Fire regulations, codes and standards presuppose to implement more and more importance in person’s life in terms of life saving issues. Negligence is considered to be relevant explanation of emergency situations happening in most cases. In fact, this human carelessness is the result of a certain failure in usage of due care. Therefore, the set of nationally recognized safety standards were worked up in order to protect society members from various hazards and namely, from fire or other manifestations of emergency.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics of Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries states that in year 2007 fire and explosion cases “accounted for 3% of workplace fatalities in all workplaces” (United States Department of Labor). In result, the valuable rules for prevention of fire-related injuries have been implemented into all workplaces’ safety regulations. According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration, particular standards related to fire safety have been highlighted in terms of existing national standards. Twenty-five or so states have adopted certain standards and enforcement policies in accordance with OSHA State Plans. Nevertheless, some other states have worked out their own standards and enforcement policies pertaining to fire hazards.
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The human negligence evokes the application of a certain set of fire safety standards that everyone uses at the worksite. Undoubtedly, the employers have to train their employees to obtain those rules concerning fire emergency. Thus, an evacuation plan should be provided in case if the fire hazard occurs and the workers must be trained to protect themselves from these occasions. OSHA also provides with the “standards for fire-fighting, fire suppression and fire detection systems and equipment” (United States Department of Labor). Among the agenda that are to be of the highest necessity the following items are considered to be relevant, i.e. OSHA technical manual, chemical protecting clothing, and some fire prevention tools.
Certainly, fire hazards in workplaces may cause various losses, e.g. injuries, damage of property, loss of data or even loss of human lives. Some flammable substances have significant potential to entail a fire risk. The employer is to provide the workers with the working environment that is safe in terms of insurance the employees to work in the worksite without any risks to health (OHS RAPS @ Work).
Within the frames of International Code Council activities the Code development has been established that in result includes the Fire Code, the Life Safety Code, the Building Construction and Safety Code and some other but not less important Codes. National Fire Prevention Association submits a set of some 300 “consensus codes and standards” that have been implemented with the intention to minimize the possible risks of fire emergency (United States Department of Labor). “Virtually every building, process, service, design, and installation in society today is affected by NFPA documents” (United States Department of Labor). The Code establishes a set of standards for the buildings that have significant intention to protect the public in cases of hazard risks and promote the alternative solutions while being set in emergency.
The Fire Code proper deals with providing general protection from fire including special equipment and sprinkler systems. It is a particular guide that includes a description and determination of other codes. The Life Safety Code is considered to be a standard that is used in a broad sense under this Code and is applicable to all the buildings that are regulated under the Code. It regulates fire protection of the buildings and has in potential to minimize danger in the emergency cases with fire. The Building Construction and Safety Code applies to the constructions and is used in order to specify the allowable design for a building that will embrace all the standards in accordance with fire safety regulations (Vermond Department of Public Safety).
NFPA standards aim to protect from fire hazards and to promote the standard of due care. Mostly, the compliance with an NFPA standard is voluntary. Negligence presupposes the failure of due care that, in result, leads to the injuries or other losses. Though being voluntary these standards may tend to be legally enforceable of fire safety or rescue department. The National Volunteer Fire Council intends on the idea of encouraging the representatives or fire service to be creative in implementing to the development of the NFPA standards. Essentially, standards and codes are the main elements of NVFC’s activities aimed at safety. These practices include the following spheres of “Behavior, Equipment, Standards and Codes, and Training” (Fontenot).
Technical Committees that are gathered because of the need to develop various standards are mainly formed of volunteers. The selection of members depends on dominance of the appropriate features of a representative that will apply positive assistance into development process of standards and codes. The revision of standards takes place every five years and bears approximately two years. The whole process consists of five steps. In addition, the members are welcome to propose their ideas and implement them during the cyclical process of standards’ establishment. “Guiding principles for the NFPA Codes and Standards-Making System include due process, openness, and consensus” (Fontenot).