General
How to Prevent Fire Outbreaks in High-Risk Buildings—Eaton
By Adedapo Adesanya
A top power management company, Eaton, has provided some pointers that can help prevent fire outbreaks in high-risk buildings which have increased in the last year.
According to Kunmi Odunoku, Marketing Manager for Eaton in West Africa, demographic changes mean that “we are building larger, taller, and more complex buildings to live, work and spend our leisure time in.”
While it is true that fire safety has improved with the installation of devices such as smoke detectors and alarms, the impact of a fire is now potentially far more serious than it has ever been.
According to Odunoku, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to fire prevention, suppression or evacuation, a thorough risk assessment issued on a case-by-case basis will suggest appropriate measures to be taken.
“It is no longer good enough to hide behind regulations or standards, which should be seen as a minimum requirement. Building owners and developers should hold themselves to a higher standard of safety and do more to prevent a tragedy in high-risk buildings,” the senior company official said.
Incidents such as the recent fire outbreak under the Eko bridge reinforce how infernos can result in serious damage or worse – the loss of life. Such incidents often result in reputational damage for the organizations and individuals involved that may escalate to a clamour for those responsible to face charges of corporate liability or manslaughter in the case of loss of properties or lives.
Regardless of the reputational risk, it is surely the moral responsibility of building owners and operators to ensure that modern buildings housing hundreds or even thousands of people are safe for the occupants.
“One problem building occupants face is understanding who is responsible for their safety, and in this, there is a danger of simply avoiding the issue. So, to be clear I believe that building owners or operators must ensure that appropriate safety measures are in place.
“Simply adhering to standard building regulations is not a sufficient safety measure,” Odunoku stated.
In a recent study, FM Global found that 70 per cent of business owners feel that following building regulations will protect their property, as the organization points out “this is simply not their purpose”.
Such an approach takes no account of the different risks faced in different types of buildings or by different occupants. The only sensible approach to take is to conduct a thorough risk assessment of the building and then implement appropriate safeguards.
Changing the nature of risk
The nature of fire risks in buildings changes as our society changes. By 2050 the UN estimates that two-thirds of people will be urbanites living, working, and spending leisure time in buildings designed to hold hundreds if not thousands of people.
This means we will increasingly build upwards. There are already a staggering number of buildings in cities around the world that are over 100 meters tall. As buildings get taller the number of mixed-use buildings will also rise rapidly. Typically, in taller mixed-use buildings, the lower floors house shops and restaurants while the upper floors are reserved for residential purposes. This means that due to the nature of the use, lower floors are unoccupied and unsupervised in the middle of the night, while those people on higher floors could well be asleep should the worst happen.
Risk assessment
There is no single answer to mitigating the risks of a fire in a building and for high-risk buildings, the regulations are simply not enough. We advocate a three-step process to help ensure ongoing safety:
- Identify the specific risks in your building. You may decide to employ or engage experts to do the risk assessment.
- Select and design systems and solutions addressing the specific risks identified.
- Test and review these solutions regularly especially if there are changes to building use.
Having conducted a thorough risk assessment, you can then make an informed choice on what action to take. Breaking this down further you need to think about prevention, controlling a fire, detection, and how you will alert occupants and evacuate or guide people away from danger.
While education and technology can help prevent the worst from happening as The Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat observes: “The only true way to stop a fire from happening is to remove the humans and the combustible materials from buildings. You can apply good fire safety education and management, but, fires start, what happens next is what matters.”
Preventing a fire is about building design, such as compartmentation to help prevent or slow down the spread and also installing technology such as sprinkler systems. Sadly, too many developers and building owners dismiss sprinklers as not cost-effective and prefer to spend their money on air-conditioning or intelligent lighting systems.
Alerting and evacuating
If the fire does spread, there is generally a short window to alert and evacuate building occupants. This is made even more complicated if people are asleep or are disabled and are not aware of an alert or need assistance.
There is a lot of technology available to alert building occupants and instruct them or guide them to safety. The important thing is to be aware of such technology or employ someone who can advise you appropriately and above all not cut corners to save cost. While we hope that it never happens to us, a fire in a complex building could be catastrophic if you do not plan properly. It is time to take fire safety seriously so that people do not lose their homes, places of work or worse their lives. If you are a building owner, it is your moral duty to do all that you can.
Eaton has teamed up with several fire safety organizations from around the world to produce a whitepaper called “Fire Safety in High-Risk Buildings – preventing the next tragedy.” You can download it from Eaton’s website.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has commenced special operational enforcement code named Operation Zero Tolerance for Non-Compliance in the Nigerian maritime domain.
The directive was issued through a Marine Notice, pursuant to the agency’s statutory mandate under the NIMASA Act 2007, the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003, the Merchant Shipping Act 2007, and other applicable regulations.
