Rob Keeble
Member
- Messages
- 12,633
- Location
- GTA Ontario Canada
Well as part of my prep work for my case i decided what the heck i think I am competent enough to read and understand so why not read and understand the fire code.
I thought i would share my findings for all to see and discuss and think about.
My reasoning is past business experience taught me a serious life lesson, make sure you have read all the documents before you sign. And by all i mean everyone.
I also have come to realize nothing replaces fact and your own take on the facts.
That said i notice there are a variety of opinions on the matter of whether or not our shops fall into the category of requiring compliance with codes whether they be building codes or fire codes or any other code.
Now we all benefit from safety talk and all appreciate the posting of people who have had accidents and survived to tell the story and serve as a constant reminder of how dangerous our tools can be.
So i post here in pdf attachment a copy of the Objectives of our Fire code.View attachment Objectives of fire code.pdf
Yeah i know this varies from one part of the world to the other but the principle remains the same.
When i examine these objectives i find it hard to say " I aint gonna comply with that or i dont wanna comply with that" or any other negative rather than affirmative response.
Why would you want to?
The first 4 main topics in our codes objectives are
1) Safety
2) Fire Safety
3) Safety in Use
4) Health
When i examine the simple wording next to each heading and their sub headings it seems to me any normal sensible person would want to ensure compliance to these objectives regardless of whether you run a business or what ever the premises are.
I find it puzzling that in the case of our code, Farm Buildings are excluded.
If i lived on a farm, far away from all sorts of safety support, I would be wanting to be extra compliant for my own (and that of my family) health and safety not for gov regulatory purposes.
So as a starting point i ask you to consider, we spend money as woodworkers on all sorts, jigs, tools, consumables, books, courses, etc why is it so difficult for us to spend money on something that would ensure our health and safety.
In trying to answer this question myself i guess part of it goes to the heart of what we believe is sensible and practical and likely to happen rather than theoretical which is what tends to happen when we talk dust and the whole concept of dust explosions.
To that end only education will change our beliefs and that is my purpose here.
Consider the following
1) If a dust explosion were likely to take place in our hobby shops, you would most likely be the worst affected person since you would have to be inside it making the dust.
2) If our shops caught on fire as a result of smoldering dust bin igniting, we would most likely be the biggest looser.
3)Even i with a NN like i have would not like to be the cause of harm to my family or my neighbor would you like to cause others harm as a result of fire.
I can only conclude that being of independent mind we do not like rules being imposed upon us by other parties or bodies such as the fire dept.
Take seatbelts. There were seatbelts in cars for many years. Until we became aware of the pros and cons and saw facts related to their performance, we never used to wear them. Now we do it although reluctantly at times despite our knowledge of the odds.
Same could be said of table saw guards or push sticks. Except that in the case of these usually you will only injure yourself. Where as in the case of fire you could cause serious injury to others.
So in the interests of being better educated and informed i intend to work my way through the code and where i find myself of the opinion that it is out of date with more current facts challenge the relevant parties on the subject with the new facts.
Hey there is no harm in debate right.
I hope this provides you with some food for thought and spurs a little debate around the subject.
I thought i would share my findings for all to see and discuss and think about.
My reasoning is past business experience taught me a serious life lesson, make sure you have read all the documents before you sign. And by all i mean everyone.
I also have come to realize nothing replaces fact and your own take on the facts.
That said i notice there are a variety of opinions on the matter of whether or not our shops fall into the category of requiring compliance with codes whether they be building codes or fire codes or any other code.
Now we all benefit from safety talk and all appreciate the posting of people who have had accidents and survived to tell the story and serve as a constant reminder of how dangerous our tools can be.
So i post here in pdf attachment a copy of the Objectives of our Fire code.View attachment Objectives of fire code.pdf
Yeah i know this varies from one part of the world to the other but the principle remains the same.
When i examine these objectives i find it hard to say " I aint gonna comply with that or i dont wanna comply with that" or any other negative rather than affirmative response.
Why would you want to?
The first 4 main topics in our codes objectives are
1) Safety
2) Fire Safety
3) Safety in Use
4) Health
When i examine the simple wording next to each heading and their sub headings it seems to me any normal sensible person would want to ensure compliance to these objectives regardless of whether you run a business or what ever the premises are.
I find it puzzling that in the case of our code, Farm Buildings are excluded.
If i lived on a farm, far away from all sorts of safety support, I would be wanting to be extra compliant for my own (and that of my family) health and safety not for gov regulatory purposes.
So as a starting point i ask you to consider, we spend money as woodworkers on all sorts, jigs, tools, consumables, books, courses, etc why is it so difficult for us to spend money on something that would ensure our health and safety.
In trying to answer this question myself i guess part of it goes to the heart of what we believe is sensible and practical and likely to happen rather than theoretical which is what tends to happen when we talk dust and the whole concept of dust explosions.
To that end only education will change our beliefs and that is my purpose here.
Consider the following
1) If a dust explosion were likely to take place in our hobby shops, you would most likely be the worst affected person since you would have to be inside it making the dust.
2) If our shops caught on fire as a result of smoldering dust bin igniting, we would most likely be the biggest looser.
3)Even i with a NN like i have would not like to be the cause of harm to my family or my neighbor would you like to cause others harm as a result of fire.
I can only conclude that being of independent mind we do not like rules being imposed upon us by other parties or bodies such as the fire dept.
Take seatbelts. There were seatbelts in cars for many years. Until we became aware of the pros and cons and saw facts related to their performance, we never used to wear them. Now we do it although reluctantly at times despite our knowledge of the odds.
Same could be said of table saw guards or push sticks. Except that in the case of these usually you will only injure yourself. Where as in the case of fire you could cause serious injury to others.
So in the interests of being better educated and informed i intend to work my way through the code and where i find myself of the opinion that it is out of date with more current facts challenge the relevant parties on the subject with the new facts.
Hey there is no harm in debate right.
I hope this provides you with some food for thought and spurs a little debate around the subject.