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Risk Management a Politicians View

23 March 2009

Each year fire kills more than 3,000 Europeans and 100,000 people suffer burns and injuries associated with fire. This is an enormous loss of life and injuries which will cause the EU to assess the full implications of the statistics with a view to improving fire safety and putting in place a common approach to the challenge.

In the UK fire costs the economy about £7.03 billion annually this equates to 1% of GDP (World Fire Stats 2008). Some 28% of these costs are attributable to domestic fires of which there were 55,000. The number of deaths in fires is roughly about 280/90 per year with 11,200 burns or injuries. This is an average cost per fire of £23,000. When this cost is drilled down further £14,600 is due to fatalities and injuries with huge costs falling on the NHS for on going treatment some treatments can be ongoing for years.

As a politician who is also a member of the All Party Fire Safety Group I have strong commitment to fire safety and to reducing the consequences of fire.

Government however has to take account of number aspects including the affordability of legislating for fire safety and will always obtain a legislative impact study before acting. This is essential to assess the cost and benefits of any legislative action. Moreover it has to take account of any safety and health legislation already on the statute book as well as any determined by the EU.

Most legislation to date followed major incidents like the Keighley Mill Fire which ushered in the Factories Act, the Henderson Store Fire brought about the Shops Offices and Railway Premises Act, the Saferen Walden Hotel Fire resulted in the Fire Precautions Act and the Bradford Football Club Fire gave way to the Safety at Sports Grounds Act.

But more recently apart from the Building Regulations which are principally aimed at protecting lives from fire in new buildings fire law is enshrined in the new Fire Safety order. This regulation places the responsibility for the building and its occupants on the 'Responsible Person' who is either the owner or the occupier of the building. This person is required to make a risk assessment of the premises either themselves or by having someone do it on their behalf and to take all appropriate steps to remove the risks for all persons who are likely to occupy the premises. The issue of the safety of fire and rescue personnel is something that still requires further consideration.

Has you can gauge from what is said above the issue of risk management is a more complex than appears at first sight. The RM approach is to ensure that improvements in fire safety are always on going and never static.

The government has made it clear that it is committed to reducing preventable fire deaths and injuries. In the UK we have a strong record in fire prevention and one that we can be justifiably proud. As you are all aware since 1997 the key strategy has been to drive down preventable fire deaths through proactive community fire safety activity. This approach involves reducing the incidence of fire through technology, education, information and publicity.

The installation of properly maintained smoke alarms in every household has been a centre piece of current efforts to reduce domestic fire deaths. They provide a vital early warning of fire that will alert and provide time for people to escape the threatened environment. Through the efforts of the Governments Fire Kills media campaign, supported by the Fire and Rescue Service home fir checks the ownership of smoke alarms in England now stands at 80% of all households.

There is as you will be aware an effort to raise the number still further because the evidence shows that those without smoke alarms are generally those groups most at risk from fire. The very latest fire statistics are encouraging. Fire deaths in the UK are now at their lowest level since the 1950's.

In the UK the number of fatalities has fallen from 534 in 1988 to 287 in 2006. Provisional statistics for 2007 show that fire deaths in the home in England have fallen by 18% to 190 from the 2006 figure of 233.

Nevertheless, it is recognised that some groups in the community are at a particularly high risk of injury from fire and they may need the added protection of a sprinkler system. In this context I acknowledge the of the National Fire Sprinkler Network. In the last decade they have contributed significantly to widening the debate and increasing knowledge of sprinklers.

Government accepts that sprinklers have a role to play in reducing the risk of the most vulnerable groups. It is however important that they are not seen as stand alone measure but more as an element of a package of measures.

The Building Regulations make provision for sprinklers to be fitted in tall blocks of flats. Additionally they are recommended for large single storey storage units. The provide options to meet residents varied needs in care homes and schools. The Dept for Children, Schools and Families now expects that all new schools in England will be equipped with sprinkler systems.

However, whilst recognising great improvements have been made over recent years we must not be complacent. There is the wider issue of business continuity and sustainability to be considered.

1) Fire safety is both an active and a passive critical tool in ensuring business resilience and business sustainability.
2) Business resilience is an important concept because it embraces employees, investors and the community as well as the gloal economy.

I see my role as an MP in relation to businesses and associated fire risk as being to help keep the UK in business.