather choose their homes or office to be burglarized than to experience in fire accident.

The fire can cause fatalities and injuries. Many of these tragedies could be prevented if the people took the necessary fire prevention

methods such as undergoing a fire risk assessment.

To decide what physical fire precautions and management policies are necessary to ensure the safety of people in your

premises if a fire does start. The policies describes the arrangements for effectively managing fire safety so as to prevent fire occurring

and, in the event of fire, to protect people and property. Inside the policies itself show the regulation, do and dont, the guidance and

responsibility of the person in charge. The policies are structured to ensure the accountability and it will be the references to guide for


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the safety of fire management system. These policies must be review as to make sure it will be relevant to the respective building. The

extent of policy depends upon the size and the uses of premises. The fire safety policy is dependent on taking account of two principle

factors. It is physical factor and human factor

IV. CARRYING OUT FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

A fire risk assessment helps us identify all the fire hazards and risks in our premises. Here is the first of five steps to carrying

out a fire risk assessment in the workplace.

Step 1 of 5: Identifying the fire hazards

For fire to occur there must be a source of ignition, fuel and oxygen. If all three are present and in close proximity, then the fire

risk could increase as a result. In the average premises. fire hazards will fall into the first two categories, whilst the oxygen will be

present in the air in the surrounding space. Occasionally oxygen can be found in chemical form (oxidizing agents) or as a gas in

cylinders or piped systems.

Potential sources of ignition could include:

naked flames: smokers materials, matches, pilot lights, gas/oil heaters, gas welding, cookers, etc.;

hot surfaces: heaters, engines, boilers, machinery, lighting (e.g. halogen lamps), electrical equipment, etc.;

hot work: welding, grinding, flame cutting;

friction: drive belts, worn bearings, etc.; or


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sparks: static electricity, metal impact, grinding, electrical contacts/switches, etc;

Arson, i.e. deliberate ignition.

Potential sources of fuel: anything that burns is a potential fuel, examples include:

Solids: textiles, wood, paper, card, plastics, rubber, PU foam, furniture, fixtures/fittings, packaging, waste materials, etc.;

Liquids: solvents (petrol, white spirit, methylated spirits, paraffin, thinners, etc), paints, varnish, adhesives, etc.;

Gases: LPG, acetylene.

Step 2 of 5: Identifying people at risk

If there is a fire, the greatest danger is the spread of the fire, heat and smoke through the premises. If this happens, the main

risk to people is from the smoke and products of combustion, which can very quickly incapacitate those escaping. If a premises does

not have adequate means of escape or if a fire can grow to an appreciable size before it is noticed, then people may become trapped or

overcome by heat and smoke before they can evacuate.

Our assessment of risk to persons should include:

the likely speed of growth and spread of any fire, and associated heat and smoke (remember some fuels burn much faster and

produce more toxic products than others do);

the numbers of persons in the area including student, lecturer, employees, visitors, members of the public relevant persons as

defined by the Fire Safety Order);

Arrangements for giving warning to people if a fire occurs. Will any outbreak be conspicuous or will some form of fire

detection and alarm system be required; and

How they will make their escape as describe at the case study


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Step 3 of 5: Evaluating the risks

Once the hazards and the persons at risk have been identified, we must assess the effect of any particular hazards, taking

account of any existing control measures that are already in place. Once this has been done, we must decide if any further control

measures are needed in order to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

Further control measures may:

Act to reduce the possibility of ignition,

Minimize the potential fuel load in the premises, or

Assist persons to escape from the effects of a fire, should it occur.

They may fall into a number of different categories:

Fire safety management systems.

Means of escape.

Staff training.

Fire warning systems.

Means of fighting fire.

Different control measures can be applied to reduce the risk to an acceptable level. For example, if the risk is the possibility of a fast

growing fire, potential control measures could include one or any combination of the following:

changing the process to use a slower burning fuel;


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removing or reducing possible ignition sources;

moving the hazard to an area that affects the minimum of persons, e.g. outside the premises;

providing an additional exit/protected route to speed the escape of the occupants;

providing a fire detection and alarm system to warn persons of the fire in its early stages;

Training the staff to reduce the possibility of a fire occurring, e.g. housekeeping/safe working practices; or

Providing appropriate firefighting equipment / fixed installation e.g. sprinkler system.

While this list is not exhaustive and applies to one area of risk only, it can be seen that there may be a number of different

solutions depending on the nature of the situation.If any areas of inadequacy are identified, an action plan must to be included to show how the problem is being addressed. This should

include time-scales for achieving the required level of control and specify who is responsible for the action .

