Risk engineering knowledge: loss prevention, inspection practice and technical standards.
126 objects
Absence management is the systematic corporate process for recording, analysing and reducing sickness- and accident-related absences from work: it combines key figures, early detection, contact and return-to-work interviews, case management and reintegration with the benefits of daily sickness allowance insurers, UVG accident insurers and disability insurance.
Access control systems (ACS) manage and log entry to buildings and security areas based on identification credentials, complementing mechanical and electronic intrusion protection with person-based access management.
Aerosol product storage is classified into hazard levels based on the flammability of propellant and contents, since bursting cans can spread fire across large areas within seconds through rocketing and torching.
An arc flash is an uncontrolled electrical arc in power equipment that releases temperatures of several thousand degrees, a pressure wave and molten metal within milliseconds, posing a severe hazard to both personnel and the installation itself.
Arson prevention comprises access control, surveillance and housekeeping measures that make it harder to start deliberate fires, since arson is among the most frequent causes of major industrial losses.
Aspirating smoke detection actively draws air samples from the monitored area through a pipe network and analyses them with high-sensitivity detectors, identifying fires substantially earlier than point-type smoke detectors.
Automatic sprinkler systems are fixed water-based fire protection installations that detect and control or extinguish a fire in its early stages through heat-activated sprinkler heads, without relying on human intervention.
Automotive suppliers face a risk profile shaped by tightly scheduled just-in-time supply chains, highly automated production lines and strong dependency on a small number of customers, in which business interruption losses frequently exceed direct property damage.
Business continuity management is the systematic development of plans and capabilities that enable a company to quickly resume critical processes after an operational disruption.
Cable fire loads arise from the large quantities of combustible insulation and sheathing materials bundled in cable routes and ducts; without fire stopping and suitable cable grades, a local fault can spread rapidly across entire fire compartments.
Chemical plants present an industry-specific hazard profile arising from the handling of flammable, reactive or toxic substances, closely linking fire, explosion and environmental risk.
Cold and frozen storage warehouses combine combustible insulated panel envelopes with refrigeration plant whose refrigerant can itself be a fire or health hazard if it leaks, requiring a dedicated fire protection concept.
A combustible dust explosion occurs when fine combustible dust is dispersed as a cloud at sufficient concentration and ignited by an effective ignition source, where a primary explosion can lift settled dust into a far more destructive secondary explosion.
Compressed gas cylinder storage requires segregation by gas properties (flammable, oxidising, inert, toxic), securing against falling, and adequate ventilation to limit fire, explosion and asphyxiation hazards.
Condition monitoring systematically captures measurands such as vibration, temperature or oil quality to continuously assess the technical condition of machines and plan maintenance proactively rather than reactively.
Contractor management covers the selection, induction, contractual integration and supervision of external firms so their employees follow the same safety and fire protection rules as the site's own staff.
Corporate health management (Betriebliches Gesundheitsmanagement, BGM) is the systematic management of corporate structures and processes with the aim of preserving employees' health and performance; it integrates occupational safety and health protection, absence management and workplace health promotion in line with the Luxembourg Declaration and is certified in Switzerland with the "Friendly Work Space" label.
Cranes and lifting equipment carry the risk of a dropped load through overload, failure of load-bearing components or human error, endangering the lifted goods as well as neighbouring plant and personnel.
Condition-based maintenance of critical machinery and equipment reduces breakdown and consequential loss risks and is a key prerequisite for insurable machinery and business interruption exposures.
Cyber-physical security of fire and security systems refers to protecting networked fire detection, intrusion detection, video and access control systems from manipulation and failure caused by cyber attacks.
Data centres combine a very high concentration of asset value in a small footprint with extreme sensitivity to business interruption, since even brief outages of power or cooling can trigger far-reaching consequential losses for customers.
Dry pipe and antifreeze systems protect piping and sprinkler sections in areas exposed to freezing or left unheated by holding air instead of water, or by dosing the water with an approved antifreeze solution.
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure combines high electrical power density with proximity to vehicle batteries and parking areas, turning overload, misuse and battery incidents into a distinct fire and business risk.
Electrical equipment in hazardous (classified) locations must be selected according to zone classification, type of protection and temperature class and inspected on a recurring basis, since a single unsuitable or damaged device can be enough to ignite an explosion.
Periodic inspection of electrical installations detects insulation faults, overloads and ageing damage before they cause fires or outages, and is a recurring statutory and insurance requirement in many jurisdictions.
Electrical thermography uses infrared cameras to reveal overheating in electrical installations before it leads to fires or outages, and is a standard instrument of insurance-driven loss prevention.
Emergency power systems and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) keep critical processes and life-safety systems running during a mains failure; their reliability depends largely on regular load testing and proper battery maintenance.
Emergency response planning defines how an operation protects people during fires, explosions and other loss events through defined alarm, evacuation and response procedures, and how it supports first responders.
ESFR (Early Suppression Fast Response) sprinklers are fast-acting, high-discharge sprinkler heads that suppress a fire at an early stage, particularly in high-piled storage, rather than merely controlling it.
Explosion protection comprises primary, secondary and constructional measures used to prevent the simultaneous occurrence of an explosive atmosphere and an effective ignition source in hazardous areas, or to limit the consequences if it occurs.
Fire alarm monitoring and signal transmission govern how an alarm signal from the fire detection system is reliably relayed to the fire brigade, an alarm receiving centre or in-house responsible staff, and which response steps follow.
Fire brigade access and water supply ensure that emergency vehicles can reach a property at all times and can be supplied with a sufficient quantity and pressure of water throughout the entire firefighting operation.
Fire compartmentation subdivides a building into spatially limited units using fire-resistant construction elements, delaying fire spread and limiting the maximum foreseeable loss.
Fire detection and alarm systems automatically sense smoke, heat or flame at an early stage of a fire and initiate alarm signalling, actuation of connected equipment and notification of the fire brigade or an alarm receiving centre.
Fire doors and shutters close openings in fire compartments and must close automatically in the event of a fire so that the surrounding wall retains its required fire resistance rating.
Fire safety training and evacuation drills teach employees correct behaviour in the event of fire, the use of portable extinguishers, and the alarm organisation's procedures, and are regularly tested through practical exercises.
A fire protection concept is the project-specific, integrated plan of all structural, technical and organisational fire safety measures for a building and forms the binding basis for building permits, construction and the property insurer's risk assessment.
Fire protection water tanks store the water volume required by sprinkler and other fixed extinguishing systems on site, whenever the public supply alone is insufficient, and secure its availability for the entire required discharge duration.
Fire pumps raise the pressure and flow of an in-plant water supply to the level required by sprinkler and other fixed extinguishing systems whenever the available water source alone is insufficient.
Fire resistance of building elements describes the standardised time span during which walls, floors, columns and other elements maintain their load-bearing capacity, integrity and insulation performance in a fire.
Fire safety in timber construction assesses how load-bearing and separating timber structures can reach a level of safety comparable to mineral-based construction through charring behaviour, encapsulation and complementary extinguishing technology.
Fire safety management is the systematic process, driven by senior management, through which an organisation's fire protection is organised, integrated into its safety organisation, monitored and continuously improved.
Fire safety of facades addresses the fire performance of external wall claddings, external thermal insulation composite systems and ventilated cavities through which a fire can spread vertically across floors on the outside of a building.
Fire safety of roof systems covers selecting and installing roof coverings, insulation and rooftop structures so that neither fire spread across the roof nor rapid collapse of the roof structure is encouraged.
A fire safety officer is the qualified specialist appointed by senior management to act as the central point of contact for preventive, responsive and organisational fire protection, advising on and overseeing the implementation of measures.
Fire safety on construction sites covers the organisational and structural measures used during new build, refurbishment or demolition to address the elevated fire risk of an incomplete building envelope and missing protection systems.
Fire stopping seals the openings made by cables, pipes and ventilation ducts through fire-separating elements so that their fire resistance is not undermined by open gaps.
Firewalls and complex partition walls are particularly robust, high-fire-resistance elements that divide buildings or industrial complexes into independent fire areas and must remain stable even under full-scale fire.
Flammable liquids storage requires classification by flash point and quantity together with containment, ventilation and segregation measures to limit fire and explosion hazards arising from vapour formation.
Foam extinguishing systems apply an air- or water-based foam blanket to burning liquids or stored goods, covering the fire surface, excluding oxygen and preventing re-ignition.
