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Unit 36 - Forensic Fire Investigation Assignment 4 (Merit & Distinction)
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Unit 36 – Fire InvestigationAssignment 4.
Until after World War I very little official attention was given in relation to fire prevention, this was because the
majority of fire departments were only concerned with the extinguishment of fires. However, since then
numerous urban areas have established some type of fire-prevention unit, whereby the staff focus on
measures, such as; heightening the public’s awareness, incorporating fire-prevention measures in relation to
building design as well as in the design of machinery and the execution of industrial activity; reducing potential
fire sources, and outfitting structures with specific equipment e.g. sprinkler systems and extinguishers to
essentially minimise the effects of a fire if one was to occur. The RIBA Plan of Work which was published by the
RIBA in 2020 implies that; ‘ Fire safety strategies form an integral part of the design and therefore, must be
integrated from the point at which a building project is identified and will continue through the ongoing Asset
Management of the building, providing a golden thread of fire safety information.’ To ensure fire safety the
main five design options are;
Ignition prevention – this is controlling ignition and fuel sources, so that fires don’t occur.
Communication – if ignition does occur, ensuring any occupants are informed and any active fire
systems are triggered.
Escape – this ensures that the occupants of the building(s) along with surrounding areas can move to
places of safety.
Containment – this is where the fire should be contained to the smallest possible area, essentially
limiting the threat to life safety and the extent of property which is likely to be damaged.
Extinguishment – this ensures that the fire is able to be quickly extinguished with minimal
consequential damage.
These will be explained as below;
1. IGNITION PREVENTION :
As with everything, prevention is better than cure. Numerous building services are generally at risk of major
ignition, so, when building a building designers should design out ignition sources and enable buildings to be
managed in such a manner that the risk of ignition is eliminated as much as possible. A source of ignition is
able to be described as any object, process or event which is capable of igniting or transmitting a medium
which can prompt combustion. So, a source of ignition could include got surfaces, open flames, sparks, friction,
and static electricity. There are numerous possible causes of ignition, these are; human carelessness, natural
phenomena, and technological failure – these will be explained in this section.
Human Carelessness & Technological Failure –
Human carelessness is known as the most common ignition cause and is the most difficult to design against.
Fires could be started by candles, cigarettes, cooking, matched, along with other appliances. Deliberate acts of
arson are rather difficult to design out. Fire prevention is the responsibility of the owner, the manager, and all
occupants of a property. The property owner/ manager should ideally take steps to; control smoking materials
& open flames, use electrical equipment correctly, store flammable and combustible liquids safely, control
special hazards, perform general housekeeping tasks on a regular basis, purchase fire-safe furnishing,
decorations, and interior finishes. Anything that gets hot requires plenty of space around it, a good rule is to
leave ‘three feet from the heat’ between warm items and anything which could possibly catch fire.
Any equipment which heats up, whether deliberately or as a by-product of the energy used, can be a potential
ignition source. An obvious risk in these circumstances are heaters, their surfaces can become hot, and they’re
blowing or transmitting heated air around a room. Oil and gas heaters also contain a fuel source directly within
them, thus, potentially increasing the risk in which they pose. Boilers and cooking equipment are also common
tools which are known to heat up on the surface as well as inside. It must be noted lights along with various
other kinds of electrical equipment are prone to getting warm on the surface, therefore, should be considered
when a risk assessment is being conducted. When buildings are being designed, ideally, plant rooms,
laboratories boiler house, and large kitchens should all be situated where their threat is the most minimised.
Heating systems should be regularly serviced by professionals, including chimneys from wood-burning
fireplaces. Heat sources should be cleaned around, and dust along with other flammable items kept away from
ignition sources. Heaters should ideally be bought with an automatic shut-off function in the event of them
falling or tipping over. Electrical equipment can be seen as a hazard in more ways than one. This is because it
can produce heat but also sparks which can ignite a fire. Electrical switches and items grinding together can
also produce sparks. Services and installations should be correctly, designed, constructed, specified, checked,
and commissioned. In the long term, checking and replacement cycles should be in place so that correct
operation is able to be maintained. The materials which appliances and furniture’s are made of in buildings can
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,Unit 36 – Fire Investigation
Assignment 4.
have a large effect on the amount of heat and smoke which is released, and whether they are easily
susceptible to ignition, should carelessness proceed.
Cooking equipment, welding gear, or boilers with pilot lights are just some sources of open flames.
