AN EVALUATION OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS IN KANO METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT

The frequent occurrence of disaster in industrial buildings, commercial buildings, shopping malls, and markets in Nigeria has become a serious threat to the nation‘s fragile economy. This research evaluates the Disaster preparedness of Industrial buildings of Kano Metropolis. It was effected by means of literature review and field survey in which perceptions of various industrial representative (Human resource Managers and Safety Officers) of the three categories (Small, Medium and Large Scale) of Industries encompassing both the indigenous and foreign industries within the area; were analyzed along with secondary data obtained from relevant institutions in Nigeria.A total of one hundred and twenty (120) questionnaires were distributed with one hundred and nine (109) returned well filled giving a percentage response of 91.0%.The result of the analysis revealed that: environmental pollution( Mean=3.99) as most common hazard in the area of study, thus endangering the lives of people within that area. Similarly the hazard with the most severe effect on lives and property arranged in their order of severity are: fire outbreak with 2.78 mean; Radiological Accidents with 2.62 mean ; and False majoure with 2.52 mean .Some of the viable strategies that can be adopted as a Disaster Response Strategy arranged in their order of efficiency include: ‗Activation of Special Installation such as Mobile Hospital facilities‖; Activation of Emergencies programme for transports within the industries‘ and ‗preparation for emergency reception centers and shelters within the industrial building. Thus, the following are recommended: Industry should develop disaster preparedness plan that are more encompassing, stating and taking into cognizance the various possible hazards that it is prone to; The provision of adequate disaster evacuation facilities.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background of the Study

The frequent occurrence of disaster incidences in industrial buildings, commercial buildings, shopping malls, and markets in Nigeria has become a serious threat to the nation‘s fragile economy. Many major industrial and commercial buildings have experienced several disaster destroying lives and properties worth several billions of Naira (Oladokun, 2010). The socio-economic impacts of these accidents are aggravated by the fact that victims of such disasters, mostly large scale industry, traders are without adequate insurance cover. Disaster has continued to force many companies to close down, render many jobless, damage the environment and disrupt economic activities.

A disaster usually does not need to reach catastrophic proportions before it will present some of its highly destructive characteristic actions. The surviving casualties will have mainly serious and extensive burns, injuries requiring immediate rescue procedures that cannot always be provided by local resources. A vast proportions of industrial disasters can cause damage to the surrounding environment by the massive production of heat/destroying properties and the emanation of burn gases and fumes. Smoke and gas, because of their suffocating action and their direct action on the airways, represent other specific danger elements. The danger of smoke and gas is generally underestimated by the population (Makanjuol et al., 2009).

All disasters, whether flood, earthquake, cyclone, drought or extensive fire, inevitably cause upheavals not only in the physical but also in the social and economic context where they occur.Disaster is an event, natural or man-made, sudden or progressive, which impacts with such severity that the affected community or individual, the people concern are to respond by taking exceptional measures.when a disaster is of major proportions, as may be the case in an earthquakes or flood, an entire region or extensive national territory may be involved (Masellis et al., 2014).

Meanwhile, a disaster plan, according to Lyall (1999), is a document which describes the procedures devised to prevent and prepare for disasters, and those proposed to respond to and recover from disasters when they occur. The responsibility for performing these tasks is allocated to various staff members who comprise ‘the disaster team’. The plan should be comprehensive enough to consist several independent yet interrelated smaller plans, recognizing that every disaster has three phases; before, during and after.

According to Rivera (2010), disaster management assists in educating and managing various programs to assist in the prevention of disaster, prevent the loss of property and personal lives, and assist businesses, citizens, and organizations in obtaining the knowledge they need in order to insure a disaster-free industries and facility. This can encompass areas such as enforcement, education, engineering and disaster investigation.

Researching into the level and extend of disaster management preparedness in corporate property will go a long way at exposing facts and figures of the importance of safety and Risk reduction in Industries/workplace . Also, this exposition will help industries in improving the level of their disaster prevention means and safety equipment where they are lacking and as such guide against disaster occurrence in Kano Industrial buildings and Nigerian industries at large.

