Lesson D

1
Lesson D

• Lessons Learned

2
Federal Agencies

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and
  Health (NIOSH)
• Federal agency
• Writes reports after worker injuries and/or
  deaths
• National Institute of Standards and Technology
  (NIST)
• Performs fire dynamics testing
• Assists NIOSH with research and investigation

3
Issues Related to Firefighter Deaths and Near
Misses

• Common issues
• Stress-related cardiac events
• Lack of fire-ground accountability
• Becoming lost, separated, or running out of air
• Hostile fire conditions
• Structural failure

4
Recommendations

• Specific to the failure of floors, walls, and
  roofs at structure fires
• From firefighter fatality reports from 1996
  through 2008
• Train firefighting personnel in risks/hazards
  related to structural collapse
• Recognize potential collapse hazards
• Parapet walls
• State of disrepair
• Full fire involvement

5
Recommendations (contd.)

• From firefighter fatality reports (contd.)
• Establish and monitor a clearly marked collapse
  zone for unstable structures
• When analyzing for potential building collapses
• Recognize structural defects and large body of
  fire in old structures

6
Recommendations (contd.)

• From firefighter fatality reports (contd.)
• Pay attention to nonautomatic-sprinklered
  commercial retail stores
• Modifications/renovations/changes in occupancy
  without review/inspection by building
  professionals
• May decrease structural integrity of supporting
  members

7
Firefighter Fatality Reports

• Available at http//www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire
• Click on Fatality Reports
• Reports cited by NIOSH
• Specific to the failure of floors, walls, and
  roofs at structure fires
• See text for cites (xxixxii)

8
Firefighter Fatality Reports (contd.)

• Situations resulting in fatalities
• Foot awning collapses
• Floor collapses at commercial and residential
  structures
• Falling through the floor at residential
  structure fires
• Exterior wall collapse
• Collapsing church facade

9
Firefighter Fatality Reports (contd.)

• Situations resulting in fatalities (contd.)
• Partial or full roof collapses
• Parapet wall collapses
• Sudden floor and roof collapses
• General structural collapses

10
Summary

• NIOSH
• Tasked with writing reports after firefighter
  injuries and/or deaths
• Common issues in firefighter deaths or injuries
• Stress-related cardiac events
• Lack of fire-ground accountability
• Becoming lost, separated, or running out of air
• Hostile fire conditions
• Structural failure

11
Summary (contd.)

• Recommendations specific to the failure of
  floors, walls, and roofs at structure fires
• Train firefighting personnel in risks and hazards
  related to structural collapse
• Recognize potential collapse hazards
• Establish and monitor a clearly marked collapse
  zone
• When analyzing for potential building collapses,
  recognize structural defects and large body of
  fire in old structures

12
Summary (contd.)

• Recommendations (contd.)
• Pay attention to non-automatic-sprinklered
  commercial retail stores
• Modifications/renovations/changes in occupancy
  without review/inspection by building
  professionals may decrease structural integrity