I need 500 words per question this is due tonight.
FQ1: Which is more important: fire prevention or fire suppression strategies? Why so?
FQ2: Should OSHA inspectors be permitted by law to make unannounced inspections of workplaces without
a warrant? Why or why not?
This work aligns with the following course objectives:
CO6: Appraise the concepts, principles, and interrelationships between life safety, fire protection,
emergencies, and safety.
This is from the book:
Standards, Regulations, and Codes
Standards, regulations, and codes provide a foundation for professionals involved in life safety
programs. Refer to Chapter 3 for an explanation of these terms.
OSHA Regulations
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federal agency established to
administer the law on safety and health in the workplace. Its regulations are contained in the
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), as are other federal regulations. A widely known example of
federal regulations is found in Title 29 CFR, OSHA. The following regulations were in effect
when researched on November 14, 2011.
An example of an OSHA regulation that promotes life safety is 1910.38 Emergency Action
Plans. It includes these minimum elements:
An emergency action plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace, and available to employees
for review. Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency. Procedures for emergency
evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments.
Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation. Procedures to be followed by
employees performing rescue or medical duties. An employer must have and maintain an
employee alarm system that uses a distinctive signal for each purpose. An employer must
designate and train employees to assist in a safe and orderly evacuation of other employees. An
employer must review the emergency action plan with each employee.
Another OSHA regulation oriented toward life safety is 1910.39 Fire Prevention Plans. It
includes these minimum elements:
A fire prevention plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace, and available to employees for
review. A list of all major fire hazards, proper handling and storage procedures for hazardous
materials, potential ignition sources and their control, and the type of fire protection equipment
necessary to control each major hazard.
Procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials.
(Purpura 364)
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code
Tragedy is often followed by action to enhance safety. National attention focused on the importance of life safety (e.g., adequate emergency exits) following the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist
Factory Fire in Manhattan. This fire spread from the eight to the tenth floor as young female
garment workers, unable to escape because of a locked door, jumped to their deaths, some while
their clothes were on fire, others while holding hands. Although firefighters rushed to the scene,
their ladders reached only to the sixth floor. The fire resulted in 146 deaths and prompted New
York to draft numerous laws to promote safety (Matthews, 2011). Another notable fire resulting
in calls for safety was the Coconut Grove Night Club Fire in Boston in 1942, resulting in 492
deaths.
The history of NFPA 101 began with a presentation by R. H. Newbern at the 1911 Annual
Meeting of the NFPA. The following year, his presentation resulted in the Committee on Safety
to Life publishing “Exit Drills in Factories, Schools, Department Stores and Theaters.” This
committee studied notable fires and causes of loss of life, and prepared standards for the
construction of stair- ways, fire escapes, and egress routes. The publication of additional
pamphlets, which were widely circulated and put into general use, provided the foundation for
the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code.
The NFPA 101 Life Safety Code is used in every state. It is also used by numerous federal
agencies. The state fire marshal’s office serves as a resource if one seeks to find out if the code
has been adopted in a particular locale and which edition is being used.
The state fire marshal often serves as the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), meaning the
person or office charged with enforcing the code. In some jurisdictions, the AHJ is the fire
depart- ment or building department. For some occupancy, there is more than one AHJ. A
hospital, for example, may require approval for life safety from multiple authorities having
jurisdictions.
Here are samples from the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code: Chapter 1, Administration
1.1.2 Danger to Life from Fire. The Code addresses those construction, protection, and
occupancy features necessary to minimize danger to life from fire, including smoke, fumes, or
panic. 1.1.3 Egress Facilities. The Code establishes minimum criteria for the design of egress
facilities to allow prompt escape of occupants from buildings or, where desirable, into safe areas
within buildings.
Chapter 7, Means of Egress 7.1.10.1 Means of egress shall be continuously maintained free of all
obstructions or impediments to full instant use in the case of fire or other emergency.
(Purpura 365)
Purpura, Philip. Security and Loss Prevention: An Introduction, 6th Edition. Elsevier
Butterworth Heinemann, 01/2013. VitalBook file.
Purpura, P. P. (2013). Security and loss prevention: An introduction (6th ed.). Waltham,
MA: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.
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