The food industry combines dust explosion, cooking-oil fire and ammonia refrigeration risk with strict hygiene and traceability requirements, closely linking loss prevention and product liability exposure.
Freeze protection and water damage prevention comprise measures that stop water-carrying pipework and plant in a facility from freezing, thereby avoiding frost damage and consequential water losses.
Gas turbines feature high combustion temperatures, highly stressed compressor and turbine blades, and complex control and fuel systems, so foreign object damage, flashback or blade failure can cause total losses with long outage times.
Gaseous extinguishing systems flood an enclosed space with inert gas or a chemical clean agent to extinguish a fire without residue or water damage, primarily to protect electronic and high-value equipment.
Guarding and alarm response services comprise the deployment of security personnel and connected monitoring and alarm receiving centres that react to alarms from detection systems and intervene on site when an event occurs.
Hail protection comprises the selection of impact-resistant roofing, façades and outdoor installations together with mechanical safeguards that protect building envelopes and rooftop equipment from hail damage.
Hazardous materials handling comprises the systematic identification, classification, labelling and segregation of dangerous substances at a facility to prevent fire, explosion and environmental damage caused by mishandling or incompatible storage.
High-bay warehouses are fully automated storage systems with rack heights typically exceeding twelve metres, whose concentrated fire load in a confined footprint demands particular sprinkler protection, water supply and smoke venting arrangements.
Hospitals and care homes permanently house people who cannot self-evacuate in the event of fire, which is why fire protection concepts are designed around staged relocation ("defend in place") rather than immediate evacuation.
Hot work such as welding, cutting and soldering is among the most frequent fire causes in industrial plants; a formal permit procedure with a fire watch drastically reduces the risk.
Accommodation establishments house guests unfamiliar with the building, who in an emergency depend on clearly marked escape routes and a working alarm system, placing particular demands on fire protection and emergency organisation.
Housekeeping is the systematic control of waste, spillage and stored material on a site that reduces combustible loading and ignition sources and makes maintenance deficiencies visible at an early stage.
Hydroelectric power plants face, alongside the classic machinery risk of turbines and generators, additional flood, sediment and dam-related risks that require protective measures extending well beyond the powerhouse.
Impairment management is the cross-system governance of planned and unplanned outages of protection, detection and security systems – from suppression systems through fire alarms to security equipment – aimed at minimising downtime and compensating the loss of protection while a system is out of service.
In-plant fire protection water supplies ensure that sprinkler, wall hydrant and other fixed extinguishing systems within a facility are continuously supplied with the required flow and pressure through tanks, pumps and an internal pipe network.
Inspection, testing and maintenance (ITM) of extinguishing systems covers the recurring control and upkeep activities carried out during normal operation that ensure sprinkler and other fixed extinguishing systems remain reliably functional.
Intrusion detection systems detect unauthorised entry into secured areas through detectors, a control panel and alarm transmission, and form graded levels of protection under VdS and EN 50131 security grades.
Kitchen fire suppression systems are pre-engineered extinguishing systems installed over fryers, griddles and exhaust ductwork in commercial kitchens that automatically suppress grease fires with a wet chemical agent while shutting down the energy supply.
Lightning and surge protection covers the risk-based design of air termination systems, down conductors, earthing and surge protective devices to prevent injury, fire and electronic equipment damage from direct lightning strikes and induced overvoltages.
Lithium-ion batteries and stationary battery energy storage systems (BESS) can enter thermal runaway following a cell, charging or cooling fault - a self-sustaining reaction that causes fires which are difficult to extinguish and releases toxic gases.
Logistics service providers face, beyond the structural warehouse risk, additional industry-specific exposures from vehicle fleets, order picking, supply chain interdependency and high throughput of frequently changing third-party goods.
Loss estimation (MFL/EML) is the risk engineering methodology used to derive the largest realistically expected loss for a property and business interruption exposure, forming the technical basis for the probable maximum loss (PML) concept.
Loss history analysis systematically evaluates the frequency, causes and severity of an operation's or a portfolio's past losses, providing a key input for risk grading, loss prevention prioritisation and premium calculation.
Machinery breakdown prevention covers the design, proper installation and supervised operation of rotating and stationary machines to prevent breakdown losses caused by overload, foreign objects, lubrication failure or operating errors.
Management of change (MOC) is a formal procedure that reviews and authorises structural, technical, process and organisational changes before implementation to identify new fire, explosion and property damage risks.
