POSH Masters Project - EH850A Presentation – 15 th May 2004

1. POSH Masters Project - EH850APresentation – 15th May 2004 Supervisor Name: Patrick S K POON Student Name: C K WONG

2. Content • Definitions • Background • Fire Safety Problem • Questions??? • Aim of Study • Objectives of Study • Literature Review • Possible Benefits • Methodology • Limitation of Study • Work Schedule • Present Progress Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

3. Project Title Risk Assessment for Improving Fire Safety in Museums Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

4. Definitions • Risk Assessment The overall process of risk analysis and risk evaluation (AS/NZ 4360:1999) Risk Analysis: a systematic use of available information to determine how often specified events may occur and the magnitude of their consequences Risk Evaluation: the process used to determine risk management priorities by comparing the level of risk against per-determined standards, target risk levels or other criteria Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

5. Definitions • Museum A museum is a non-profit making, permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, and open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment (ICOM, 2001). "museum" (博物館) means a building, or part of a building, or area designated under section 105G as a museum; (HKSAR, Cap. 132, Section 2, 2001) Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

6. Environment • Exit • Smoke Control • Layout MoE MoA FS • Occupants • Visitors • Work-persons • Settings • FS Installations • Materials • Exhibits FSI + FRC Definitions • Fire Safety Fire Safety Framework Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

7. Background • There are 22 museums and exhibition venues of different exhibition gallery sizes and themes of exhibits on display in Hong Kong that are operated by Hong Kong SAR Government (LCSD, 2003) • Currently, active systems employed in these museums and exhibition halls under the Code of Practice for Minimum Fire Service Installations and Equipment and Inspection (FSI) (FSD, 1998) • Four major museums in Hong Kong attract more than 2.5 million visitors in year 2002 (LCSD, 2003) Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

8. Fire Safety Problem • Slade (1987) states the approach to fire safety is twofold: - to prevent fire occurring - to protect the building, its content and inhabitants if fire does occur • Museum collections are valuable and intangible heritage • On 16 September 2003 that ruined 650 out of the 900 unit collection of classical motor-bikes at the National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham. The damage was not merely confined to a face value loss of GBP $8m; but that most of the machines are irreplaceable Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

9. Questions???? • Whatare the fire hazards, safety objectives and standard applicable to museums? • What are the criteria offire risk assessmentfor museums? • How effective does the developed assessmentplan? Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

10. Aim of Study • To identify the fire hazards and fire safety objectives in museums of Hong Kong • To evaluate the framework of fire risk assessment to improve the fire safety in museums Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

11. Objectives of Study • To identify the fire hazards in museums of Hong Kong • To review the legislations of fire safety, installations and equipments and in Hong Kong and identify the applicable safety performance standards • To review the legislations of fire safety, installations and equipments and in Hong Kong and identify the applicable safety performance standards • Based on the model to develop the risk assessment plan in the organization. Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

12. Literature Review • A literature review is a systematic, explicit, and reproducible method for identifying, evaluating, and interpreting the existing body of recorded work produced by researchers, scholars, and practitioners (Fink, 1998). • Fire Services Department (FSD), 1998, Code of practice for minimum fire service installations and equipment and inspection and testing and maintenance of installations and equipment, Government Printer, Hong Kong. (FSI) • Building Department (BD), 1995, Code of practice for provision of means of access for firefighting and rescue, Government Printer, Hong Kong. (MoA) Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

13. Literature Review • Building Department (BD), 1995, Code of practice for provision of means of escape in case of fire, Government Printer, Hong Kong. (MoE) • Building Department (BD), 1996, Code of practice for fire resisting construction, Government Printer, Hong Kong. (FRC) • HSE, 1999, Fire safety: an employer’s guide, Health & Safety Executive, London. • NFPA, 2001, NFPA 909: Code for the Protection of Cultural Resources, 2001 Edition, NFPA, USA. • Hancock, D. C., 2000, Fire Risk Assessment: a practical guide, Chubb Fire Limited, London. • Santos-Reyes, J., and Beard, A.N., 2001, "A systemic approach to fire safety management", in Fire Safety Journal, v. 36, no. 4, p. 359-390. Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

14. Possible Benefits • In-depth understanding of the fire hazards, fire safety performance standards and fire safety objectives for museums • The criteria for evaluating fire risk assessment • A fire risk assessment model will provide a battery for assessing fire safety and for the development of contingency plan • The well being of visitors, staff and the valuable collections can be enhanced and maintained in a high standard of safety Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

15. Methodology • Reviewing of relevant literature, journal, fire safety ordinances and their subsidiary regulations to consolidate a list of hazard in the museums and their safety standards • Conducting a “Gap Analysis” to identify the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement • Identify the criteria for the evaluation of fire risk assessment model Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

16. Methodology • Using the select criteria and through literature review to evaluate the effectiveness of the fire risk assessment model • Carry out the fire risk assessment in the museums • Conducting “Qualitative” survey by inviting all building management staff to fill up a questionnaire for testifying the applicability and practicability of the fire risk assessment plan being developed. Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

17. Population in Study Total No. of Museums: 22 Selected Museums: 4 Selection Criteria: Themes in art, history, heritage and science; and scale; breadth of collections; and annual audience volume Approach: Qualitative Survey Technique: Questionnaire Participant: 12 staff who responsible for the building management of the museums Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

18. Limitation of Study • The study covers primary the fire safety in settings (FS installations, materials and exhibits) of museums • Focus on the performance standards and the analysis on legislature in fire safety for museums Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

19. Work Schedule • Before Jul: Completion of literature and legislation review • Jul: Identify the criteria for fire safety risk assessment • Aug: Literature review and development of fire risk assessment plan • Early Sep: Conduct fire risk assessment on selected museums and finalize the findings. • Late Sep: Conduct questionnaire survey and evaluate the result • Oct: Finalize the findings, recommendation Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

20. Present Progress • HRE Panel of UWS approved the project proposal (2004/019) • Review of literature, legislations and code of practice • Consent letter has sent to museums and pending to their reply • Questionnaire under review and refinement Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002

21. End of Presentation Question & Answer Postgraduate Scheme in Occupational Safety and Health (POSH) 2002