Current affairs
solutions that can be used against electrical, fuel, gas, oil, fat, metal and solid combustible fires. Having one extinguisher that can be used in all fire classes (A, B, C, D, E and F) dramatically reduces the need for multiple extinguisher types and an understanding of when to use each of them – which may in turn generate a faster and more confident response to any fire – together with the complexity of firefighting knowledge that businesses must disseminate throughout their staff and sustain. Since the use of inappropriate extinguishers can also increase the severity of a fire, the sheer simplicity of this new approach also seems likely to drive down risk and minimise harm. That includes the risk and harm caused by losing a business after a fire, a risk that currently runs at around 80%9
. Moving ahead
For half a century, the fire protection industry has been stagnant, and therefore almost all of the fire protection advice and ‘best practice’ currently available to the catering and hospitality sector is now badly out of date. Until that changes, businesses in this sector will continue to bear the heavy (and needless) burden of complex requirements and elevated risk. Ultimately, the fire protection sector will
change and catch up, but there is no reason for the catering sector to wait for that to happen. There is nothing to stop catering firms purchasing the new extinguishers (which are available in various formats) and raising this issue with any fire prevention consultants or other experts they choose to work with. Indeed, the response of those experts may give businesses an insight into how up to date or otherwise their own fire protection representative is. In time, the many advantages of a ‘one for
all’ fire extinguishing solution will inevitably win the day, and we will all stop worrying about whether the fire extinguisher in our hands is going to make the fire better or a good deal worse. But in sectors where the risk of fire is high, such as food and drink, the benefits are greater than elsewhere and delay is potentially more costly. For catering and related businesses, the time to change is now
Dave Breith is chief executive officer of Firexo. For more information, view page 5
References
1. ‘Business Safety Week 2018 – Toolkit for participating fire & rescue services’, NFCC,
2.
FOCUS
https://www.nationalfirechiefs.org. uk/write/MediaUploads/Campaign images/Business Safety Week/NFCC_ Business_Safety_Week_2018.pdf
‘Fire safety in takeaways and cafes’, London Fire Brigade,
https://www.london-
fire.gov.uk/safety/the-workplace/ takeaways-cafes-and-restaurants/
3. ‘Number of fire-related fatalities in Great Britain from 2009/10 to 2017/18’, Statista,
https://www.statista.com/ statistics/291135/fire-fatalities-in- england/
4. ‘Up in flames’, Elite Business Magazine,
http://elitebusinessmagazine.co.uk/ finance/item/up-in-flames
5.
‘Fire safety law explained’, London Fire Brigade,
https://www.london-fire.gov. uk/safety/the-workplace/fire-safety-law- explained/
6.
‘Fire Risk Assessments’, London Fire Brigade,
https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/ the-workplace/fire-risk-assessments-your- responsibilities/
7. ‘Emergency plan’, London Fire Brigade,
https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/ the-workplace/your-emergency-plan/
8. ‘Your duties’, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service,
https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/ your-safety/for-businesses/your-duties. aspx
9. See Reference 4 above.
www.frmjournal.com APRIL 2020 53
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
