Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
 


 


We have a proud record in Wales of reducing the incidence and severity of fire.  Casualties have more than halved since responsibility for fire was devolved in 2004\-5; and there have been no firefighter fatalities during operational deployment since  then.


However, there is always scope to do more.  There are still too many serious incidents –fires which cause death or serious injury to members of the public, and/or expose a serious and unmanaged risk to firefighter safety.  Reducing the incidence and severity of such incidents relies on understanding their causes and how those might be prevented.


Serious fires are often the subject of investigations by the Police or Health and Safety Executive, or of a Coroner’s Inquest. These investigations are clearly vital, but focus narrowly on establishing fault, liability or cause of death.  As such, they  need to establish every fact surrounding the incident and often involve many months of witness interviews, scientific tests and legal proceedings.  They are not designed to identify and promulgate broader lessons about the cause of a fire, how it might have been prevented or how the Fire Service might respond effectively to similar fires.  .


Such lessons are crucial to reducing the risk to the public, fire fighters and other emergency workers. They must be identified and applied quickly, and without attributing any fault or blame.   That needs an independent and objective investigation process, as has long been recognised in other safety\-critical sectors like aviation.    While there already are investigations by a Fire and Rescue Authority itself or by the Fire Brigades Union, there is no consistent, objective or independent approach across Wales.  


The Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser is in an ideal position to provide this.   I have therefore today published a protocol setting out how and when investigations co\-ordinated through the Adviser will be undertaken, the decision making process for such investigations, and involvement of other parties with an interest.  


 


The aim of this protocol is not to duplicate or cut across investigatory work which may be undertaken by other bodies such as Police and HSE.  It is also not about apportioning blame, but is aimed at ensuring arrangements are in place to, when necessary, gather sufficient information and identify, at an early stage, important lessons which could improve staff or public safety. 


 


 


 


 







Translation:


 
Mae gennym enw da yng Nghymru o ran lleihau nifer yr achosion o dân a difrifoldeb tanau. Mae nifer yr anafiadau a marwolaethau wedi mwy na haneru ers datganoli’r cyfrifoldeb am wasanaethau tân yn 2004\-5; ac nid oes diffoddwyr tân wedi marw tra’u bod yn gwasanaethu ers hynny.

Fodd bynnag, mae bob amser le i wneud mwy. Mae gormod o ddigwyddiadau difrifol o hyd – tân sy’n achosi i aelodau o’r cyhoedd gael eu lladd neu eu hanafu’n ddifrifol, a/neu sy’n peri risg difrifol a heb ei reoli i ddiogelwch diffoddwyr tân. Mae lleihau nifer a difrifoldeb digwyddiadau o’r fath yn dibynnu ar ddeall beth sy’n eu hachosi a sut y gellid eu hatal.

Mae tân difrifol yn aml yn destun ymchwiliadau gan yr Heddlu neu’r Awdurdod Gweithredol Iechyd a Diogelwch, neu gwest Crwner. Mae’r ymchwiliadau hyn yn hanfodol, wrth gwrs, ond maent yn canolbwyntio’n benodol ar ganfod pwy oedd ar fai, pwy sy’n atebol neu achos y farwolaeth. Oherwydd hynny, mae’n rhaid iddynt sefydlu pob ffaith ynghylch y digwyddiad ac, yn aml, maent yn cynnwys cyfweliadau gyda thystion, profion gwyddonol ac achosion cyfreithiol sy’n para misoedd lawer. Nid ydynt wedi’u cynllunio i ganfod a chyhoeddi gwersi ehangach am achosion tân, sut y gellid bod wedi’i atal neu sut y gallai’r Gwasanaeth Tân ymateb yn effeithiol i dân tebyg.  .

Mae gwersi o’r fath yn hollbwysig wrth leihau’r risg i’r cyhoedd, diffoddwyr tân a gweithwyr argyfwng eraill. Mae’n rhaid eu sefydlu a’u rhoi ar waith yn gyflym, a heb geisio canfod pwy oedd ar fai. Mae angen proses ymchwilio annibynnol a gwrthrychol ar gyfer hynny. Mae sectorau eraill lle mae diogelwch yn hanfodol, megis y diwydiant awyrennau, yn cydnabod hyn ers amser maith. Er bod Awdurdodau Tân ac Achub ac Undeb y Brigadau Tân eisoes yn cynnal ymchwiliadau, nid oes dull gweithredu cyson, gwrthrychol ac annibynnol ledled Cymru.  

Mae’r Prif Gynghorydd Tân ac Achub mewn sefyllfa ddelfrydol i ddarparu hyn. Felly, heddiw rwyf wedi cyhoeddi protocol sy’n datgan sut a pha bryd y cynhelir ymchwiliadau a gaiff eu cydgysylltu drwy’r Cynghorydd, y broses benderfynu ar gyfer ymchwiliadau o’r fath, a beth fydd rhan partïon eraill â buddiant yn yr ymchwiliadau hyn.  

Nid dyblygu neu darfu ar waith ymchwilio gan gyrff eraill, megis yr Heddlu a’r Awdurdod Gweithredol Iechyd a Diogelwch, yw nod y protocol hwn.  Nid yw ynglŷn â rhoi bai ar neb chwaith. Ei nod yw sicrhau bod trefniadau’n bodoli pan fo angen casglu gwybodaeth ddigonol a chanfod, yn fuan yn y broses, y gwersi pwysig a allai wella diogelwch staff neu’r cyhoedd.