1.2 Statement of Research Problem

One of the problems facing the industrial buildings in Nigeria is the occurrence of disasters incidence, this was attributed to lack of knowledge about disaster management plan and safety practices among stakeholders. Many major industrial and commercial buildings have been gutted by disaster destroying lives and properties worth several billions of naira (Oladokun, 2010).

Protecting industries from disasters has been critical and important because disasters possess risk in terms of safety to occupants, building integrity, business interruption and the health of the community (Oladokun, 2010). Consequently, reduction in the risk of disaster for industrial buildings has been a significant goal for society that ought to be achieved through a better understanding of all the factors that contribute to disaster risk

Adequate knowledge of disaster causes, prevention and suppression is very important to all building occupant, also provision of adequate disaster detection and mitigation equipments and disaster management plan are very important, (Makanjuola et al., 2009). Thus, this study wish to asses the industrial disasters prospect and challenges for enhanced preparedness

1.3 Significance of the Study

This research is of importance to both the staff and Stakeholders susceptible to losses at the event of any Disaster in the industry. Thus, the content of this research work also stands to be beneficial to government agencies like; National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) and other governmental organization in their ongoing campaign to create awareness on the need for a Healthy and Safe Working environment in Nigeria.

In like manner, factual data as a measure of avert economic losses will draw the attention of the industries on the need for disaster preparedness with, as in a similar scenario identified by EMDAT,in Flood Protection(2012) global economic losses in 2011 alone which engulfed a loss of up to total sum of US$121.6 billion.

Spadaccini (2003) highlighted that when disaster is not controlled it may result to injury and death of people who cannot escape its occurrence/eruption, outbreak, destruction of buildings and other tangible property. The building would have to be closing either temporary or permanent which tantamount to loss of income or possibly bankruptcy and destruction of irreplaceable human heritage.

The new dimension of disaster loss in global economy shows that in the time of globalization, disaster happening in one country is leading to huge loss in other countries. The damages of stock (infrastructure) are determining the flow Revenue of either neighboring or distantly located countries. For example, during the recent flood in Thailand the Federation of Thai Industries estimated that the damage of the record flooding to industry will total $6.2 billion. Disruptions were felt in Japan and to a lesser extent, in United States because the closed industrial estates host high-tech and automotive manufacturers like Western Digital, Seagate, Nissan, Toyota, Isuzu, ON Semiconductor, and TDK Magnecomp. Four automotive factories, accounting for 630,000 Toyotas and 240,000 Hondas annually, have closed. Over 300 Japanese companies were directly affected by the disaster and estimates suggest they will take months to recover (Yojana, 2012). The intensity of the effect of disaster on any organization largely depends on the organizations prevention measures, mitigation measures, preparedness and emergency response as well as recovery measures (Ngulube, 2005). Thus, this research work, evaluates the disaster preparedness in the industries in Kano state; the level of disaster in the industries and the possibility of effective method of controlling it with the available mechanism put in place as means of providing a disaster free working environment in the industrial buildings and the establish the status of the industrial buildings to tendency and severity of disaster occurrence.

The aim of the research is to evaluate the disaster preparedness of the industrial buildings in Kano Metropolis with a view to enhancing their readiness to disaster occurrence.

1.4.2     Objectives of the study

1. To assess the disaster likelihood and its severity impact as well as the response mechanism and strategies in industrial buildings.
2. To evaluate availability of evacuation facilities in the event of disaster in industrial buildings.

• To identify the rescue response expected from different organization at the event of disaster in industrial buildings.

1. To assess the public education/enlightenment, training, and other community based disaster preparedness.

1.5 Scope and Limitation

The research work focused on survey of disaster management plan and evaluates disaster Preparedness in industrial building in Kano metropolis (industries in Sharada, Challawa, Bompai area and Zaria road). The study shall focus on either one among the followings, the emergency unit, first aid department, fire safety officer, or human resource manager. The study was limited to only industries within the Kano metropolis. Similarly the accuracy of the research is limited to the information about the industries on Disasters preparedness. Also owing to the fact that the research was conducted when the insurgence activities were on the rise in the area of study, access was not granted and this hindered the use of the checklist in assessing the industrial Buildings.

Related Project Topics :