Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Figure 11.2 The outcome of a failure to adequately manage
fi re safety
Proactive – proactive systems monitor the design,
development, installation and implementation of management
arrangements for workplace precautions and risk
control (management systems).
Reactive – reactive systems monitor events that
have already occurred such as personal injury accidents,
fi res, ill health and other evidence of defi cient safety
performance (these may be false alarms, near misses,
etc.) (see Chapter 12).
Organisations that relying solely upon incident, injury/
ill-health statistics for their monitoring and measurement
of their management system, particularly in relation
to fi re, are only able to measure management system
failures. Crucially due to human nature, there may be
underreporting of incidents and accidents for numerous
reasons, which have been discussed in Chapter 4.
With regard to reactive analysis it is often the case,
particularly in relation to fi re, that a small number of
incidents or accidents may lead to complacency and
a belief that all is well, when this may not necessarily
be the case. Statistics themselves are likely only to
demonstrate a knowledge of outcomes, i.e. twisted
ankle during evacuation and not the cause such as poor
fl ooring conditions presenting a slip and trip risk. It is
therefore essential for a combined reactive and proactive
approach to be taken when considering safety monitoring
or performance measurement systems.
The analysis of both reactive and proactive data will
enable a company to analyse its safety performance
producing a quantifi able and measurable range of data
which will indicate the effectiveness of the management
system (see Appendix 11.1 for a sample of performance
indicator data).
Monitoring, auditing and reviewing fi re safety systems
11.1 Benefi ts of monitoring and
measuring
A key aspect of safety management is to strive for continuous
improvement of performance. Therefore it is vital
that organisations are able to know how well their systems
are performing. Data gathered by monitoring systems
will enable an organisation to understand:
➤ Its current position in relation to its safety management
➤ Its progress against its standards
➤ Its priorities for action
➤ The effectiveness of its resource allocation and
management
➤ The areas where it may be exposed to excessive
risk
➤ Where and how its management systems should be
reviewed.
Establishing an effective monitoring and measuring system
helps to demonstrate management’s commitment
to safety objectives in general and will also assist in the
development of a positive safety culture, particularly
rewarding any positive work undertaken in controlling
levels of risk.
In addition, information gathered through the
performance measurement enables managers to understand
how well they are managing in comparison to their
previous experience and the performance of others in
similar industry sectors. With safety performance data
that can be compared across an industry, the process of
benchmarking safety performance can give useful insights
to managers. By using comparative data, benchmarking
can be conducted both internally and externally. Table
11.1 gives some examples.
When compiling the performance statistics an organisation
will need to take into account the mechanisms
by which it will gather the information. These should be
refl ected in the safety policy particularly in relation to
reporting and investigation of safety events, incidents,
accidents, etc. and its proactive monitoring, inspections,
tours and audits.
11.2 Active safety monitoring
procedures
11.2.1 Proactive monitoring
The purpose of proactive monitoring is to provide feedback
on an organisation’s safety performance before a
personal injury accident, fi re, illness, etc. occurs.
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