Loss analysis Main category: Warehouses and bulk storage Sub category: Waste storage


Jan 2009 to Dec 2017: During this period large loss fires in warehouses and bulk storage premises accounted for 5.6% of all large loss fires


The numbers: There were 293 large loss fires in warehouses and bulk storage premises, 15 of which occurred in waste storage. Fires in waste storage accounted for 0.3% of all large loss fires and 5.1% of fires in all warehouse and bulk storage premises


Cause


Warehouses and bulk storage Waste storage Time of day


Warehouses and bulk storage Waste storage


Impedances


Warehouses and bulk storage Waste storage


Accidental 43.3% 40.0%


00:00 - 06:00 06:00 - 12:00 14.6% 13.7%


8.8% 5.9%


Total 59


2


Access 17


1


Deliberate 21.8% 20.0%


12:00 -18:00 14.9% 5.9%


1


Unknown/unassigned 34.6% 40.0%


18:00 - 00:00 21.1% 13.7%


Acetylene Inadequate water 16


21 0


Unknown 40.2% 60.8%


Resources 5


0


The cost: Fires in warehouses and bulk storage premises account for 9.6% of estimated financial losses in all large loss fires, with an average loss of £1,126,171 per fire. Fires in waste storage account for 5.0% of the estimated large losses in warehouses and bulk storage premises, with an average cost of £1,099,052 per fire


Insurance component


Warehouses and bulk storage


Waste storage Business Building 50.6% 72.8% Fires in waste storage cost on average £277m2 Addressing the problems


The key factor with storing waste is to protect the building as well as the contents. Recent site visits have revealed investment into high tech suppression systems, and some have involved automatic fire detection by flame detectors, linked to accurately identify where ignition has occurred, directing foam monitors and controlling the application of a suitable extinguishing medium. Even though the material being processed is waste, this investment has clearly been identified as practical as well as proportional to the fire hazards present. Where such an installation is being planned,


control equipment and valve sets should be located in a structure remote from the storage area. There should be adequate supplies of water and any other necessary extinguishing media stored on site, and the insurer should be consulted to ensure maximum benefit can be obtained from the investment.


Liaison should be maintained with the local fire


and rescue service so that they are aware of the installation and familiar with its operation. In all cases, minimise the potential for fire spread by effective compartmentation between storage and any processing areas. Where storage is in the open air, ensure


adequate separation between different forms of waste, and that walkways are clearly marked and kept free of obstructions, so as to act as escape routes as well as access for firefighting. Store any


interruption 17.7% 4.0% Contents Loss of rent 2.5% 0.6% 3.6% 4.5%


Machine and plant


6.0% 4.4% Stock Other 18.0% 1.6% 0.6% 13.1% , whereas those in warehouses and bulk storage as a whole cost £364m2


gas cylinders required on site in accordance with RISCAuthority Recommendations RC8. Any flammable liquids should be stored, handled and used in accordance with RC55. Display appropriate hazardous material warning


signs prominently at the entrance and on each area concerned. Eliminate hot work throughout wherever possible, and when unavoidable, control operations with a hot work permit system in accordance with RC7. Review the fire risk assessment (and DSEAR assessment where appropriate) whenever there are significant changes to staff numbers, layout, processes or the nature of stored waste. Ensure that measures identified in assessments are implemented effectively by competent persons. When a new facility is at the design stage, give serious consideration to installing an automatic fire suppression system, such as water sprinklers, which should be designed, installed, commissioned and maintained in accordance with the LPC Sprinkler Rules incorporating BS EN 12845, by a company certificated by an independent UKAS accredited third party certification body. Have an effective emergency plan in place


to ensure the resilience of the business. One way of approaching this is to complete the ROBUST business continuity and incident management planning software, available free from https://robust.riscauthority.co.uk/


Adair Lewis is technical consultant at the Fire Protection Association


These statistics are based on information supplied by loss adjusters to the FPA on a voluntary basis and not all insurers conducting business in the UK contribute to this dataset. They represent only sums paid out where the total loss is in excess of £100k and are deficient of losses under £100K, deductibles, underinsurance, uninsured, self-insured and captively insured components, which may be significant. In a year, total losses captured typically account for 50% of the ABI declared annual fire loss figure – which is similarly deficient of the same components (except the £100k threshold).


www.frmjournal.com FEBRUARY 2018 53


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