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The value of imposing fire codes cannot be stressed enough.
tions of Chief Fire Officer and Fire Marshal from Center of Public Safety Excellence.
REFERENCES
https://www.iccsafe.org/about/who-we-are/
https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Codes- and-standards/Standards-development-pro- cess/HistoryNFPACodesStandards.ashx?la=en
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/ statistics/nonres_bldg_fire_estimates.pdf
https://firerescuemagazine.firefighternation. com/2014/11/01/the-economic-impact-of- firefighting/#gref
at this stage of the process and, as many OSH consultants can attest, it can have a profound effect on the next visit.
Codes Benefit Firefighters,
Not Just Communities
Fire inspections are important for many reasons, including firefighter safety. Ac- cording to the U.S. Fire Administration, approximately 111,000 non-residential fires were reported in 2017 (USFA, 2019).
The need for fire prevention and edu- cation is critical to the success in reducing firefighter and civilian injuries and deaths, as well as reducing a community’s eco- nomic losses (Case, 2014). By lowering the number of commercial building fires, there is less risk to the firefighters and businesses. Safety inspections may not be glamorous, but they are vital to the success of a com- munity and its private sector.
Creating a Culture of Prevention
Positive changes regarding fire prevention and safety might require changing a com- pany’s prevention mindset. This can be arduous if the company has had previous repeated violations and missteps; however, it is possible through professionalism, and attentive and educational customer service.
Just as OSH professionals work every day to instill workplace safety guidelines so every employee can go home to their fami- lies, so do fire inspectors. Their efforts to monitor and enforce fire codes help to cre- ate a safe working environment that is bol- stered by rules and regulations that encour- age fire prevention. The value of imposing fire codes cannot be stressed enough, as not only do they protect the company property and workers, but they also provide safety for first-responders who may have to come to the location.
Various building fire codes also offer inspectors a chance to teach all stakehold- ers in the company how to protect their business, property and, most importantly, the lives of those on site. By providing at- tentive customer service, the fire inspector can further connect with clients to ensure a teachable moment extends beyond the “moment,” and eventually becomes part of its workplace culture.
For more information on this topic, visit Vision 20/20 at StrategicFire.org.
Vision 20/20 offers insights on fire pre- vention including case studies, guides, tools and more.
Thomas Maloney is the fire marshal and deputy chief for Marysville Fire District in Washington. Since 2012, he has taught at Columbia Southern University as a facul- ty member with the College of Safety and Emergency Services. He is a graduate of the University of Phoenix and the National Fire Academy. Maloney also holds the designa-
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Circle 21 on card. 33