If our premises are situated in a relatively modern building it should already incorporate important control measures that were

installed to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations e.g. fire escape staircases, fire lobbies, fire doors, emergency lighting

etc. Many of these measures will also be found in older buildings. If our building was issued with a fire certificate under the Fire

Precautions Act, details of existing control measures will be detailed in that document.

We should include details of these existing control measures in our fire risk assessment. Remember, a full understanding and

evaluation of the existing control measures is essential - it is our starting point for deciding if any further action is necessary.

We should plan, control, monitor and review all the fire safety arrangements.

Step 4 of 5: Recording your findings


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Where:

a license under an enactment is in force,

an Alterations Notice under the Fire Safety Order requires it, or

we are an employer and have five or more employees

We must record the significant findings of our risk assessment, together with details of any people that are at particular risk.

More importantly, the record must show whether the existing control measures are adequate and, if not, what further action is required

to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

Remember to make sure any control measures identified or introduced remain effective by testing and maintaining them

regularly. For larger premises we are encouraged to include a simple floor plan in our fire risk assessment. We can use the plan to

record fire hazards and control measures in a simple format that is easily understood.

Step 5 of 5: Reviewing and revising the risk assessment

It is important to remember that fire risk assessment is a continuous process and as such must be monitored and audited. New

and existing control measures should be maintained to make sure they are still working effectively.

However, if we introduce changes into our premises our original risk assessment may not address any new hazards or risk

arising from them. For this reason it is also important to review and revise our assessment regularly.This doesn't mean that it is necessary to amend our assessment for every trivial change that occurs, but the impact of any

significant change should be considered. For example;

A new work process may introduce additional fuels or ignition sources.

Changes to furniture layout or internal partitions could affect the ability for occupants to see a fire and escape in time.


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Increasing the number of people may mean that a fire exit is now too small to cope with their escape within a safe period.

Occupying another floor of the building may mean that an electrical fire warning system is now necessary, etc.

The above list is not exhaustive and any change that could lead to new hazards or risks should be considered.

In Malaysia, the National Institute Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Malaysia has include the risk assessment process

as one of the scope in their safety and Health Officer Health Module (1997) according to NIOSH, three basic steps should be taken to

ensure a safe and health workplace. They are based on the concept that the workplace should be modified to suit people, not vice

versa. It is also important to regularly review the step, especially there are changes in the work environment, new technology is

introduced or standard are changed. The three steps are:

Step 1: Identifying the hazards

The identification of hazards should involve a critical appraisal of all activities to take account of hazards to employees, others

affected by activities (members of the public and contractors) and to those using products and services. Adequate hazard identification

requires a complete understanding of the working situation.

Step 2: The risk assessment process

Gather information about each hazard identified. Think about how many people are exposed to each hazard and how long. Use

the information to access the likelihood and consequences of each hazard and produce a qualitative risk table.

How likely is it that a hazardous event or situation will occur?

Very likely could happen frequently

Likely could happen occasionally


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Unlikely could happen, but only rarely

Highly unlikely could happen, but probably never will

Consequences of a hazardous event or situation:

Situation

Major injuries (normally irreversible injury or damage to health)

Minor injuries (normally reversible injury or dame to health requiring days off work)

Negligible injuries (first aid)

Once the decision on the likelihood and consequences of each hazardous event or situation have been made, then need to rate

the hazard according to how serious the risk is. The risk table is one of the ways in rating the hazard and to translate the assessments

of likelihood and consequences into level of risk. Table below is the example of the qualitative risk table.

Consequences

Likelihood

Very likely Likely Unlikely Highly unlikely

Fatality High High High Medium

Major injuries High High Medium Medium

Minor injuries High Medium Medium Low

Negligible injuries Medium Medium Low Low

The event or situations assessed as very likely with fatal consequences are the most serious (high risk) and those assessed as

highly unlikely with negligible injuries are the least serious (low risk). The risk rating for each hazard should be note on a worksheet.

During the developing of risk control strategies, the hazard with the high risk rating should be tackle first.


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Step 3: Risk control

The information and ideas on control measures can come from:

Code of practice

Industry or trade associations

Specialists

Other publications including those by manufacturers and suppliers.

V. FURTHER GUIDANCE ON FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT AND FIRE PRECAUTIONS

Good management of fire safety in your premises is essential to ensure that any fire safety matters that arise are always

effectively addressed. In small premises this can be achieved by the manager or owner responsible for maintaining and planning fire

safety in conjunction with general health and safety.

In larger premises, it is good practice for a senior manager to have overall responsibility for fire safety. It may be appropriate

for this responsibility to be placed with the person designated with overall responsibility for health and safety.