Mechanical security technology comprises burglar-resistant components such as locks, window and door reinforcements, and safes or strongrooms that, classified by resistance grade, increase the time required to carry out a burglary.
Mining and mineral processing operations face a distinct risk profile spanning property, machinery and business interruption exposure, driven by dust explosions, heavy mobile equipment, conveying systems and often remote locations.
A natural hazards exposure assessment systematically evaluates locations for perils such as flood, earthquake, windstorm and hail, providing the basis for protection measures, limits and insurance structure.
Operational flood protection comprises structural, technical and organisational measures that protect a facility's buildings, plant and stock against flood and backwater damage.
Outdoor storage refers to storing goods, raw materials or empty containers outside enclosed buildings, where the absence of sprinkler protection must be offset by generous separation distances, vegetation control and access security.
Oxygen reduction systems permanently lower the oxygen concentration in a protected space below the ignition threshold of the fire load present, preventing a fire from starting rather than fighting it once ignited.
Idle wood or plastic pallets and empty containers create a disproportionately high fire load because of their open, air-permeable structure, requiring their own stack height, area and separation rules independent of the actual goods warehouse.
Photovoltaic systems carry a specific fire risk from DC components, wiring and module mounting structures that, especially on roof-mounted arrays, affects both firefighting access and property protection of the building.
Plastics storage requires its own commodity classification, since plastics – especially expanded and unpackaged forms – release substantially more heat than comparable quantities of ordinary combustibles.
Portable fire extinguishers and wall hydrants enable occupants to tackle a fire manually in its first minutes, before automatic extinguishing systems or the fire brigade become effective.
Power generation plants are electricity-producing facilities whose risk profile is shaped by a high concentration of asset values, complex machinery trains and often limited redundancy of key components.
Pre-incident planning with the fire brigade documents site-specific information on buildings, hazardous materials and fire protection equipment in advance, so that responders can react faster and more effectively during an incident.
Pressure vessels store gases or liquids under pressure and must be designed, built and recurringly inspected according to their hazard category, since material failure, corrosion or a failed pressure relief device can trigger a sudden release of stored energy.
Process safety management is a systematic management system for preventing major events such as releases, fires and explosions in process plants, going beyond individual technical protection measures.
Property risk grading classifies a property exposure by construction, occupancy, protection and exposure into a consistent rating scheme – ranging from standard risk to Highly Protected Risk (HPR) – providing a comparable basis for underwriting and pricing.
A property risk survey is the systematic on-site inspection of an operation by risk engineers that records hazards, protection measures and management programmes, providing the technical basis for risk grading, conditions and insurance terms.
Recycling and waste management facilities are shaped by highly heterogeneous, hard-to-control combustible material and a growing fire risk from incorrectly discarded lithium batteries, which significantly complicates fire protection concepts.
Refrigeration systems and compressors carry mechanical breakdown risk as well as substance-specific hazards from the refrigerant used; ammonia systems add toxicity and explosion hazards that require structural separation and dedicated detection.
Risk improvement recommendations are the prioritised loss prevention measures derived from property risk surveys, and their systematic tracking through to completion is an integral part of effective risk management.
In rotating equipment such as pumps, fans and motors, bearings are the most frequent failure cause; vibration and temperature monitoring detects incipient bearing damage before it develops into a breakdown loss.
Sandwich panels consist of two metal facings with an insulating core in between; where the core is combustible, it can cause extremely rapid fire spread and a high risk of total loss.
A security concept uses a risk analysis to determine which combination of mechanical, electronic and organisational measures is required to effectively reduce burglary and theft risk at a given site.
Seismic retrofitting comprises structural measures that improve the earthquake performance of existing buildings and plant in order to reduce injury and property damage in the event of an earthquake.
A self-inspection programme delegates regular, checklist-based monitoring of fire protection, security and maintenance features to trained facility staff, bridging the periods between formal surveys carried out by external risk engineers.
Shutdown and start-up risks arise when an operation or parts of a plant are temporarily taken out of service or brought back online, since supervision, protection systems and established routines are reduced during these phases.
Smoke and heat exhaust ventilation systems (SHEVS) release fire smoke and heat to the outside in a controlled way to keep escape routes clear of smoke, assist the fire brigade and support earlier, more localised sprinkler activation.
