A fire inspection is described as an annual routine conducted by fire departments in order to determine the level of safety in a place. In the university, the fire department conducts the inspection in order to assess the probability of having a fire break-out and the possible ways in which such a tragedy, should it strike, should be dealt with. The inspection is however not done in equal measure in terms of frequency and intensity. It varies depending on factors such as the location of the building, the level of exposure to the threat of fire and the relevance of the building. The fire department expects that the buildings they are inspecting all over the university be build up to the required standards which include the fire safety standards. The fire safety standards that are focused on during the inspection include the availability and functionality of fire detection mechanisms that are strategically placed, the availability, type and functionality of fire extinguishers, the presence of fire hydrants and pumps and properly strategized a way of evacuating people should a fire break out. (Abu (2017) The fire department is obliged to make sure that the exits are safe and there are no obstacles that are likely to cause harm to people and that the fire assembly points are easily accessible by everyone. They also make sure that the people are in a position to use the fire extinguishers by ensuring that they are within reach and that they are refilled and the inspection dates are not due. (Abu (2017) The fire department also ensures that the electrical installation is done correctly so as to try and prevent a possible fire outbreak that may be caused by a faulty electrical connection. They also inspect the machinery to make sure that it is functioning properly. They also check the strategy used in the storage of highly flammable material like laboratory chemicals to ensure that they are not exposed to possible flames that may lead to extensive damage.
The issue of fire inspection is very paramount when it comes to the issue of safety in the university. The most important thing that is kept safe through the fire inspection is human life. There are very many people that are in and around the university at all times; the students, lecturers, support staff and guests. It is very important that the lives of these people are not cut short by a fire tragedy that can possibly be prevented or whose effect can be greatly mitigated through efforts such as a well-done fire inspection. Which means that the fire will either not break out or the people will be in a position to put it off and be in a safe zone in the instance that fire breaks out. The other way in which fire inspection relates to safety is the protection of property. At the university, the places that are most likely to be affected by fires are the same areas that are the most expensive. They range from halls of residence where there is a lot of property belonging to students and other expensive kitchenware, the laboratories which have lots of expensive chemicals, apparatus, and machines for experiments and the offices where there are a lot of computers and paperwork that should not be lost or damaged. (Sanni-Anibire (2017) Through fire inspection it is possible to keep all these places safe from fire. It is also possible to put out the fire before it spreads hence saving a considerable size of the property. A fire inspection is, therefore, something that no one should take lightly and every university should make sure that the inspection is done conclusively and the recommendations are implemented immediately.
References
Buchanan, A. H., & Abu, A. K. (2017). Structural design for fire safety. John Wiley & Sons.
Hassanain, M. A., Hafeez, M. A., & Sanni-Anibire, M. O. (2017). A ranking system for fire safety performance of student housing facilities. Safety science, 92, 116-127.