Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

The determination of optimum fire protection engineering solutions at present is a predominantly subjective based process. An analytical technique is offered to evaluate risk and the manager's aversion toward risk to better employ the risk management options of loss transfer, loss absorption, and loss reduction. An engineering method presently exists for numerically evaluating a relative level of risk in any building. The flame movement part of the method involves the determination of the probability of success in terminating a fire within each space of a building. The effectiveness of each barrier surrounding the space, also can be evaluated whether it be a floor, ceiling, wall, or an empty void. An illustrative case study has been offered to demonstrate the incorporation of the engineering method into a decision analysis of possible alternatives based on the risk attitude of the decision maker. This case study illustrates how the three risk management options can be considered rationally and quantitatively.