Under this operation, all Ship/Vessel Owners, Operators, Managers, International and National Oil Companies, Masters and Officers of Merchant Ships, Shipping Companies, Shipping Agents, Charterers, Offshore Installations and Platforms Operators, Vessel Operators at the Free Trade Zones (FTZ), and Maritime Stakeholders operating or intending to operate within Nigerian waters are required to ensure full compliance with statutory requirements contained in existing maritime laws and regulations.
These include proper vessel registration, valid certifications, updated ownership documentation, adherence to Cabotage provisions relating to vessel ownership, registration, manning, and build.
The notice also emphasised the importance of timely payment and remittance of all statutory levies and fees as prescribed by law.
As part of the enforcement process, NIMASA will conduct random and targeted vessel inspections, verify documentation against its databases, and carry out physical and documentary compliance assessments at ports, terminals, and offshore locations. Operators will also be required to present proof of payment of all applicable levies and fees upon request.
To allow stakeholders the opportunity to regularize their operations, NIMASA has granted a thirty (30) day window from January 5, 2026 for a self-audit and voluntary compliance.
The agency warned that failure to comply after the expiration of the grace period will attract enforcement actions, including vessel detention, monetary penalties, withdrawal of waivers or operational licences, and denial of port clearance until full compliance is achieved.
The Director General of NIMASA, Mr Dayo Mobereola has assured all stakeholders of the Agency’s commitment to promoting indigenous shipping development, enhancing maritime safety and security, protecting the marine environment, and ensuring strict compliance with Nigeria’s maritime laws.
“We therefore urge all stakeholders to do their part so that together, we can build on the gains of previous regulatory achievements, which is enhanced safety, a secure maritime environment and sustainable utilisation of our marine resources,” the DG added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s private security firm, Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL), has entered into an agreement with a United States–based Textron Systems for the supply of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in a move aimed at curbing crude oil theft in the country.
Textron Systems said the drones would support security operations around Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure, which has continued to face threats from crude oil theft, vandalism and sabotage.
The deal also includes provisions for training and the possible acquisition of additional aircraft as Tantita expands its operations, building on a previous US Foreign Military Sales delivery of Aerosonde drone systems to Nigeria.
The Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 is designed to operate without a runway, using a hybrid quadrotor system for vertical takeoff and landing before transitioning to fixed-wing flight. The system can carry multiple payloads and conduct extended surveillance missions.
Speaking on the development, Executive Director, Operations and Technical, Mr Waredi Enisour, said Tantita officials were in the United States to inspect the drone operations and understudy the associated technical processes.
Mr Enisour added that with the latest technological acquisitions by Tantita, incidents of crude oil theft are expected to decline significantly, as the drones will provide extensive surveillance coverage across the Niger Delta region.
He disclosed that Tanttia is the first private security firm in Nigeria to acquire the Aerosonde UAV which hosts ISR capabilities.
Tantita is a company owned by a former militant leader, Mr Government Ekpemupolo, commonly known as Tompolo. Over the years, the federal government has collaborated with the former militant leader for the protection of critical oil and gas infrastructure and securing permanent peace in the oil-rich Niger Delta Region.
Oil and gas remains Nigeria’s economic mainstay, contributing nearly 90 per cent of forex earnings and 70 per cent of national revenue. However, constant oil theft over the years has made it impossible for the country to hit its peak production of 2.5 million barrels recorded in 2005, although improvement has occurred in recent years, there have been more hands-on approach.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, has dismissed allegations of N128 billion in misappropriated public funds linked to his ministry and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), insisting the irregularities occurred before his administration.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Mr Bolaji Tunji, the minister, who is rumoured to be gunning for the Oyo State Governor position, clarified that he assumed office in August 2023, while the audit report under scrutiny pertains to the 2022 financial year.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in a statement issued on Sunday tasked President Bola Tinubu to investigate allegations that more than N128 billion could not be accounted for by the ministry and NBET Plc.
The group urged Mr Tinubu to give directive to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the appropriate anti-corruption agencies to look into the allegations of the missing N128 billion.
It declared that anyone suspected to be responsible should face prosecution as appropriate, especially if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and any missing or diverted public funds should be fully recovered and remitted to the treasury.
In his response, the Minister said he has no objection to calls for investigation, but noted that it was important to clearly state that he was appointed in August 2023, whereas the audit report in question relates to the 2022 financial year.
“The issues raised in the referenced audit report pertain entirely to a period before the minister’s tenure. The call for investigation, therefore, has no bearing on the operations or financial activities of the ministry under the current administration.
“The Office of the Minister reaffirms its commitment to transparency and accountability and will co-operate fully with any legitimate process aimed at addressing legacy issues in the power sector, while remaining focused on its mandate of delivering stable and reliable electricity to all Nigerians,” the statement declared.
The statement also highlighted Mr Adelabu’s reputation for transparency and due process, noting that he is “widely regarded for his strict adherence to due process, probity, transparency, and accountability, as demonstrated in his previous roles in both the public and private sectors, and remains resolute in safeguarding this reputation.”
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn