Don’t neglect risk management, safety professionals tell business owners

Safety professionals have advised business owners not to neglect operational risk management because of its importance for business continuity.

Roland Ngong, vice president of the organising committee, National Fire Protection Association West Africa (NFPAWA) 2017 conference, made this known in a statement.

Ngong, who urged safety professionals to obey certain codes in protecting critical equipment, announced that the organisation would hold its annual conference

Ngong said the module concerning protection of critical equipment will be taught by professionals from the US.

“The module, NFPA 75, which is about standard fire protection of Information Technology equipment covers the requirements for the protection of information technology equipment and information technology equipment areas from fire damage or its associated effects: smoke, corrosion, heat and water,” the statement read.

According to Ngong, some of the areas module addresses includes application, which is based on risk considerations, including business interruption aspects of the functions and the fire threat to the installation.

“It also deals with specific criteria like construction requirements, materials and equipment, construction of information technology equipment, fire protection and detection equipment, records kept or stored in IT equipment rooms, utilities, and emergency and recovery procedures,” he said.

“The NFPA 76 which is Standard for the Fire Protection of Telecommunications Facilities provides requirements for fire protection of telecommunications facilities providing telephone, data, internet transmission, wireless, and video services to the public as well as life safety for the occupants plus protection of equipment and service continuity.”

The conference, which is scheduled to hold in May at Oriental hotel, Lagos, will involve decision makers in various organisations.