An organizations fire safety policy should be flexible enough to allow modification. It should be recognized that fire safety

operates at all levels within an organization and therefore those responsible for fire safety should be able to develop, where necessary,

a local action plan for their premises.


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Section 1 Further guidance on fire risks and preventative measures

To develop long-term workable and effective strategies to reduce hazards and the risk of a fire starting we must take this item

into consideration.

1.1 HOUSEKEEPING

Good housekeeping will lower the chances of a fire starting, so the accumulation of combustible materials in all premises

should be monitored carefully. Good housekeeping is essential to reduce the chances of escape routes and fire doors being blocked or

obstructed.

Keep waste material in suitable containers before it is removed from the premises. If we generate a considerable quantity of

combustible waste material then we need to develop a formal plan to manage this effectively.

1.2 STORAGE

Many of the materials found in your premises will be combustible. If premises have inadequate or poorly managed storage

areas then the risk of fire is likely to be increased. The more combustible materials store the greater the source of fuel for a fire. Poorly

arranged storage could prevent equipment such as sprinklers working effectively.

Combustible materials are not just those generally regarded as highly combustible, such as polystyrene, but all materials that

will readily catch fire. However, by carefully considering the type of material, the quantities kept and the storage arrangements, the

risks can be significantly reduced.


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1.3 DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES STORAGE, DISPLAY AND USE

Specific precautions are required when handling and storing dangerous substances to minimize the possibility of an incident.

Your supplier should be able to provide detailed advice on safe storage and handling, however, the following principles will help you

reduce the risk from fire:

substitute highly flammable substances and materials with less flammable ones;

reduce the quantity of dangerous substances to the smallest reasonable amount necessary for running the business or organization;

Correctly store dangerous substances, e.g. in a fire-resisting enclosure. All flammable liquids and gases should ideally be locked

away, especially when the premises are unoccupied, to reduce the chance of them being used in an arson attack; and

ensure that you and your employees are aware of the fire risk the dangerous substances present and the precautions necessary to

avoid danger.

Flammable liquids

Highly flammable liquids present a particularly high fire risk. For example, a leak from a container of flammable solvents,

such as methylated spirit, will produce large quantities of heavier-than-air flammable vapours. These can travel large distances,

increasing the likelihood of their reaching a source of ignition well away from the original leak, such as a basement containing heating

plant and/or electrical equipment on automatic timers.

Aerosols


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Some aerosols can contain flammable products stored at pressure and they can present a high level of hazard. When ignited

they can explode, produce fireballs and rocket to distances of 40m. Their presence in premises can make it unsafe for firefighters to

enter a building and they have the potential for starting multiple fires.

1.4 EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY

Common causes of fire in equipment are:

allowing ventilation points to become clogged or blocked, causing overheating;

inadequate cleaning of heat-shrink packaging equipment, such as that used in in-store bakeries;

allowing extraction equipment in catering environments to build up excessive grease deposits;

misuse or lack of maintenance of cooking equipment and appliances; and

disabling or interfering with automatic or manual safety features and cut-outs. All machinery, apparatus and office equipment should

be properly maintained by a competent person. Appropriate signs and instructions on safe use may be necessary.

Heating

Individual heating appliances require particular care if they are to be used safely, particularly those which are kept for emergency use

during a power cut or as supplementary heating during sever weather. The greatest risks arise from lack of maintenance and staff

unfamiliarity with them. Heaters should preferably be secured in position when in use and fitted with a fire guard if appropriate.

Cooking processes

These cooking processes can operate with high temperatures, involving large quantities of oil and combustible food stuffs. Heat

sources used for cooking processes include: gas, electric and microwave. The main cause of fire are ignition of cooking oil,

combustion of crumbs and sediment deposits, and ductwork fires from a build up of fats and grease.


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1.5 ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Electrical equipment can be a significant cause of accidental fires in shops and offices. The main causes are: overheating cables and equipment, e.g. due to overloading circuits, bunched or coiled cables or impaired cooling fans;

Incorrect installation or use of equipment;

Little or no maintenance and testing of equipment;

Incorrect fuse ratings;

Damaged or inadequate insulation on cables or wiring;

combustible materials being placed too close to electrical equipment which may give off heat even when operating normally or may

become hot due to a fault;

arcing or sparking by electrical equipment; and

embrittlement and cracking of cable sheathing in cold environments.

1.6 SMOKING

Carelessly discarded cigarettes and other smoking materials are a major cause of fire. A cigarette can smolder for several

hours, especially when surrounded by combustible material. Many fires are started several hours after the smoking materials have

been emptied into waste bags and left for future disposal.