Furthermore, individuals should be aware that carrying a cigarette lighter or box of matches in their pockets
could ignite a fire, particularly if the environmental circumstances are correct. For employees working in
buildings of specifically high-risk, it is wise to publish guidelines regarding what the individual is able to carry
on them. Candles are a rather common cause of fires. People leaving candles too close to other items account
for close to half of the fires which occur in homes. 35% of candle fires occur in the bedrooms, and 10% of these
take place when people have fallen asleep. Candles should never be left unattended or burning while an
individual sleeps, if an individual is tired, they should avoid using candles in the bedroom altogether.
December is the busiest month for candle fires. Particular attention should be payed to keep Christmas trees
and other decorations at least three feet away from heat sources e.g. candles, heat vents, open or gas fires,
portable heaters, and radiators. Candles should always be kept on a study holder or base, ideally with some
type of heatproof container below, they should be kept well away from any fabrics, paper, or other
combustible materials.
Washing machines and dryers are frequent culprits of ignition sources. In relation to tumble dryers, lint should
be removed after every usage. A clogged filter along with trapped lint can make the dryer less efficient, thus,
reducing the airflow required to keep heat from building up in vents, and forces lint onto the heating coils. The
dryer should never run when occupants are out of the house or when they’re asleep. Medical oxygen is also a
fire risk. Increased oxygen concentration in the air causes fires to burn hotter and longer. It also allows
combustible items to ignite at much lower temperatures. Never smoke, use candles or burn stoves around
medical oxygen. Outlet extenders or plug-in power bars should be avoided, this is because they can quickly
overload an electrical circuit. Home wiring should be regularly checked. Appliance cords which are frayed,
damaged, or old should be replaced, and three-pronged plugs should never be forced into a two-slot outlet or
extension cord. Any rags which have been used to apply flammable paints, chemicals or other coating should
be properly disposed of. If they’re being kept, they should be stored in an airtight, metal container with
properly fitted lids.
Cooking is by far one of the leading causes of home fires and home fire injuries. A fire is considerably more
likely to occur in the kitchen, in comparison to anywhere else in the house. Over 90% of kitchen fires are
caused through unattended cooking, therefore, cooking should never be left unattended when using grills,
frying pans, or any methods involving an open flame, even on a low simmer or heat. If an individual should
need to leave the kitchen, they need to turn off the grill or hob completely. Cooking oil containers should be
stored well away from the stove. When cooking with oil, the stove should never be left unattended. To step a
grease fire, the burner needs to be turned off and a lid placed on the pan to suffocate the flames or pour on
lots of baking soda. Water should never be poured on a grease fire or should the pan be attempted to be
carried outside, this is because water splatters the grease making the fire bigger, and the pan will be way too
hot for it to be carried. Surfaces around the cooking area should be kept free from cloths, towels, paper, paper
bags, oven gloves, tissues, wooden utensils, food packaging, and curtains. The oven and surrounding areas
should be regularly cleaned to prevent significant grease build-up, which can ignite if it gets hot enough. When
cooking, individuals should avoid wearing loose, draped or baggy-sleeved cooking. Nightly the kitchen should
be checked before going to bed, to ensure all hobs and appliances are turned off. Children mustn’t play within
three feet of an oven or cooking area when in operation.
Potting Soil fires can be an issue particularly in gardens, this is because potting soil contains very large amounts
of peat moss, when this peat moss gets too dry it can become incredibly flammable. In potting mix there is also
shredded wood, bark, Styrofoam, and vermiculite – these are ingredients which under dry conditions can
easily ignite. To prevent these types of fires, potted plants should be watered regularly. Make sure the soil
around potted plants are moist, soil which is in pots dries out quicker than soil present in garden beds.
Ashtrays should be kept handy; this is because although regular garden soil can extinguish a cigarette its not
the cause for potting soil. Therefore, smokers in their own premises should have a safe place to dispose of
their cigarette butts both indoors and outdoors. Smoking materials should be properly extinguished. Never
smoke in bed, ashtrays which are deep, and sturdy should always be used, and all cigarettes and cigars should
be fully extinguished with water before disposing them in a litter bin. This is because smoking materials which
aren’t extinguished properly can smoulder undetected for days before igniting a fire. Smoking materials should
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, Unit 36 – Fire Investigation
Assignment 4.
