Effective fire safety planning for industrial buildings: A literature review

The lives and health of human beings, the growth and prosperity of organisation, and the increasing need for fire safety are immediate concerns which provide the original momentum for the business continuity of the organisation. Fire safety consideration should form an important part of any new product or technology development to promote sustainable development, and acceptable solutions to acute fire safety concerns must not pose a threat to the long term development. Simply, the fire safety and sustainable development has common interest in making sure that fire safety is achieved in the most sustainable way. However, the direct property damage to the buildings due to ineffective fire safety planning is increasing with the development of industrialisation and urbanisation. This paper therefore aimed to develop a conceptual model for effective fire safety planning for industrial buildings. A comprehensive literature review was used as the research methodology for this paper. Key words search for fire accidents causes for fire accidents, fire safety planning and industrial buildings were used to search the literature. The literature findings highlighted that many buildings such as factories do not arrange regular drill; therefore the workers discover themselves in an alien situation whenever an emergency situation arises, causing panic, stampede etc. which further escalate the degree of casualty. Further, accidents are caused mainly due to technical failures and human failures where human failures include lack of awareness of the safety precautions required, inadequate expert knowledge and qualifications in accident prevention. Failure to effective planning for fire safety in buildings can hinder the recovery process, whereas recognition of its importance leads to more efficient use of resources in the wake of emergencies.