Consider prohibiting smoking in your premises other than in the designated smoking areas. Display suitable signs throughout

the premises informing people of the smoking policy and the locations where smoking is permitted.

1.7 MANAGING BUILDING WORK AND ALTERATIONS


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Additional risks can include:

Hot work such as flame cutting, welding, soldering, or paint stripping;

Temporary electrical equipment; blocking of escape routes, including external escape routes;

Introduction of combustibles into an escape route;

Loss of normal storage facilities;

Fire safety equipment, such as automatic fire-detection systems becoming affected;

Fire-resisting partitions being breached or fire doors being wedged open

Additional personnel who may be unfamiliar with the premises.

1.8 EXISTING LAYOUT AND CONSTRUCTION

Vertical shafts, e.g. lifts, open stairways, dumb waiters or holes for moving stock around;

False ceilings, especially if they are not fire stopped above walls;

Voids behind wall panelling;

Unsealed holes in walls and ceilings where pipe work, cables or other services have been installed;

Doors, particularly to stairways, which are ill-fitting or routinely left open.

1.9 PARTICULAR HAZARDS IN CORRIDORS AND STAIRWAYS USED AS ESCAPE ROUTES

Portable heaters, e.g. bottled gas (LPG) or electric radiant heaters and electric convectors or boilers;

Gas cylinders for supplying heaters;

cooking appliances; and


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Unenclosed gas pipes, meters, and other fittings.

1.10 INSULATED CORE PANELS

Mineral rock/modified phenol will produce surface char and little smoke or gaseous combustion products, at temperatures above

230C.

Polyisocyanurate (PIR)/polyurethane (PUR) will char and will generate smoke and gaseous combustion products, at temperatures

above 430C PIR and 300C PUR.

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) will melt and will generate smoke and gaseous combustionproducts, at temperatures above 430C PIR.

Section 2 Further guidance on fire detection and warning systems

Where an electrical fire-warning system is necessary then a straightforward arrangement typically includes the following:

manual call points (break-glass call points) next to exits with at least one call point on each floor;

electronic sirens or bells; and

a control and indicator panel.

2.1 Manual call points

Manual call points, often known as break glass call points, enable a person who discovers a fire to immediately raise the alarm and

warn other people in the premises of the danger. People leaving a building because of a fire will normally leave by the way they

entered.


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Consequently, manual call points are normally positioned at exits and storey exits that people may reasonably be expected to use in

case of fire, not just those designated as fire exits. However it is not necessary in every case to provide call points at every exit.

Manual call points should normally be positioned so that, taking into account all fixtures and fittings, machinery and stock are inplace, no one should have to travel more than 45m to the nearest alarm point. This distance may need to be less if your premises cater

for people of limited mobility or there are particularly hazardous areas. They should be conspicuous (red), fitted at a height of about

1.4m (or less for premises with a significant number of wheelchair users), and not in an area likely to be obstructed.

2.2 Automatic fire detection

Automatic fire detection may be needed for a number of reasons. These can include:

If you have areas where people are isolated or remote and could become trapped by a fire because they are unaware of its

development, such as lone workers;

If you have areas where a fire can develop unobserved (e.g. storerooms);

as a compensating feature, e.g. for inadequate structural fire protection, in dead-ends or where there are extended travel distances;

and

Where smoke control and ventilation systems are controlled by the automatic fire-detection system. If you have an automatic fire

detection system, the system should:

be designed to accommodate the emergency evacuation procedure;

give an automatic indication of the fire warning and its location. If the indicator panel is located in a part of the premises other than

the control point (for example, to the secretarys office) there should ideally be a repeater panel sited in the control point;

be maintained and tested by a competent person; and

communicate with a central control room


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2.4 Staged fire alarms

In the vast majority of premises sounding the fire warning system should trigger the immediate and total evacuation of the

building. However, in some large or complex premises this may not be necessary as alternative arrangements may be in place. These

alternative arrangements broadly fall into two groups.

Firstly, those people potentially most at risk from a fire, usually those closest to where the alarm was activated, will be immediately

evacuated, while others in the building are given an alert signal and will only evacuate if it becomes necessary. This is generally called

a phased evacuation and the initial movement, depending on the layout and configuration of the premises, can be either horizontal or

vertical.

The second alternative is for the initial alert signal to be given to certain staff, who then carry out pre-arranged actions to help others

to evacuate more easily. It requires able, fullytrained staff to be available at all times and should not be seen as a simple means of

reducing disruption to working practices. Where staged alarms are being used, disabled people should be alerted on the first stage to

give them the maximum time to escape.

