Fire Safety in a Factory

Safety in fighting factory fire

With the passage of time man has been more concerned with his safety and to the other human beings around him. There was a time when life had a very cheap price, but nowadays people respect other human beings and are genuinely concerned about the safety and well-being of other individuals. Factories and warehouses were not always this safe, but with the passage of time there has been drastic changes in the fire security assessments and avoidance. Now, in the modern world, factories and warehouses are made safer places to work and participate in work related efforts. (Fire Safety Risk Assesment, 2006)

The fire safety in a factory can be practiced, avoided, and assessed from the factory itself. Meaning the safety starts from the workers and the individuals who work there. The factories have a fire risk assessment unit or department that estimates the hazards, evaluate, reduce, and remove risks of fire ignition in a factory.

For safety from the fire, firstly, the crew or the workers of the factory are trained with extensive knowledge to tackle such a situation also there are other measure that could result in the safety from the fire ignition.

There can be many risk factors resulting in the fire ignition. The processing units in the factory involving flammable substance or the faulty machines can cause a fire ignition in a factory. But a greater percentage of accidents are caused by the negligence of the workers i.e. the irresponsibility of the maintenance workers, the operating staff or unsatisfactory repairing to the machinery can result in the ignition of fire. Careless spread of material that could result in the fire ignition is also a very big factor that could result in the fire ignition when it comes in contact with the flammable material, and since in every factory some sort of flammable material is present so this risk is present all over. Other risk factors include the faulty electrical equipment which has not been checked properly and not serviced which makes it probable to be a cause for the ignition of fire. Kitchens in the factory area can also be a risk if the kitchens are left unattended y the staff which will allow different factors to ignite fire in the factory. (Ltd, 2011)

A very high risk is posed by the warehouses in the factory where the complete material is kept for storage and then transported to places. A very high quantity of stuff is present in these areas and regular maintenance and supervision is required to ensure the safety of these areas. The cleanliness and removal of any flammable product/item or any other source of ignition should be cleaned from the area. Another posing risk is the short circuit or fault of any electrical equipment present in that area which can cause equal damage to the factory. For this very reason of fire ignition the warehouses are separated from the factory and the goods or the completed material is kept at different places saving the completed material from an overall and complete damage. Another risk is the objects in possession of the workers i.e. lamp, torch, cigarette lighter or cigarettes. For this very reason a no smoking policy is implemented in a factory mostly.

Firstly for the safety from the fire ignition, the hazards are identified. Then the people at risk are identified i.e. the individuals in place whom can be harmed in case of fire must be highlighted and identified. After that the risk involvement is taken into consideration, it is removed, reduced and protection is offered from the risk factors to the factory workers. After all this all the hazards and dangers of the workplace must be reviewed and told to the workers so that they can take necessary actions to save their lives moreover the risks are recorded, a plan of action is developed as to how the workers will avoid the fire ignition, the workers are instructed and trained to handle such a situation so that the factory can be saved from a hefty loss.

To handle the situation some important measures should be taken which involve display of signs and notices so that the workers or other individuals working in the factory can avoid danger and work in a healthy environment. Also there should be adequate escape routes and they should be easily reachable so that any individual seeking a way out can be easily saved from sheer danger. Firefighting equipment must be installed all over the area so that any worker in need can take help from it, also the workers must be given necessary instructions to reduce and tackle such a situation. The maintenance staff must be very vigilant, diligent and dedicated so that any loss due to human error can also be avoided. (Ansari, 2014)

In case the fire spreads and is out of control of the staff and the fire department must be informed then first an adequate and quick response system should be devised that can alarm the fire department of the fire ignition so that they could reach in time. I case of a heavy fire, first the firefighters must be fully aware of the safe exits and their first priority must be to control the fire and evacuate the place so that the loss of any human lives can be avoided in any case. A fire assessment team of the factory must inform the firefighting squad of the location and should familiarize the squad with the help of the map of the factory premises. The firefighting squad must be properly equipped so that there is no difficulty in reducing and extinguishing the fire. The firefighters should be well aware of the intensity of the situation and firstly they should go for any victims of the fire ignition who are trapped in the affected area. With all of this they should concentrate on extinguishing fire from the source i.e. the very origin of the fire ignition must be traced and the fire should be reduced. They should also look for any flammable material in reach of the fire so that any more danger can be avoided by this step. Also with members of the squad trying to extinguish fire, other members of the squad along with properly trained and equipped workers of the factory, the material that could be saved must be saved with an effort from the workers and the firefighting squad. With the safety of the workers trapped in the fire, the safety of the firefighters is equally important as they are considered an asset of the nation, the fighting heroes. So the firefighters must be properly equipped with all the fire safety apparatus. They must save themselves from the fire by the apparatus i.e. gloves, body wear and most importantly a mask to ensure the complete safety of the firefighter. Also there should be an ambulance to take the victims of the scene to a place where they could get any aid or treatment for the wounds.

Ensuring the safety of every individual related to the factory is very important, whether they are workers or the firefighters who save the lives of those struck by this fire ignition. There should be some precaution from the government of the state. A rule should be passed to or some criteria should be followed to ensure that all the factories within a state have a proper fire safety management system that could ensure the safety. Also they should inspect the factories from time to time so that any danger can be avoided. Every life is important, every life means a lot to the humanity.

References

Ansari, N. (2014, Jan 26). The Express Tribune. Retrieved Nov 28, 2014, from Fighting fire: Red heat: http://tribune.com.pk/story/661907/fighting-fire-red-heat/

Fire Safety Risk Assesment. (2006). London: Department for Communities and Local Government. Retrieved Nov 28, 2014, from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/14882/fsra-factories-warehouses.pdf

Ltd, S. (2011). Fire Safety Advice Centre. Retrieved Nov 28, 2014, from Factories and Warehouses: http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-safety-in-factories-and-warehouses/