Life as we know it can be taken away in the blink of an eye. There are numerous components constructed and installed within a structure to keep us safe, but are generally not known to the normal man, woman and child. A component can be as complex as a fire protection system and rated fire construction that is installed for our safety. These construction items are not easily visible, yet there are two that have been seen throughout many commercial establishments that we have known since being children. In Everything’s An Argument it states, “The complexity of most causal relationships makes it difficult to establish causes and effects” (Lunsford 342). This statement could not be truer than those that involve life safety issues. Many effects have created numerous causes. Tragic events in American history have led to two very simple devices. These two components are the exit sign and the door in which we exit through.
Today’s model building and fire codes have been written with safety of the general public in mind. There were several building codes throughout the country that made building inconsistent throughout the years. Several different regions in the country enforced different codes, making it difficult for contractors to build. Enforcement varied so widely throughout the United States that it drove many individuals to call for more uniformity. The most widely adopted codes of today are the codes produced by the International Code Council and the National Fire Protection Association. The codes most referenced by architects, engineers, plans examiners and builders, are the International Building Code, International Fire Code and NFPA 101 Life Safety Code.
One of the most important actions to take in the event of an emergency...
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...reate one. The next time you’re at school, look at the emergency response guide posted on the door. Ask the principal of your child’s school what their emergency response is to a given threat. In an occupancy where there is a large occupant load, familiarize yourself with your surroundings. The next time you are frequenting an establishment, ask yourself, “Where is the alternate exit?” Look for that alternate exit and verify it works. It is your right, your responsibility and your life.
Works Cited
National Fire Protection Association. NFPA 101 Life Safety Code. Quincy: NFPA Publications, 2009.
International Code Council. International Building Code. Country Club Hills: ICC, 2003.
Lunsford, Andrea, and John Ruszkiewicz. Everything's An Argument. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2010.
"The Station Nightclub Victim Diagram". Wikipedia.com. Web. 27 Mar. 2011.
Boston thought it was ready for any kind of disaster following a mock disaster management operation. Barely a week later, was Boston proved wrong, when a fire outbreak at the Cocoanut Grove claimed the lives of many patrons and maimed others for life. The date was 28 November 1942. The cause was a stray match that put aflame a decorative palm tree in the club. Additionally, the situation was aggravated by the blockage of the few emergency exits in the club. John Esposito explores the events surrounding this incident as well as its aftermath in the book Fire in the Grove: The Cocoanut Grove Tragedy and its Aftermath. This paper offers a review of the book, looking critically at the unfolding of the events as well as the author’s thoughts.
ubiquitous and constitutes the greatest psychical danger-situation known to the human organism...' (ibid.). Isabel Menzies Lyth argues that these anxieties are
December 1st, 1958 tragedy comes to Chicago, the catholic school Our Lady of Angels is a blase a fire has started in the basement of the north wing of the school at the bottom of the stairwell and is roaring through the north wing in a matter of minuets despite the best efforts of the Chicago fire department the north wing is nearly a total loss resulting in the death of 90 people died in the blaze and 5 more were critically injured resulting in deaths. Through my research I have sought to find the role that the construction of the building has played in the precipitation of this tragedy.
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Beyond these generalities, the objectives of a risk management plan are to improve patient safety, prevent errors, system breakdowns, and harm, minimize risks and liability losses, support regulatory and accreditation compliance, and protect the organization’s resources (ECRI Institute, 2010). However, there are specific goals the FPM is concerned with and they follow the Life Safety Code. According to Campbell (2012), these include fire protection, egress, fire and smoke hazards, fire alarm and extinguishing maintenance, and building services such as elevators, and trash and linen chutes. Evidence of the goals and their completion are also required for regulatory compliance and certification from accrediting
Few things are more powerful than the human mind or human intelligence. This ability to think, learn and process complex thoughts has been the driving force that has allowed for the immense growth of human culture and society, without which it is doubtful we would have ever had the capacity to evolve from our basic animal existence. As fantastic as this quality may be, our intellectual growth has not always spawned ideas that produce sound and safe results. Victor Frankenstein, although a fictitious character, provides a superb example of the vast potentiality of human intelligence and the morbid destruction that it can create. For very real examples, one need only read the headlines of the newspaper to find a multitude of malicious and perverse atrocities that occur each day due to the human mind and "intelligence" gone haywire. This is why, in light of today, with technology gaining greater and greater power, we mu...
The infamous accident on the voyage across the Atlantic left the Titanic in ruins and hundreds of people dead. After hitting an iceberg, the great vessel gradually split in half and descended to the depths of the ocean. Had the crew better understood their proximity to the iceberg and also been prepared with enough lifeboats for all the passengers, they would not have crashed and, in the case of other possible accidents, easily evacuated everyone from the ship safely. The personnel working the ship failed to fulfill their duty of keeping the passengers and the vessel safe from danger because they were not responsible enough to handle the massive ocean liner nor were they prepared for the worst-case scenario. The actions and lack thereof of the crew and captain resulted in the tragic deaths of many, just as Victor’s actions led to lamentable results in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. Victor’s irresponsibility caused his downfall. His lack of preparation and abandonment of his creation turned the creature evil. Once Victor had the chance to prevent the monster’s actions, he did not.
safe things to do to protect yourself or anyone else from possible harm. As many
The staggering number of fatalities can be attributed mainly to the proximity of the pyrotechnics to flammable sound insulating foam, overcrowding of the facility, and the lack of sprinkler system (Graybill, 2003, para. 1). It is tragic to have any loss of life; however, it is more tragic when lives are lost carelessly.
The concept of the model building codes has successfully been applied since the early 1900s in the countries where regulation of building construction is a responsibility of the local authorities. The popularity of model building codes can be attributed to two factors: 1) the developing of building codes is expensive and 2) the ability of the model codes to accommodate local conditions. Since modern building regulations are very complex, their development and effective maintenance are far beyond the technical and financial capabilities of most areas. Rather than drafting its own building codes, a local authority might choose to use the model building codes instead. The model building codes are either adopted (accepted without modifications) or adapted (modified) to a particular jurisdiction and then enforced by the adopting
Codes and Standards are associated with the rules and regulations of the art, science, and practice of mechanical engineering. These rules cover a breadth of topics, including pressure technology, elevators / escalators, construction, nuclear plants, engineering design, performance testing, and standardization. Volunteer engineers, scientists, government officials, and others contribute to the rules that protect public safety, while utilizing their technical expertise to reflect the best of their industry. The overall goals of these standards is to ensure public safety, health, and quality of life as well as to encourage the growth of trade, innovation, and competiveness. The regulations are revised based upon market needs determined through
Taher, R. (2011). General recommendations for improved building practices in earthquake and hurricane prone areas. San Francisco, CA: Architecture for Humanity Retrieved from
It’s true what everyone talks about safety – you are the key to your safety, when you do it safely you do it the right way and the best gift you can give to your family is to always stay safe. We have been taught by our parents and teachers to be cautious while doing a number of things. That’s very essential in our daily lives, because one needs to be extra cautious to prevent unavoidable accidents. However, mishaps do happen everywhere in the safest of places, no matter how careful we are in our actions. It is highly unpredictable, what’s going to happen the very next instant. There are numerous incidences we come across like simple trips, falls, cuts due to sharp objects, burns or sudden worsening of a person’s health condition, causing