2.5 Testing and maintenance

Your fire-warning and/or detection system should be supervised by a named responsible person, given enough authority and

training to manage all aspects of the routine testing and scrutiny of the system.


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The control and indicating equipment should be checked at least every 24 hours to ensure there are no specific faults. All types

of firewarning systems should be tested once a week. For electrical systems a manual call point should be activated (using a different

call point for each successive test), usually by inserting a dedicated test key (Figure 19). This will check that the control equipment iscapable of receiving a signal and in turn, activating the warning alarms. Manual call points may be numbered to ensure they are

sequentially tested.

2.6 Guaranteed power supply

If your fire risk assessment concludes that an electrical fire-warning system is necessary, then the Health and Safety (Safety

Signs and Signals) Regulations 19965 requires it to have a back-up power supply. Whatever back-up system is used, it should

normally be capable of operating the fire warning and detection system for a minimum period of 24 hours and sounding the alarm

signal in all areas for 30 minutes.

2.7 New and altered systems

Guidance on the design and installation of new systems and those undergoing substantial alterations is given in BS 5839.16 If

you are unsure that your existing system is adequate you will need to consult a competent person.

Section 3 Further guidance on firefighting equipment and facilities

3.1 Portable firefighting equipment

Fires are classed according to what is burning. Fire extinguishers provided should be appropriate to the classes of fire found in

your premises in accordance with Table 1.

Class of fire Description


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Class A Fires involving solid materials such as wood, paper or textiles.

Class B Fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel or oils.

Class C Fires involving gases.Class D Fires involving metals.

Class F Fires involving cooking oils such as in deep-fat fryers.

Number and type of extinguishers

Typically for the Class A fire risk, the provision of one water-based extinguisher for approximately

Every 200m2 of floor space, with a minimum of two extinguishers per floor, will normally be adequate.

Where it is determined that there are additionally other classes of fire risk, the appropriate type, number and size of extinguisher

should be provided.

3.2 Fixed firefighting installations

These are firefighting systems which are normally installed within the structure of the building. They may already be provided

in your premises or you may be considering them as a means of protecting some particularly dangerous or risk-critical area as part of

your risk-reduction strategy.

Hose reels

Permanent hose reels (Figure 20) installed in accordance with the relevant British Standard


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(BS EN 671-3: 200021) provide an effective firefighting facility. They may offer an alternative, or be in addition to, portable

firefighting equipment. A concern is that untrained people will stay and fight a fire when escape is the safest option. Where hose reels

are installed and your fire risk

Sprinkler systems

Sprinkler systems can be very effective in controlling fires. They can be designed to protect

life and/or property and may be regarded as a cost-effective solution for reducing the risks created by fire. Where installed, a sprinkler

system is usually part of a package of fire precautions in a building and may form an integral part of the fire strategy for the building.

Sprinkler protection could give additional benefits, such as a reduction in the amount of portable firefighting equipment necessary, and

the relaxation of restrictions in the design of buildings.

Section 4 Further guidance on escape routes

Suitability of escape routes

We should ensure that our escape routes are:

Suitable;

Easily, safely and immediately usable at all relevant times;

Adequate for the number of people likely to use them;

free from any obstructions, slip or trip hazards; and


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Available for access by the emergency services.

In multi-occupied premises, escape routes should normally be independent of other occupiers, i.e. people should not have to gothrough another occupiers premises as the route may be secured or obstructed. Where this is not possible, then robust legal

agreements should be in place to ensure their availability at all times.

All doors on escape routes should open in the direction of escape and ideally be fitted with a safety vision panel. This is

particularly important if more than 60 people use them or they provide an exit from an area of high fire risk. At least two exits should

be provided if a room/area is to be occupied by more than 60 persons. This number of 60 can be varied in proportion to the risk; for a

lower risk there can be a slight increase, for a higher risk, lower numbers of persons should be allowed.

Fire-resisting construction

The type and age of construction are crucial factors to consider when assessing the adequacy of the existing escape routes. To

ensure the safety of people it may be necessary to protect escape routes from the effects of a fire. In older premises, it is possible that

the type of construction and materials used may not perform to current fire standards. Also changes of occupier and refurbishment

may have led to:

Cavities and voids being created, allowing the potential for a fire to spread unseen;

Doors and hardware worn by age and movement being less likely to limit the spread of smoke;

damaged or lack of cavity barriers in modular construction; and

Breaches in fire compartment walls, floors and ceilings created by the installation of new services, e.g. computer cabling.


