Fire risk in schools
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Re: Fire risk in schools
I'm taken aback by some responses here. I mean no disrespect to those grieving and traumatised by the Grenfell fire. I am not personally affected, but of course feel empathy and sadness for the unbearable loss and suffering. I am horrified to think that the tragedy was predictable and avoidable, and that those who legitimately raised concerns were ignored.
I am not trying to make this about me, or my children. My children are at excellent schools with effective leadership and robust governance. I claim no expertise in fire risks in schools and I know the record of safety in schools across the country is impressive. Even in the best run schools will have a culture of continuous improvement, and certainly not all schools will be in such competent hands.
Both heads have responded to me and I hope not to have added unnecessarily to the pressure of their work. Maybe I should have taken it for granted that they would be alert to the implications of recent events.
I am not trying to make this about me, or my children. My children are at excellent schools with effective leadership and robust governance. I claim no expertise in fire risks in schools and I know the record of safety in schools across the country is impressive. Even in the best run schools will have a culture of continuous improvement, and certainly not all schools will be in such competent hands.
Both heads have responded to me and I hope not to have added unnecessarily to the pressure of their work. Maybe I should have taken it for granted that they would be alert to the implications of recent events.
Re: Fire risk in schools
It is a sad fact of human nature that we are very bad at risk assessment, except for those like Tinkers who have been professionally trained in areas such as process safety. Now I've done one half-day health & safety training course but I can remember two things - the killer photocopier (!) and the importance of reporting concerns and "near misses" (something about a pyramid of risk). In the aftermath of such an appalling tragedy officialdom everywhere might be a little more alert than usual
Re: Fire risk in schools
The pyramid of risk.
Most of us completely ignore the 'near misses'. It's understandable, you don't want to bother someone about something that didn't actually happen, or other things seem more important. You don't want confront someone saying that they should be wearing ppe to do what they are doing, or tell them that what they are doing is potentially unsafe. If you do report it, it may not be acted upon.
However it's by the reporting of the near misses that can drive the rate of actual accidents to go down, as long as the lessons learnt from it are taken on board and implimented. In my industry it's pretty much standard and drilled into people. I think that's due to the potential consequences being very much greater.
Most of us completely ignore the 'near misses'. It's understandable, you don't want to bother someone about something that didn't actually happen, or other things seem more important. You don't want confront someone saying that they should be wearing ppe to do what they are doing, or tell them that what they are doing is potentially unsafe. If you do report it, it may not be acted upon.
However it's by the reporting of the near misses that can drive the rate of actual accidents to go down, as long as the lessons learnt from it are taken on board and implimented. In my industry it's pretty much standard and drilled into people. I think that's due to the potential consequences being very much greater.
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Re: Fire risk in schools
+1 to the three posts above.
Re: Fire risk in schools
Good point. A very silly anecdote here but it still makes me both laugh and shudder inwardly. I once worked on the top floor of a fairly high office block. One day I smelled a bit of a burning type of smell in the air coming from the air con vents. I phoned the people who were in charge of the building. They said they would check after the weekend but it was probably some motor or pump other in the roof that had broken down and it didn't matter. I wnet home as it was late afternoon on a Friday after having told them I didn't think much of it as an answer without actually having checked.Tinkers wrote:The pyramid of risk.
Most of us completely ignore the 'near misses'. It's understandable, you don't want to bother someone about something that didn't actually happen, or other things seem more important. You don't want confront someone saying that they should be wearing ppe to do what they are doing, or tell them that what they are doing is potentially unsafe. If you do report it, it may not be acted upon.
However it's by the reporting of the near misses that can drive the rate of actual accidents to go down, as long as the lessons learnt from it are taken on board and implimented. In my industry it's pretty much standard and drilled into people. I think that's due to the potential consequences being very much greater.
The building was still there on Monday so they were right ......... but ......... what would I do now I'm older and wiser? Quite a bit different I think.