Examining the Facility Safety Practices of EU Financial Institutions in the Light of a Fire Safety Survey

Abstract

Our daily lives rely on technologies and devices whose underlying infrastructure is often hidden from us. Yet some of these infrastructures provide vital services: the consequences of their failure can be economic, social, political and not just loss of life. The protection of critical installations is therefore a key area that needs to be constantly improved, including fire protection. The aim of
this article is to identify and demonstrate, on the basis of literature and legislative references, the need for life-cycle thinking and the use of modern IT tools in the case of facility infrastructure as an essential part of effective fire protection. In this context, we publish the results of our quantitative research among financial institutions in the Member States of the European Union. Our findings and forward-looking recommendations can provide a starting point for further research and can also provide guidance for infrastructure operators, supervisors, auditors and legislators, as well as operators of critical systems and facilities.