– Mukesh Agrawal, IPS[Retd.]

The importance of a fire and life safety audit and resultant interventions in all types of buildings and industries need not be overstated. To mention a few, such buildings and industries including malls, hotels, hospitals, banks, educational institutions, residential complexes etc. This audit is a sine qua non to ensure the safety of human resources and protection of physical assets.

Comprehensive fire safety audit covers all aspects of fire prevention, protection and safety measures necessary to ensure safety of life and properties. The parameters of evaluation of fire compliant buildings/premises differ on case to case basis depending upon the nature, height, complexities in a building, and fire behaviour characteristics of different materials and structural elements of buildings vis-à-vis activities pursued by the occupants of the building. Fire audit helps owners to identify areas requiring improvements and initiate necessary redressal measures to avert any fire emergencies.

A comprehensive fire safety audit can address the inherent fire risks connected to regular operations in an occupation and suggest actions to lessen the potential fire risks.

Key elements of fire and life safety audit are: –

• Assessment of the fire safety preparedness of an organisation or building.
• Ensuring compliance with local, national and industry-specific regulatory mechanism governing fire and life safety.
• Violation of such norms has serious legal repercussions besides imposition of fines, shutdowns and other prescribed penalties.
• Detailed analytical process to identify potential fire and other life safety hazards.
• Early identification of gaps facilitates timely intervention and initiation of corrective steps thereby reducing the risk of fire incidents and hazards.
• Assessment of the emergency response plans and evacuation procedures in place at any premises.
• Testing, updating and maintaining operational effectiveness of all fire protection and safety measures and equipment to minimise danger to life from fire, smoke, fumes etc.
• Making human resource aware and understand fire prevention and precautionary measures as well as fire safety protocols. Intervention in terms of additional training, awareness camps, drills, communication etc. are prerequisites of such awareness campaigns.
• Analysis of different risks and putting in place effective risk management strategies.
• Documentation and maintenance of database of evidence of fire safety measures in place, improvements and corrective measures taken from time to time.

Regular fire safety audits are the best ways to lower the number of fire incidents in the nation. It is reasonable to do fire safety audit every once a year. We should always remember that prevention is better than treatment.

Fire and life safety is a continuous process. Identifying and addressing the gaps and weaknesses in a time bound manner helps in enhancing the overall safety environment.

Even the Insurance companies are known to view positively the proactive safety measures with likely lower premiums and better coverage.

(Disclaimer: Views expressed by the author are his own)

Authored by: –

Mukesh Agrawal, IPS[Retd.]

Former Director General of Civil Defence and

Commandant General of Home Guards, Assam

&

Spl. Director General of Police-cum-Director

Fire and Emergency Services, Assam