NIOSH Alert Covers Fire Risk Management Practices
The 36-page document addresses the right way to fight fires in abandoned, vacant, or unoccupied structures, which can present unexpected hazards.
A new Alert from NIOSH addresses the risk management practices that incident commanders and firefighters should use when sizing up a fire at an abandoned, vacant, or unoccupied structure. These can present unexpected hazards because of decay, the effects of previous vandalism, and the uncertainty of occupancy status, according to NIOSH.
Four incidents in which firefighters died are used as examples in the Alert, which describes the training, risk management plans, and standard operating procedures and guidelines that will be effective. A 360-degree size-up should be conducted for any abandoned, vacant, or unoccupied structure, it says.
Visit this page to read the 36-page document, titled "Preventing Deaths and Injuries of Fire Fighters Using Risk Management Principles at Structure Fires."