Smoking controls and designated smoking areas are organisational measures by which operations exclude uncontrolled ignition sources from smoking in fire-hazardous areas while meeting statutory requirements on protection from passive smoking.
Snow load refers to the loading of roof structures from accumulated snow and ice, which can cause deformation or roof collapse once the design load is exceeded.
Solar power plants are large, ground-mounted photovoltaic installations whose risk profile, beyond the electrical fire risk of the modules themselves, is shaped mainly by hail, vegetation fire, vandalism and the large number of series-connected inverters.
A documented spare parts strategy defines, for critical units with long replacement lead times, which components are stocked, contractually reserved or protected through redundancy, and thereby largely determines the realistic indemnity period of a business interruption policy.
Special hazard fire protection concepts combine the selection and arrangement of extinguishing systems for hazards that cannot be reliably controlled by standard sprinkler protection alone, such as highly reactive materials, high-value equipment or specific process risks.
Spontaneous combustion is the onset of fire through an exothermic oxidation or decomposition reaction occurring within a material itself, which builds up to ignition temperature without any external ignition source.
Design density and hazard classification determine the water discharge rate and design area a sprinkler system must be able to deliver so that it effectively controls the actual fire hazard of an occupancy.
Impairment management ensures that planned or unplanned outages of sprinkler and fire suppression systems are controlled, compensated and ended as quickly as possible.
Steam boilers carry an explosion potential from high pressure and temperature that is primarily driven by low water conditions, corrosion or scale buildup; recurring statutory inspections and safety devices such as low-water cutoffs are therefore key protective measures.
Steam turbines are highly stressed rotating machines in which blade failures, bearing damage or water induction can cause total losses with long replacement lead times, making vibration monitoring and protective automation key loss prevention measures.
Supply chain risk engineering identifies an operation's critical suppliers and customers and quantifies the resulting contingent business interruption exposure as a basis for limits, diversification and continuity measures.
Surface water drainage and backflow protection cover the routing of rainwater away from a building together with technical safeguards that prevent sewage backing up into low-lying parts of a building.
Switchgear distributes and protects electrical power in buildings and industrial plants; contact ageing, mis-coordinated protective devices or overload are among the most frequent causes of electrical fires.
Theft prevention in transport and logistics comprises technical and organisational measures along the supply chain that prevent cargo theft from vehicles, swap bodies and cross-dock warehouses.
Transformers are frequently heavy, custom-built and slow to replace, making them key links in energy supply whose failure through insulation faults, overloading or inadequate cooling can trigger substantial property and business interruption losses.
Travel risk management is the systematic process by which an organisation identifies, assesses and treats the health, security and travel risks of its employees; ISO 31030:2021, a non-certifiable guidance standard, sets out the elements of travel policy, risk assessment, treatment hierarchy, traveller tracking, briefings and crisis management.
Video surveillance systems (VSS) capture and document security-relevant events and, combined with intrusion detection and access control systems, support alarm verification and evidence preservation.
Warehouse and rack storage risk describes the fire and loss hazards arising from the quantity, arrangement and combustibility of stored goods, forming the basis for sizing sprinkler protection and fire compartments.
Waste management for fire safety governs the collection, interim storage and removal of combustible waste so that it does not act as an ignition source, a source of combustible loading, or an easy target for arson.
Water mist systems discharge finely atomised water at high or medium pressure, controlling fires through cooling, oxygen displacement and radiant heat shielding while using far less water than conventional sprinklers.
Wildfire exposure describes the hazard posed to buildings and outdoor installations by uncontrolled vegetation fires in forest-edge and drought-prone areas, and the protection measures derived from it.
Wind turbines face a specific risk profile of lightning strike, nacelle fire, gearbox and rotor blade damage, and limited accessibility for fire brigade intervention that differs markedly from conventional power plants.
Windstorm preparedness and roof inspection comprise the regular examination of roofs, façades and outdoor installations together with structural measures that limit wind damage to buildings and its consequential losses.
The wood processing industry is characterised by high fire loads from raw timber, chips and dust together with a pronounced dust explosion and spontaneous combustion risk that differs markedly from the fire hazard of finished timber construction.
ZÜRS is a geoinformation system developed by the German insurance industry that assigns every building location a hazard class for flood, backflow and heavy rain.