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A refuge is a place of reasonable safety in which disabled people can wait either for an evacuation lift or for assistance up or down

stairs (see Figure 23). Disabled people should not be left alone in a refuge area whilst waiting for assistance with evacuation from the

building. Depending on the design and fire resistance of other elements, a refuge could be a lobby, corridor, part of a public area orstairway, or an open space such as a flat roof, balcony or similar place which is sufficiently protected (or remote) from any fire risk

and provided with its own means of escape and a means of communication.

Where refuges are provided, they should be enclosed in a fire-resisting structure which creates a protected escape route which leads

directly to a place of total safety and should only be used in conjunction with effective management rescue arrangements. Your fire

safety strategy should not rely on the fire and rescue service rescuing people waiting in these refuges.

If firefighting lifts (provided in high buildings as firefighting access) are to be used for evacuation, this should be co-ordinate with

the fire and rescue service as part of the pre-planned evacuation procedures.

Normal lifts may be considered suitable for fire evacuation purposes, subject to an adequate fire risk assessment and development of

a suitable fire safety strategy by a competent person.

Since evacuation lifts can fail, having reached a refuge a disabled person should also be able to gain access to a stairway (should

conditions in the refuge become untenable). An evacuation lift with its associated refuge should therefore be located adjacent to a

protected stairway.

Enough escape routes should always be available for use by disabled people. This does not mean that every exit will need to be

adapted. Staff should be aware of routes suitable for disabled people so that they can direct and help people accordingly.

Stairways used for the emergency evacuation of disabled people should comply with the requirements for internal stairs in the

building regulations. Specialist evacuation chairs or other equipment may be necessary to negotiate stairs.


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Plans should allow for the careful carrying of disabled people down stairs without their wheelchairs, should the wheelchair be too

large or heavy. You will need to take into account health and safety manual handling procedures in addition to the dignity and

confidence of the disabled person. Stair lifts should not be used for emergency evacuation. Where installed in a stairway used for emergency evacuation, no parts of the

lift, such as its carriage rail, should be allowed to reduce the effective width of the stairway or any other part of an emergency

evacuation route.

Where ramps are necessary for the emergency evacuation of people in wheelchairs they should be as gentle as possible. Ramps

should be constructed in accordance with Approved Document M

Figure 1: An example of a refuge


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Widths and capacity of escape routes and stairways

Once you have established the maximum number of people likely to be in any part of the premises, the next step is to establish that the

capacity of the escape routes is adequate for people to escape safely in sufficient time to ensure their safety in case of fire. The

capacity of a route is determined by a number of factors including the width of the route, the time available for escape and the ability

of the persons using them.

A width of at least 750mm can accommodate up to:

80 people in higher risk premises;

100 people in normal risk premises; or

120 people in lower risk premises.

A width of at least 1050mm can accommodate up to:

160 people in higher risk premises;

200 people in normal risk premises; or

240 people in lower risk premises.

Escape routes Suggested range of travel distance

Where more than one escape route is provided

25m in higher fire-risk area1


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45m in normal fire-risk area

60m in lower fire-risk area2

Where only a single escape route is provided12m in higher fire-risk area1

18m in normal fire-risk area

25m in lower fire-risk area2

Travel distance

Having established the number and location of people and the exit capacity required to evacuate them safely, you now need to

confirm that the number and location of existing exits is adequate. This normally determined by the distance people have to travel to

reach them. Table 2 gives guidance on travel distances. It should be understood, however, that these distances are flexible and may be

increased or decreased depending upon the level of risk after you have put in place the appropriate fire-prevention measures (Part 1,

Step 3.3). In new buildings which have been designed and constructed in accordance with modern building standards the travel

distances will already have been calculated. Once you have completed your fire risk assessment you need to confirm that those

distances are still relevant. When assessing travel distances you need to consider the distance to be travelled by people when escaping,

allowing for walking around furniture or display material etc. (see Figure 24). The distance should be measured from all parts of the

premises (e.g. from the most remote part of an office or shop on any floor) to the nearest place of reasonable safety which is:

A protected stairway enclosure (a storey exit);

A separate fire compartment from which there is a final exit to a place of total safety; or

The nearest available final exit.

Escape routes Suggested range of travel distance


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CASE STUDY

Site Map

Figure 3: Inner

Figure 5: Alternative exits separated by fire-resisting construction

Guar

d

house


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General Description

Location: USM, Penang

Building code: G31

Type of building premise: School offices

No. of floors: 7 floors

History of School of Computer Science

The School of Computer Sciences was established officially on the 1st of March 1995 after functioning for a period of 10

years as the Division of Computer Science, an independent and autonomous unit within the then School of Mathematical

and Computer Sciences. The period had witnessed various advances, developments and achievements of Computer

Science pertaining to academic programmes, research and development, consultancy, community services and others.


