Fire investigators attend and examine fire scenes in all types of structures, 包括商业, 制造业 , 以及各种设计的住宅建筑. 结构可能涉及复杂的工业机械, the accommodation of ships or other factors that increase the risk of injury or fatality. Because a fire scene presents a wide range of potential structural hazards, personal safety must be regarded as a priority in all fire investigations.
现场风险评估对安全至关重要
Legislation in the UK and Ireland requires the undertaking of risk assessments in the workplace. 以下是一些基本规定:
- Management of Health and 安全 at Work Regulations 1999 (UK), Regulation 3(1) Employers required to make sufficient and suitable risk assessment.
- 安全, 2005年《皇家88账户注册》(联合王国), 第19(1)条:危害识别和风险评估.
- 欧洲理事会指令89/391/EEC, Article 6(1): General Obligations on Employers and Article 13(1): Workers Obligations.
It is essential that fire investigators complete scene risk assessments to assess structurally related hazards and 风险 and ensure they are managed appropriately. 进行现场风险评估时, 调查人员牢记三个关键因素:危险, 风险, 控制措施.
进行现场风险评估
评估和管理危害. Structures involved in fire will often be subject to physical changes as a result of the fire. These changes generally create hazards that a fire investigator must assess and manage to undertake the fire scene examination safely. General hazards likely to be encountered in structural fires may include:
- 结构崩溃/稳定性问题
- 松散的碎片从上面掉下来
- 地板上的洞
- 有害物质
- 暴露的电气设备
- 损坏的天然气或石油服务
- 尖锐物，如玻璃、钉子或撕裂的材料
此外, 结构性火灾会带来额外的危险, 比如生物污染物, 化学物质, 密闭空间, 滑倒, 绊倒和跌倒, 呼吸的危险, 在高处工作.
识别和减轻风险. Fire investigators work in inherently hazardous and risky environments, with each fire scene containing its own unique structural hazards and 风险. 例如:
- Structural collapse/stability hazards pose a risk of collapse, potentially resulting in a fatal or crushing injury that may lead to the death and/or entrapment of an investigator.
- Holes in a floor pose a risk of an investigator falling through the floor. 当你站在下面, 残骸可能会砸到调查人员身上, potentially resulting in a fatal or serious injury to the investigator or others who might enter.
- 破碎的窗玻璃构成尖锐的危险, 丢弃的针头, or torn pieces of metal or structure can pose a laceration risk to anyone entering.
以减轻任何类型的风险, the likelihood of the hazardous event happening must be reduced as well as the consequence of the hazardous event.
实施管制措施. Controlling risk involves implementing changes that will minimise risk. One suitable method of control investigators can adopt to reduce risk potential is limiting access. 例如:
In the case of structural stability hazards posing risk of collapse, the investigator should avoid the unstable area of the structure until the area is made safe. Barrier tape or fencing could be erected, putting distance between people and the hazard. A structural engineer may be required to fully assess the safety of the building before safe investigations can commence. Controlled demolitions to progress the investigation may be necessary.
For holes in the floor that create risk for fall or falling debris, a suitable control measure would be to avoid this area and/or minimise the imposed weight put on the structure in the area of concern. Excessive weight on a fire damaged floor may result in the collapse of the floor.
如果需要访问, wearing adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) will reduce the risk of injury (e.g., hard hat, safety glasses, appropriately rated debris gloves). PPE is often considered the last line of defence against hazards. Due to the nature of structural hazards and the environment that fire investigators work in, 人们认识到，个人防护装备并不能消除风险.
Controlling structural hazards can also require the introduction of a safe system of work unique to the fire scene circumstances. This is typically by form of a method statement or a Safe Operating Procedure (SOP), which sets out how the task will be undertaken in a safe manner.
人身安全是第一要务
Jensen Hughes recognises the need to effectively assess and manage structural fire scene examinations. Consequently, all Jensen Hughes investigators are trained in completing scene risk assessments. This ensures hazards and 风险 are managed appropriately, thereby protecting
