FIRE SAFETY IN HERITAGE BUILDINGS

Portable fire extinguishers have two functions: to control or extinguish small or incipient stage fires and to protect evacuation routes that a fire may block directly or indirectly with smoke or burning/smoldering materials. To extinguish a fire with a portable extinguisher, a person must have immediate access to the extinguisher, know how to actuate the unit, and know how to apply the agent effectively. Attempting to extinguish even a small fire carries some risk. Fires can increase in size and intensity in seconds, blocking the exit path of the fire fighter and creating a hazardous atmosphere. In addition, portable fire extinguishers contain a limited amount of extinguishing agent and can be discharged in a matter of seconds. Therefore, individuals should attempt to fight only very small or incipient stage fires. Prior to fighting any fire with a portable fire extinguisher you must perform a risk assessment that evaluates the fire size, the fire fighters evacuation path, and the atm

Choosing to evacuate the workplace rather than providing fire extinguishers for employee use in fighting fires will most effectively minimize the potential for fire-related injuries to employees. In addition, training employees to use fire extinguishers and maintaining them requires considerable resources. However, other factors, such as the availability of a public fire department or the vulnerability of egress routes, will enter into this decision. Option 1 Option 2 Option 3 Total evacuation of employees from the workplace immediately when alarm sounds. No one is authorized to use available portable fire extinguishers. Designated employees are authorized to use portable fire extinguishers to fight fires. All other employees must evacuate workplace immediately when alarm sounds. All employees are authorized to use portable fire extinguishers to fight fires. Requirement Requirement Re

1) Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 (UBBL 1984) 2) Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133) 3) National Heritage Act 2005 (Act 2005) 4) Sarawak Cultural Heritage Ordinance 1993 (for Sarawak only) 5) Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341)

1) Introduction to Fire Safety Management by Furness, A. and Muckett, M. (2007) 2) The Fire Safety Management Handbook, Second Edition by Daniel E. Della-Giustina (2003) 3) Fire Safety Management in Heritage Buildings by Kidd.S. (2005)

1. NFPA 914: Code for Fire Protection of Historic Structures 2. NFPA 170: Standard for Fire Safety and Emergency Symbols 3. NFPA 101A: Guide on Alternative Approaches to Life Safety 4. NFPA 101: Life Safety Code 5. NFPA 909: Code for the Protection of Cultural Resource Properties- Museums, Libraries and Places of Worship

Date Museum name Cause of fire Fire prevention equipment Estimated loss 15/04/1958 Museum of Modern Art , N ew York , USA Origin was workmen repainting second floor galleries who were smoking on the job. Detectors but no sprinklers. USD 700,000 (Loss of one life, 33 injuries, several galleries, two major paintings, including a Monet, seven paintings severely damaged.) 09/08/1970 Henry Ford Museum , Michigan , USA Origin suspected to be an overheated hair curling iron in a dressing room . Detectors but no sprinklers on part of the building. USD 2 million (Loss of several historic displays of shops and equipment.) 30/09/1970 Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History, Washington D.C. USA Origin was electrical short in the exhibit. Detectors but no sprinklers.

DATE ACTIVITY VENUE 04 June Case study visit to Muzium Telekom Kuala Lumpur 06 June Visit National Museum's Library Kuala Lumpur 09 June Appointment with En.Mohd Shawali National Museum, KL 17 - 20 June FIREC EXPO & FORUM 2008 KLCC, KL 18 - 19 June MICRA 2008 KAED, IIUM, KL