A fire safety audit is a very important tool for considering the fire safety measures of an organization or occupancy. A complete fire safety audit should have the inherent fire risks associated with the day-to-day activities in occupancy and recommend measures to lower potential fire risks.
Understanding Fire Safety Audits
Fire safety audits refer to comprehensive reviews of fire prevention and response measures in industrial establishments. The main purpose of these audits is to assess observation with fire safety regulations, determine possible risks, and evaluate the overall effectiveness of fire safety standards in place. By performing regular audits, industrial establishments can proactively handle fire risks and keep a high standard of safety.
There are some reasons Why Industrial Fire Safety Audits Are Essential.
1. Legal and Regulatory Requirements
Fire safety audits are essential and often mandatory under local, national, and international regulations. These audits ensure compliance with fire safety standards, which is both a legal and moral responsibility to protect lives and assets. Non-compliance can lead to penalties, fines, and legal issues. In India, the National Building Code (NBC) 2005 serves as the standard for fire safety and is widely adopted across states. Maharashtra’s Fire Prevention and Life Safety Rules, 2009, require strict adherence to the NBC and place the responsibility of maintaining fire safety systems on building owners and occupiers.
As per the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Act, 2006, only “Licensed Agencies” can provide fire safety measures or issue compliance certificates. There are currently 160 approved agencies in Maharashtra for this purpose. High-rise and residential buildings face significant risks and require proper design, maintenance, and operation to reduce fire hazards. Regular fire safety inspections and audits are recommended by NBC to ensure compliance and maintain safety standards.
2. Fire Safety Audit
A fire safety audit evaluates a building’s fire safety management, including compliance with NBC, Indian Standards, and local regulations. It systematically examines potential fire hazards, evaluates safety policies, and ensures legal requirements are met. These audits focus on fire prevention, protection, and emergency management, tailored to the building’s occupancy type and activity.
The main goal is to critically assess hazards involving people, equipment, and operations, ensuring safety systems are effective. In Maharashtra, half-yearly fire safety audits are mandatory for all buildings, with reports submitted to the fire department. Licensed agencies conduct these audits, ensuring fire safety systems are properly maintained and functional.
3. Scop Of Audit
A fire safety audit is a useful way to assess the fire safety standards of a building or organization. It helps identify areas needing improvement and create an action plan. A comprehensive audit examines fire hazards, the adequacy of fire safety systems, and compliance with building rules, regulations, and safety codes. It ensures the building is safe for living, working, or industrial activities.
The audit covers various aspects, including design, operation, maintenance, and daily fire risks. It checks if the building follows national standards, fire safety regulations, and building codes. Audits can focus on the entire building or specific fire protection systems. Findings are published in a report with recommendations to fix any non-compliance issues.
Fire safety audits go beyond reviewing documents or visual inspections. They may include active system tests to ensure all fire safety systems work as designed. This helps clients address issues and meet legal requirements effectively.
4. Objectives Of Audit
The purposes of a Fire Safety Audit can be concentrated on the following:
- Identify all important fire risks.
- Identify the people who are at risk.
- Consider the existing control measurements.
- Choose the extra control measures needed.
- Explore the availability of a suitable emergency plan describing the responsibility and actions of essential personnel.
- Check the availability of the right fire alarm and detection system.
- Check the availability of the right fire-fighting facilities, like hydrants, sprinklers, extinguishers, etc.
- Assess passive fire protection systems equipped.
- Assess the general understanding of residents and security personnel on matters associated with fire safety and rescue operations.
- Assess the training and instructions on fire safety imparted to the workers and residents.
Checking of all fire safety equipment and systems.
5. Fire Safety Inspection
Fire safety inspections check a building’s fire safety procedures, installations, and records to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. These inspections ensure building owners and occupants meet their responsibilities, have proper fire safety systems in place, and keep them in working condition as per fire safety standards. Occupants must also maintain records of all fire safety system maintenance.
The inspection includes checking fire safety systems and maintenance records. During the process, a checklist is completed, and the owner/occupant receives a signed copy. If no issues are found, the inspection is finished. If faults are found, they are recorded in the report with actions and a deadline for corrections.
The inspection uses a standard checklist covering ownership details, building structure, fire protection systems, and fire prevention measures. In Maharashtra, inspections are conducted by licensed agencies approved by the Directorate of Fire Services. The checklist can be expanded if necessary to cover additional safety areas.
6. Fire Safety Survey
A fire safety survey assesses if a building fulfills all safety rules like a review of evacuation instructions, records of maintenance of fire safety installations, and operational tests of fire safety installations. It looks at things like evacuation plans, maintenance records for fire systems, and whether these systems are working properly. The survey also examines building features like emergency exits and travel distances to ensure they’re safe and meet legal standards.
If any problems are found, they are listed in a report. The building owner is given a set time to fix these issues. After the deadline, another check is done to ensure everything has been corrected. The report might also include extra suggestions to improve fire safety, even if they’re not required by law. In the end, the owner receives a report showing what’s working well and what needs attention, along with clear deadlines for making improvements.
How to Schedule for an Industrial Fire Safety Audit
An industrial fire safety audit is executed to consider the keeping of an industrial building with fire safety regulations. It is also a method to determine possible fire hazards and guide corrective steps to improve fire safety in the industries.
Understand what to expect during an industrial fire safety audit
An industrial fire safety audit generally concerns a site visit by a auditors who will consider the keeping of the establishment with fire safety regulations. They will also examine possible fire risks and advise on how to enhance fire safety in the industries.
Ready for an industrial fire safety audit by collecting all appropriate documentation.
The auditors working on an industrial fire safety audit will probably request different documents from the establishment, like proof of insurance, documents of Fire Safety Plans, and records of past fire safety audits. It is essential to have all of these records readily available to avoid any delays in the audit procedure.
Be ready to reply to queries about your facility’s fire safety systems and protocols.
The auditors performing an industrial fire safety audit will probably ask queries about the establishment’s fire safety systems and protocols. It is important to be aware of these procedures and protocols so that you can accurately reply to any questions that are asked during the audit procedure.
How Atasee is Enhancing Fire Safety in Chandigarh
Conclusion
Fire safety audits are important for assessing the fire safety standards of an organization or building and how buildings and organizations from fires. A comprehensive fire safety audits look at the daily risks that could cause fires and recommends measures to make things safer to reduce the fire risks. Even though governments have strict fire safety rules, fire accidents are still happening, leading to the loss of lives and property.
A good building maintenance plan plays a big role in preventing fires. Unfortunately, many places don’t have trained staff to handle this. Often, people without proper experience end up managing maintenance and paperwork. On top of that, many building owners and occupants don’t realize that their fire safety systems aren’t being kept up to the required standards.