never be discarded on the ground or in plant pots. However, in all enclosed workplaces there is a smoking ban
put in place, this means that it is illegal to smoke in enclosed public places, this came into force on the 1 st July
2007, as a consequence of the Health Act 2006. Areas provided for employees or members of the public to
smoke, such as smoking shelters, should always be located a long way from potential sources of fuel. Open
flames, burning paper and tobacco embers pose a considerable danger, especially if there is no easy way for
people to extinguish their cigarettes. If smoking areas are kept at a distance from buildings and other potential
sources of fuel, they can usually be maintained relatively safely. When possible, clay pots should be used, so, if
a fire breaks out a clay pot will keep it contained more better in comparison to other types of pots. Potting soil
should also be kept away from combustible materials e.g. old newspapers, firewood, gasoline, aerosols, paint
solvents, and cleaning products. Unused potting soil should be disposed of carefully, this is because unused soil
can dry out quickly and become a fire hazard. If any is left over it would be ideal to spread, it on garden beds.
Firewood, garbage, and piles of leaves should all be kept away from the home. If a grass fire occurs nearby,
these items next to the building could easily become kindling. Hot ashes should never be dumped near or
inside a building, they should be kept in a metal container well away from a building.
In relation to prevent ignition in relation to fireplaces and wood stoves, the following can be done. Chimneys
should be cleaned twice a year and flue vents regularly inspected. This will prevent creosote build-up in the
chimney flue, cardboard, trash, or green wood shouldn’t be burnt. To start the fire, gasoline, charcoal starter
fluid, or other flammable liquids shouldn’t be used. Before discarding ashes, let them cool in a metal container,
this is because they contain live coals which can ignite. Wood should be safely stored away from any wood-
burning appliances. Before lighting the fireplace, the damper should be opened first and kept open until the
fire has burnt out and the ashes are cool A screen can be used to keep embers and logs in the fireplace. The
fire department, a building inspector, chimney sweep, or stove retailer should check to see whether the stove
meets the Woof Energy Technology Transfer (WETT) safety guidelines. If a new stove is being installed, it
should be placed away from furniture, walls, curtains, along with other combustible materials, ensuring it has
proper clearance, and a ventilation system.
To maximise safety and minimise the risk of a fire, all sources of ignition should be identified and accounted for
when a fire risk assessment is being carried out, and employees should be trained in the risks and hazards they
face in their day-to-day work. Owners of buildings must ensure that the design and layout of the premises
provides suitable passive fire protection in compliance with current building regulations. Electrical equipment
should undergo regular safety checks to reduce the risk of sparks and malfunction and committing to keeping
sources of ignition separate from sources of fuel and oxygen will produce long-term safety benefits for any
work premises. An employer in a firm must appoint someone that is capable of carrying out fire safety risk
assessments on a regular basis and implement change in any way they feel necessary to improve fire safety. A
fire risk assessment is normally carried out as-well as a health and safety risk assessment. It is then the
employer’s job to ensure that safety features are kept up to date with regards to the fire assessment. Services
and installations should be designed to the highest of standards and checked regularly. The checking and
replacing any work system parts is a key aspect of good fire design as-well as regular checks to ensure safety.
Any materials that are used inside of a building should be of fire-resistant properties and can have a huge
impact on the amount of smoke and heat that is produced if a fire was to erupt. Limiting the amount of fuel
available will help to reduce risk in two ways, through fire loading, where through controlling the amount of
material which will burn and release heat to feed the growth of a fire and the smoke load, it will also reduce
the amount of smoke which is able to be produced.
Furthermore, the spread of a fire, along with the extent to which it grows, and the products pyrolysis formed
partly are dependent on the types of fuels which are available. Primarily in compartment fires in homes along
with other buildings there will generally be large amounts of upholstered furniture present e.g. beds, futons,
armchairs, mattresses, etc, which all are a potential fuel source. Upholstered furniture typically consists of a
frame, filling material e.g. foam and an outer covering fabric. However, numerous problems have actually been
encountered regarding upholstered furniture in fires, especially the flammability of materials used in their
manufacture and the toxicity of materials used. Back in the 1970’s-1980’s a type of foam filling was used which
when burnt produced toxic fumes. Due to this the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988
applied numerous fire resistance standards to upholstered furniture, such as; beds, sofas, armchairs. Following
this legislation, modern upholstered furniture need to include labels with fire resistance information. Now,
modern furniture is generally produced using flame retardant textiles e.g. chlorine and nitrogen – these
typically inhibit the burning rate of textiles so are usually used to treat fabrics. Whilst other substances are
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