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WE ARE all becoming increasingly dependent on the transport infrastructure in this, the global age. Whether it be for work and business or for social purposes, each of us now expects a high standard when it comes to our travel needs – and, of course, safety has to be a paramount consideration.
Just consider the sheer volume of people who use road and rail networks, the airport and airline sector, or maritime routes on a daily basis. Clearly, life safety in these mass transit facilities must be a top priority, both in the design and planning stages, and in the day-to-day management of these facilities, be they railway terminals, tunnels, airports and aircraft, sea ports or ferries.
But beyond that, the economic importance of the transport infrastructure – both in terms of its use in global trade, and the business continuity needs of the transport facilities themselves – is also a key consideration. For example, the fallout from a fire in a road tunnel or cargo ship, both key links in sustaining economic activities, can be massive. And the need for transport providers – airlines, railway companies, tunnel operators – to maintain their ‘safety reputation’ is a key issue for their business.
Links to security
These themes and more are explored in this issue of FP&FEJ in a range of articles looking at, for example, tunnel security in Singapore, a rail tunnel fire case study in Hong Kong, the fire safety design of the lounges at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5, due to open next March, and measures to improve maritime resilience in Europe.
These articles not only highlight the need to design-in and manage and maintain fire safety in transport infrastructure, and to respond effectively to fire incidents, but they also underline the fact that fire safety in transport has, in a sense, benefited from the increased emphasis now placed on security measures in the post-September 11 world.
Indeed, the need for high security at transport facilities – with terrorist groups now recognising them as key targets – means that fire protection measures are becoming an increasingly important consideration. The terrorist bombings on the London Underground in July 2005 and the failed attack on Glasgow Airport this June, when terrorists attempted to drive a truck containing a car bomb into an airport terminal entrance, show that there is a clear and present risk to transport facilities that fire safety measures, from suppression systems to alarm and evacuation procedures, can help mitigate.
Tunnels are also known to be considered by terrorists as possible targets and, in the light of this, the authorities in Singapore have introduced a programme to enhance fire safety in tunnels, including a ban on certain vehicles carrying hazardous materials from accessing road tunnels. The key aim is to prevent a road tanker from being used in a terror attack in a tunnel, although the move also reduces the likelihood of tankers causing accidental fires, for example, as a result of petrol leaks or goods catching fire.
Aside from protection measures, there are also operational lessons that fire and rescue services can build on when planning emergency response arrangements and putting them into practice at actual incidents. The response to a fire on a train carrying some 1,000 passengers as it passed through a rail tunnel in Hong Kong is a case in point.
Here, the tunnel design and the installed protection, particularly the smoke extraction system, assisted fire crews in tackling the blaze. In addition, a review of the incident has highlighted the need for better communications between the fire service and the rail operations control centre to ensure that accurate information is passed on quickly to the incident commander. The need for improved coordination between the various response agencies and for regular exercises to refine plans was also identified.
In future, our reliance on transport looks set to grow – and so too the need for greater attention to fire safety issues in mass transit facilities. For example, more road and rail tunnels will be built to provide better transport links and to ease congestion in over-developed areas – Hong Kong alone is planning six new rail corridors in the next eight years. Moreover, new airport terminals are likely to be bigger and more complex to serve greater numbers of passengers and meet more demanding building performance standards: Heathrow’s Terminal 5 – which will comprise of five levels, each the size of ten football pitches – is only the start of the trend.
Thankfully, fire incidents in transport facilities are relatively rare, but with so many people using and working in them, and their importance for business and global trade, holistic fire safety solutions – from designed-in safety features, to risk assessment and management – will increasingly come into play as the world keeps on the move.
Rupert Gilbey is editor of FP&FEJ
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