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The School of Computer Sciences will continue its efforts to strengthen its curricula and at the same time explore

research areas that contribute significantly to the development of the nation.

History of School of Mathematical Sciences

The School of Mathematical Sciences was established in May 1974. It was previously known as the School of

Mathematical and Computer Sciences until the separation of the two sections on March 1, 1995. Since its establishment,

the School has undergone rapid development and made significant advances pertaining to academic programs, research

and development, teaching and consultancy.

Computer Labs Facilities for Undergraduate Teaching


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There are an average of 45 computers (Pentium 4) are allocated to each lab.

These labs are operated by 8 technicians

The labs are open during office hours, during semester breaks, and are open until 11:00 pm during the semester. TheGeneral Office for the lab is located on Level 3 (Room 305).

Computer Labs Facilities for Research and Undergraduate Project


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The labs are open 24 hours a day to students who have been given permission to use the labs and the list of the students

will be posted on each lab. Each lab is supervised by a coordinator and is assisted by security personnel who are

supposed to patrol the designated area.

1. Analysis and Identifying the fire hazards on case study

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1St Floor

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6th Floor

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Legend

To identify fire hazard,

Conference room, Meeting room and VIVA room

(Location: Ground, 5th and 7th floor)

This type of room mostly will be used for presentation, conference and meeting events. Since there are many types

of electrical equipment like computers, projectors, speakers, microphones, LCD screen and compact fluorescent

lights occur in this room, therefore, the flow of electricity may overload or short circuit may happen if the total voltage

is too high. Short circuit from the electronic equipment will create the sparks, and then produce the fire. This situation

will bring hazard to people.

!Location of fire hazard

7th Floor


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General Office

(Location: Ground, 6th, 7th floor)

The fire hazards in this room are papers, furniture, boiler etc. However, papers and furniture can be said as the main

hazards because there got some furniture especially book shelf will be used to store students assignments. If fire

happen, the fire will spread around the area and finally burn the book shelf and papers. If the all the book shelf are

put at the specific corner, then fire will not spread so fast. Conversely, if the book shelves are anyway, it will increase

the rate of fire to spread.

Computer Lab, Network Research Room, Data Processing Lab, Artificial Intelligent lab, Information SecurityEngineering Lab and Audio Lab

(Location: Ground, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th floor)

Two hazards can be found in computer lab, that is, electronic equipment (computer) and the fire sprinkler system.

The fire sprinkler system should not install above the electronic equipment because the water sprayed from the fire

sprinkler will cause short circuit among the computer. But, there are many number of fire sprinklers and computers in

the computer lab, the possibility to produce sparks from the computers will increase if water was sprayed on it.

Lecturer Rooms

(Location: From Ground floor to 7th floor)

Basically, no potential sources of ignition and fuel like arson, engine, machinery or flammable liquid will exist in

lecturer rooms of Computer Science School. However, other sources like wood, paper, furniture and electrical


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equipment cannot be ignored as fire hazards. Some lecturer will smoke in the room and if they accidentally put their

cigarette on piece of paper but didnt realize it, then fire will happen. Furthermore, with only one piece of fire sprinkler

being installed for each room, is it capable to put out the fire in short period? In addition, outside the lecturer rooms

have some recycle materials like small book shelf was put along the corridor, this will make the means of escape not

wide enough for people to run out from the building due to the corridor was blocked by waste materials and difficult to

access.

Photostat Room

(Location: 5th floor)

There have both potential sources of fuel and potential sources of ignition. For example, Photostat machine,

electrical equipment, paper and furniture like wooden shelf, all are exist in this room. The relationship of these typehazards can be described as following. When we operating the Photostat machine, it require electricity input. Then, if

people use it continuously from morning to evening, the motor inside the machine will become very hot and may burn

itself. At the same time, papers which are put near to that machine will also be affected by the fire and burn itself

automatically until the fire was spread to wooden shelf. As a result, whole room will be easily burned by fire.

Forensic Lab

(Location: 5th floor)

Forensic lab has a lot of chemical liquid and some of these chemical liquid are flammable liquid. Therefore, the

possibility of fire is very high. During fire, if this type of chemical was heat up by fire, some will explore directly and

this situation may also affect the room which is next to it and let fire spread immediately.


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Manual escape route on each storey

Base on our assessment, the building has 3 exits in each storey with open space in the centre and we has mapping of escape

route for the case study like describe at the below:


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. Evaluating the Risk


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Ground Floor


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1st Floor


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4th Floor


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6th Floor


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Step 4- Record, Plan, Inform, Instruct and Train.

