Are We Overlooking Fire Safety by Hiring Based on Military Backgrounds? Let's Discuss

Dear Friends,

Today, most security heads have the responsibility of fire and life safety as well. The Carlton Towers incident in Bangalore is a classic example of what happens when fire and life systems are neglected. The security manager and the maintenance head of the building had to go to jail along with the building owner.

It is, therefore, very important to hire a candidate with the right qualifications. It is high time we moved away from the fixation of hiring ex-military personnel based solely on their military service.

Please find attached herewith a PPT based on the National Building Code of India Part 4, which deals with fire and life safety. Compliance with the code is mandatory, and violations can make your company and its promoters directly responsible for any eventuality that may arise from non-compliance with NBC Part 4.

This PPT can be used to assess the skills of your prospective and present security chief.

Please do provide your valuable feedback as it helps me understand how you receive such resources. No response and just seeing the post mean that I am wasting your time and mine.

Thanks,

Jasvinder Singh

Thank you, Mr. Jasvinder Singh, for creating awareness of the National Building Code of India, which deals with fire and life safety. As mentioned by you, all organizations must deploy ex-service personnel as security and safety professionals based on their strength, who can provide assistance during times of need in any calamity.

I kindly request you to upload the PowerPoint Presentation on the subject of the National Building Code of India Part 4 for the benefit and review of our members. They will be able to view the presentation and share their comments on it.

Thank you, Mr. Jasvinder Singh, for your efforts in raising awareness.

Thank you for providing detailed information about the NBC Part IV. Regarding the recruitment of competent personnel, as per the regulation, the individual to be recruited should have a background in fire safety qualifications from a recognized institute. For further information on fire safety, you can also refer to the TAC guideline or NFPA guidelines.

Once again, thank you for providing the information.

Regards,
Deepak B. Dorik

Thank you for sharing such an informative presentation with us. I would like to inquire whether this NBC is applicable to factories as well. Our establishment is a cement manufacturing unit covered under the Factories Act.

Please continue sharing your expertise with us.

Thank you.

Dear Dilip, what I have referred to in the PowerPoint presentation pertains mainly to high-rise and business buildings. Having said that, there are a lot of provisions in the National Building Code of India which pertain to hazardous industries such as cement asbestos, chemicals, etc. For that, you will have to refer to the entire National Building Code of India 2005, which will have to be purchased. I have spent about 10 years in the cement industry with companies such as Gujarat Siddhi Cement, Grasim Cement, Vasavadatta Cement, and Cement Corporation of India.

Thanks,
Jasvinder Singh

Dear Jasvinder Singh, Thanks for your reply. I am also working with Grasim Cement (presently known as UltraTech Cement Ltd.). It's nice to come in contact with potential people like you through this forum. Thanks and keep in touch. During your 10-year tenure in various cement industries, did you ever try to fulfill the requirements of NBC? Did you implement all the requirements under NBC in any cement plants? Please let me know. I think we are only behind in fulfilling the requirements of the Factories Act and Rules. Regards,

I have worked in security in cement plants, where security used to report to the admin head only. When the admin head himself did not have knowledge of NBC, the consequences of bringing up this subject with your reporting head would be that you were trying to undermine his expertise and knowledge, thus putting you in his bad books. I never tried doing that as I had a job to do, and as far as my reporting head was happy with me and vice versa, there was no need to rock the boat.

I agree with you that industries pay attention mainly to the Factories Act, and this is true of the IT companies also, as the people in charge have no knowledge of the NBC and thus put a lot of lives at risk with their ignorance due to wrong HR hiring policies.

Thanks,
Jasvinder Singh

I would like to know if this presentation refers to Part 4 of NBC 2005 or any new releases after that. If it is the latest one, could you please specify?

Thanks,
Sowrirajan

The National Building Code of India was last updated in the year 2005 and is still in force, including Part 4.

Fire Safety Audit: Importance and Qualifications

Fire Safety Audits should be conducted by a qualified individual with at least 15 years of experience, preferably a retired Fire Officer. The candidate must hold a Graduate Fire Engineer certification from the Institution of Fire Engineers (I.F.E-India), a Divisional Fire Officer certificate from Nagpur Fire Service College (NFSC), Nagpur, or a B.E in Fire Safety. This individual should have a deep understanding of Fire Hazards, Prevention, Protection, and Life Safety Measures in various settings such as industries, hotels, HRB complexes, power plants, and more. Their role is crucial in performing Fire Risk Assessments, implementing preventive measures to avoid Fire Incidents, and enabling city Fire Services to respond effectively for rescue and firefighting during emergencies.

Life is invaluable, and once lost, it cannot be regained. Therefore, conducting Fire Safety Audits and providing Fire Safety Awareness Training is imperative in all HRB establishments to ensure prompt action and safeguard human lives.

BE SAFE & BE HAPPY

Regards,
P.L. BHATTRAI
Mob [Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]