Workplace Fires - An assessment of fire safety measures in Supermarkets within Nairobi

INTRODUCTION  Fire remains the single most significant risk in many workplaces today.  In the recent years, Kenyan workplaces have experienced unprecedented cases of fire. This has led to loss of lives, injuries, loss of business and investment opportunities. A case in point is the Nakumatt Supermarket fire tragedy in Nairobi that killed thirty (30) people in January 2009.  The study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the fire prevention measures being undertaken by supermarkets.   The specific objectives were to quantify the amount of risk of fire faced by Supermarkets, to evaluate the extent of compliance with the fire risk reduction rules by the supermarkets and to find out the level of fire safety awareness of supermarket employees and customers.  METHODS  An assessment of supermarkets fire safety levels was carried out through a prepared checklist. Specific provisions of the country’s fire risk reduction rules were evaluated in the supermarkets identified through stratified random sampling.  Further a questionnaire was developed for administration to persons legally present in the supermarkets which sought to establish the level of awareness of the respondents on fire safety issues.   The results from the assessments and the questionnaire were tabulated and the analyzed results presented in graphical, pie charts and the facility risk profiling (FARIP) chart presentation.    RESULTS/DISCUSSIONS  The risk of fire in supermarkets in Nairobi is considerably high in the general average level of 11 on an increasing risk scale of upto 25.  The safety standards are less than adequate and fail to meet many of the requirements.  Significant improvements are required as there are many fuel sources yet means of extinguishing fire were inadequate. There is insufficient training on fire fighting and evacuation drills for both employees and customers which imply that the probability of injury during such a fire while shopping is significant.