In Step 4 there are four further elements of the risk assessment we should focus on to address the management of

fire safety in the building. In smaller premises this could be done as part of the day-to-day management, however, as

the premises or the organization get larger it may be necessary for a formal structure and written policy to be

developed.

As we survey the identified building, we saw a there are a structured organization in term of fire management team.

During our investigation, we saw most every level, there is an information about who is the responsible person if

there is any fire. This people must have been train to organize the evacuation in such of fire. This information is easy

to get and most of the people within the building are well known about this information because it already stick to the

place where it easy to get.

Emergency plan

You need to plan the action that people in the building and other people in the workplace should take in the event of

a fire. If there are more than five people then it must have a written emergency plan. This emergency plan should be

kept in the workplace, be available to the people and outsider and form the basis of the training and instruction which

have been prepared or provide. Any written plan should be available for inspection by the fire authority.

The purpose of the emergency plan is:


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identification of key escape routes, how people can gain access to them and escape from them to places of

safety;

the fire-fighting equipment provided;

the duties and identity of employees who have specific responsibilities in the event of a fire;

arrangements for the safe evacuation of people identified as being especially at risk, such as contractors,

those with disabilities, members of the public and visitors;

where appropriate, any machines/processes/power supplies which need stopping or isolating in the event of

fire;

specific arrangements, if necessary, for high-fire-risk areas of the workplace;

how the fire brigade and any other necessary emergency services will be called and who will be responsible

for doing this;

procedures for liaising with the fire brigade on arrival and notifying them of any special risks, eg the location

of highly flammable materials; and

what training employees need and the arrangements for ensuring that this training is given.


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Information and instruction to the people

It is important that the people in the building know how to prevent fires and what they should do if a fire occurs. They

should all be given information about the fire precautions in the workplace and what to do in the event of a fire. The

management also need to ensure that they include people working in the premises outside normal hours, such as

cleaners or shift workers.

Ensure that training and written information is given in a way that the people can understand, and take account of

those with disabilities such as hearing or sight impairment, those with learning difficulties and those who do not use

English as their first language.

On their first day, all employees should be given information about:

the location and use of the escape routes from where they are working; and

the location, operation and meaning of the fire warning system where they are working.

Train

About the training, most of the people must be well train enough to fight and mange if the fire occurred. The type of

training should be based on the particular features of the workplace and must take a few consideration such as :

it should explain the emergency procedures;


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take account of the work activity, the duties and responsibilities of people;

take account of the findings of the risk assessment; and

be easily understandable by the employees.

Besides that, you should ensure that all people (and contractors) are told about the evacuation arrangements and

are shown the means of escape as soon as possible after attending the premises.

Training should be repeated as necessary (usually once or twice a year) so that the people remain familiar with the

fire precautions in the workplace and are reminded about what to do in an emergency - including those who work in

the premises outside normal hours, such as cleaners or shift-workers. It is very important that the people know about

any changes to the emergency procedures before they are implemented.

Training should preferably include practical exercises, eg fire drills, to check people's understanding of the

emergency plan and make them familiar with its operation. In small workplaces, this might consist of making sure

that people are aware of details of the Fire Action Notice.

The training should include the following list such as:

the action to take on discovering a fire;


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how to raise the alarm and what happens then;

the action to take upon hearing the fire alarm;

the procedures for alerting members of the public and visitors including, where appropriate, directing them to

exits;

the arrangements for calling the fire brigade;

the evacuation procedures for everyone in your workplace to reach an assembly point at a safe place;

the location and, when appropriate, the use of fire-fighting equipment;

the location of the escape routes, especially those not in regular use;

how to open all escape doors, including the use of any emergency fastenings;

the importance of keeping fire doors closed to prevent the spread of fire, heat and smoke;

where appropriate, how to stop machines and processes and isolate power supplies in the event of fire;

the reason for not using lifts (except those specifically installed or adapted for evacuation of disabled people

and

the importance of general fire safety and good housekeeping.


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be present in the workplace. Any of these could lead to new hazards or increased risk. So if there is any significant

change, there will be need to review the assessment in the light of the new hazard or risk.

Do not amend the assessment for every trivial change or for each new job, but if a change or job introduces

significant new hazards you will want to consider them and do whatever you need to keep the risks under control. In

any case, you should keep your assessment under review to make sure that the precautions are still working

effectively.

If a fire or 'near miss' occurs, then the existing assessment may be out of date or inadequate and should reassess. It

is a good idea to identify the cause of any incident and then review the fire risk assessment in the light of this.

Documents

Fire Risk Assessment-computer Sains