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1. Introduction
Equipping hospital buildings against disasters especially fire-related causes in a healthcare environment is germane, globally. Between 2015 and 2016, 76% of fire-related fatalities occurred in UK residential houses (Home Office, 2016). Also, between 2014 and 2015, 40% of fire-related deaths were caused by gas or smoke. Fires in buildings develop through four major stages: growth stage, flashover stage, post flashover stage, and lastly, the decay stage. The flashover stage is not a frequent occurrence in the fire development phases (Ingason et al., 2015; Alarifi et al., 2016). Many hindrance poses threat to occupants and firefighters in buildings, including healthcare facilities. For example, smoke that emerged during the fire and contains unsafe gases such as carbon monoxide, carbon IV oxide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride and carbon dioxide (BSI, 2012). The emerged smoke affects both the dwellers and building structure and may cause demolition (Littlewood et al., 2017). In the United States of America, McCarthy and Gaucher (2004) attempted to provide data and information that would enhance the framework necessary to develop fire safety plans in hospital operation rooms. They suggested that front line staffers should be engaged and trained regarding fire extinguishers, fire blankets and fire pull stations during fire drills section. Loria et al. (2012) identified three key elements (fire safety stakeholders practice system, fire safety action plan and fire risk assessment), which are the main framework necessary to develop and promote a fire safety management plan (FSMP). These components are necessary to develop a FSMP (Vidyadharan et al., 2018).
In Malaysia, the Ministry of Health is responsible for managing health systems, behaviour, health management, research, respiratory medicine and patient safety via the ministry’s public hospitals with a vision “A Nation Working Together For Better Health”. Thus, the stakeholders engaged in fire action plan implementation were assessed through fire management strategy and planning, maintenance and assessment, and the related clause in the procurement for concession. The level of public hospital building compliance with the requirements of the FSMP in Malaysia may be relaxed. One of the possible reasons is that many of the public hospitals started before the establishment and enforcement of law and jurisdiction Acts. Examples of such Act are Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994, Act 341...