Fiona Ambrose is speaking about ‘The challenges of international fire safety’ at the FPA Information zone at FIREX International 2014 on Tuesday 17 June at 11:45am
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When: 17-19 June 2014
Where: ExCeL, London
In fact, looking back, I can’t help but laugh at myself and where I’ve ended up.
After making the transition into safety I started working for the BBC about six years ago in what was then called the Global News Division. I spent my days offering health and safety advice to travelling journalists. However, one of the main projects I was tasked with was to help improve the safety of the international offices. And with over 120 of them it wasn’t an easy task!
It quickly became apparent that apart from the obvious bombs, bullets and car accidents our biggest risks involved electrical safety and fire – which are, of course, closely linked (which we discovered first hand… a number of times). We started off small with quick wins, perhaps new bits of equipment or a visit from one of our onsite engineers. Our engineers were highly experienced but even they were shocked by some of the things they saw.
Not having a strong fire safety background myself I decided to further my knowledge by completing the CFPA diploma with the Fire Protection Association and I am currently undertaking their advanced diploma.
As a lot of the countries we work in lack basic safety standards and legislation we decided we would use the British and EU standards as our benchmark. But it quickly became apparent that there were quite a number of offices that just didn’t meet this and would require substantial work.
During my presentation at FIREX I will be going over a number of the many issues that we encountered (including some great photos supplied by our engineers) and I will be providing more detail on a Case Study involving our Bangladesh office – including the bureaucracy and barriers we came up against.
Following the Bangladesh Factory collapse that happened last year tragically killing over 1,000 workers I think it’s great that these issues has finally made it into the mainstream media. Before commencing work on our current office there I spent quite a bit of time in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
I have memories of being taken around by a local real estate agent looking at other potential office spaces – none of which had building approval, a fire certificate (yes, some countries still have them) or any sort of fire engineering in place. I remember thinking to myself that this is just a disaster waiting to happen and I’m saddened to say I wasn’t surprised when I heard about the collapse or the other factory fires that have also taken place there.
We continue to struggle and chip away at the various challenges that we have imbedded ourselves in. I’d like to think we’re making headway – but why don’t you come and decide for yourself!
So if you want to hear about what happens when you share a building with the Hamas in Gaza or what could possibly blow up a guesthouse in Kabul if it wasn’t a bomb, then come on down to hear Fiona speak at the FPA Information zone in FIREX on Tuesday 17th June at 11:45am.
