Assessment of Maximum Possible Loss Caused by Fire in High-Rise Buildings Using the LOPA Method: A Case Study on Central Insurance Building of Iran

Abstract

Background: Fire safety is one of the most important issues in high-rise buildings. The purpose of this study is to assess maximum possible loss in the fire in Central Insurance Building of Islamic Republic of Iran using the layer of protection analysis (LOPA) method. Method: In 2017, this analytical study was conducted on the 21-floor building of the Central Insurance in Iran. To identify the hazard sources and assess the maximum possible loss, the authors used the preliminary hazard list (PHL) and layer of protection analysis (LOPA) respectively. In addition, the analysis of the study data was performed based on the 10×10 risk assessment matrix. Results: The results of the PHL showed that 26 hazardous conditions and four major sources including structural engineering, fire alarm systems and fire extinguishers, design and maintenance of building safety, and behavioral habits were identified as main hazards of fire in the studied building. The application of the LOPA method showed that highest risk level was associated with the fire caused by the exhaust heat from the engine room (RL=48) and the emergency power generator diesel (RL=40), respectively. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that calculating the maximum possible loss in the fire of high-rise buildings can help to increase the safety factor. Moreover, the use of the two methods, PHL and LOPA, can be useful in these types of risk assessments.