Some considerations in the combination and use of expert opinions in fire safety evaluation

Recent publications on Fire Safety Evaluation reveal a trend towards the weighted prioritisation of fire safety attributes. Such rankings have emerged as the distillate of expert opinion ranging through the relevant disciplines of Fire Engineering. This paper discusses some of the fundamental concerns in the assessment of opinion by a panel of experts. It explores some key issues relating to the combination of individual views into a group opinion and indicates problematic areas in the ranking of issues by importance. Possible ways in which the utility of the ranking may effect its determination are also examined.