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Compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals published by MCB University Press: Facilities Volumes 8‐18; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐18; Property Management Volumes 8‐18; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐18.

Fire safety is a performance characteristic of buildings. The technological functions of fire safety systems interact with the systems that are necessary for other environmental control systems and to fulfil other performance characteristics expected from the building. For some aspects of fire safety the systems needed to generate the ambient environment and the control expected over the ambient environment are conceptually the same systems that are needed for the control of the environment that changes because of the intrusion of products of combustion. Outlines the interactions between fire safety needs and the systems that help to generate and monitor the ambient environment.

This paper reports some interim findings from organisational research into site fire safety which looks at the relevance of Contractor and Facilities Manager attitudes to safety as a component of the overall safety process. Presents a discussion on some of the practical problems associated with Facilities Managers managing the maintenance of fire safety during alterations works. Commences with an illustration of the Facilities Management context of site fire safety that draws upon a number of relevant fire events. It is intended to provoke a wider debate on the relevance of the Facilities Management role in protecting the business. A Project Safety Plan checklist is suggested for Facilities Managers, based on the authors’ review of existing construction site fire safety guidance and codes of practice. Explores a broadening of the Facilities Management role, as interface manager, which in most cases of refurbishment and alterations will constitute the common managerial link to the core business.

Compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals published by MCB University Press: Facilities Volumes 8‐17; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐17; Property Management Volumes 8‐17; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐17.

Consequent to an arson fire killing 17 persons in a Hong Kong karaoke in 1997, fire safety provisions in karaokes has raised public concern. Government officers and the services industry have agreed to upgrade fire safety provisions. But before deciding what to do, facilities for the existing karaokes are the subject of a review. A simple fire safety ranking system was proposed in 1999 for existing karaokes. They were grouped on the basis of their fire facilities and management system. The system was criticized for being inapplicable to local industry, as a result of failing to solicit views from the services industry. That system has since been revised. Trial runs in 19 existing karaokes were carried out in 2000. Now, the system is more suited for local use as it is simple. Hence advocates the use of the system to the Hong Kong Fire Authority for assessing fire safety of existing karaokes.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive model of safety culture for the US fire service.

Based upon a modified version of Cooper’s Reciprocal Determinism Model, the research uses two sets of exogenous variables, labeled Safety Management System and Safety Related Behaviors, to explain a dependent variable called Organizational Safety Climate. The model has been used successfully to improve safety performance in other high risk, high performance organizations. Using survey data collected from over 1,000 firefighters in three medium‐sized US municipalities, the theoretical model is tested.

Results from multiple regression analyses provide strong support for the hypothesis that individual perceptions of safety management and safety behavior predict individual perceptions of safety climate, both at the “fire service” organizational level and at the individual department level.

Limitations of the study include a cross‐sectional design, the use of self‐reported perceptions for the variables, and the fact that the three mid‐sized US fire departments from which data were gathered self‐selected to participate in the study.

A practical feature of the theoretical model tested is the ability to create “safety report cards” for each of the 12 dimensions that define the three variables used in the study.

This model holds the promise of reducing firefighter injuries and deaths by identifying managerial and behavioral safety improvement areas within US fire departments.

To the authors’ knowledge, this research represents the first attempt to both identify and test empirically a safety culture model for the US fire service.

The purpose of this paper is to present the development and implementation of a qualitative, code-compliance framework for property managers of student housing facilities.

The paper identified the fire safety code requirements for student housing facilities and arranged these requirements in the form of a checklist, which was further validated by professional experts. Additionally, the paper presented an IDEF₀ (Integrated Definition for Function Modeling) framework model that illustrates a stepwise process for the deployment of the checklist. A case study was conducted on three similar student housing facilities in a university campus to demonstrate the application of the framework. Furthermore, the findings from the case study were reported along with recommendations to improve the degree of compliance with the requirements of fire safety codes.

The developed framework was validated by professional experts and through a case study. Fire safety provisions were mostly found to be adequate in the case study building. The authors proposed several actions to improve the current status of fire safety in the building.

The paper serves to disseminate awareness about the occurrence of fires, their severe consequences and precautionary measures in student housing facilities. It also provides a standardized checklist for ease of use by property managers who may be unable to understand the technical terminologies found in fire safety codes and standards. Thus, the developed framework is of tangible value to property managers, building specialists and student housing administrators.

Proper implementation of fire safety management is a key to providing total fire safety. In this paper, a regulatory framework related to fire safety management in buildings in Hong Kong has been reviewed. Current statutory requirements covering both administrative and technical aspects of fire safety management elements are outlined. Responsibilities of different management parties in a typical multiple occupancies commercial building on operating the fire safety measures are discussed. It is observed that only maintenance of active fire protection systems are emphasised at the moment. A more detailed fire safety plan should be formulated with clear legal liability for undertaking management responsibilities.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and present a safety-oriented job demands-resources (JD-R) model that supports the notion that excessive job demands in the fire service, when not controlled or countered, may increase firefighter burnout and diminish firefighter safety.

The approach for the present project includes a review of the JD-R literature and the presentation of a conceptual model specific to fire service organizations.

A conceptual model, relevant to fire service organizations was derived. The model argues that excessive job demands associated with workload, physical demands, emotional demands, and complexity can result in burnout if not controlled or countered. Safety-specific resources, including recovery, support, safety-specific transformational leadership and safety climate are theorized to buffer these effects and are suggested to enhance firefighter engagement. These effects are argued then to improve firefighter safety. Ultimately, the findings will help guide future research, intervention projects and workplace safety and health management programs and initiatives.

This paper and conceptual model extends the application of the JD-R model to fire service organizations. Further, the conceptual model supports the application of safety-specific job resources vs more traditional job resources as a means to enhance firefighter safety.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how fire services use social media to educate the public about safety and fire prevention.

Grounded theoretical methods were employed in a rigorous qualitative analysis of five significant fire services’ Twitter accounts in Ontario, Canada.

Seven main themes emerged from the data, with an overarching conclusion that tweets made by fire service organisations and professionals do not focus primarily on fire safety.

This paper addresses a gap in the literature in terms of understanding how social media communicates information about all three lines of defence against fire, with a focus on the first two: public fire safety education, fire safety standards and enforcement and emergency response.

The authors suggest that fire services need to employ a more segmented approach to social media posts with an objective to engage and educate the public.

This paper is the first extensive qualitative analysis to consider the particulars of fire services’ social media presence.