Fire Safety Essentials for office staff

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Fire Safety Essentials for office staff

• What you need to know

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City University London 2001
Fire can have major consequences we all need
to be aware of the risks in our workplace.
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About this presentation

• The aim of this presentation is to provide you
  with basic fire safety information. Following the
  guidelines will ensure that the risk of fire and
  any subsequent damage to property and injury to
  staff and students is kept to as low a level as
  possible.

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About this presentation

• The key issues that will be covered are
  Who is responsible for fire safety?
• Basic Fire prevention methods
• Fire detection and fire fighting
• Means of escape

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Who is responsible for fire safety?

• The University Safety Policy states - The Head
  or manager of each Department/School or other
  unit is responsible for ensuring fire safety
• They will be assisted by a nominated Fire Officer
  and Deputy from within the department/School
• The Director of Facilities Management is
  responsible for fire safety requirements
  associated with the building and services, e.g.
  fire detection systems, fire extinguishers, etc

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Key fire personnel and duties

• Depending on the size and activities carried out
  in your department one or all of the following
  will be involved in fire safety
• The Fire Officer (will be responsible for
  coordinating fire alarm tests, evacuation drills,
  liaison with fire authority, etc.)
• The Building manager (likely to be involved in
  fire alarm testing and in ensuring a call is made
  to the fire authority)
• Fire wardens (some buildings may have additional
  staff acting as fire wardens). Their job is to
  ensure the building is cleared of people in an
  emergency and to report to the assembly point
  and pass on relevant information to the Fire
  Officer.

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What about individual responsibilities?

• You as an employee have legal duties which cover
  fire safety, i.e.
• You must look after yourself and others who may
  be affected by your acts or omissions
• You must cooperate with your employer so that
  they can meet their legal duties
• You must not interfere with or misuse anything
  provided for your safety
• You must report any defects or failures in the
  safety arrangements in your area

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What does that mean in practice?

• You are, for example, failing to comply with both
  the law and University policy if you
• Wedge open fire doors
• Smoke at your workplace
• Fail to report damaged fire equipment
• Misuse fire extinguishers, e.g. by using them as
  door wedges
• Block fire exits and routes with equipment or
  machinery
• Remain in your workplace when the fire alarm
  sounds (excluding weekly fire alarm tests)

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Fire Prevention

• Key issues

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Maintaining compartmentation

• Fire doors must be kept closed fire
  extinguishers are not door wedges!
• Office doors on dead end corridors must be kept
  closed
• Where possible, and before leaving the building,
  close windows/doors if alarm sounds
• NB significant changes to rooms should not be
  made without consultation with Facilities
  Management

Not acceptable!
Report damage to walls, ceilings and doors
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Fire doors

• Some fire doors are held open by a magnetic
  détente (see picture opposite). If the fire
  alarm system is activated the doors will
  automatically close. As with all fire doors, it
  is important that these are not blocked. The
  doors are normally checked as part of the fire
  drill to ensure they close once the alarm is
  sounded. Report any doors to your fire officer or
  DSC if you feel this has not happened.

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Keeping routes clear - inside

• Fire exits must be kept clear at all times.
  Equipment and combustible materials should not be
  stored on escape routes. NB some
  items of electrical equipment are allowed if
  additional precautions are taken (e.g. they do
  not cause an obstruction, they are fitted with
  RCD protection, and alternative exits are
  available)

Not acceptable!
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General housekeeping

• Do not accumulate unnecessary paper or other
  combustible material in the workplace
• Waste bins must be emptied on a regular basis
• Recyclable materials should be removed from the
  workplace regularly

Not acceptable!
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Preventing arson

• Secure your room when you leave
• Do not overfill external waste bins making lids
  difficult to close. Do not let waste accumulate
  on floors around the bins. Keep lids to waste
  bins and waste bin compound gates closed
  (preferably locked)
• Ensure building windows are closed when
  workplaces are not occupied (especially if on the
  ground floor).

Not acceptable!
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Electrical safety

• Portable electrical equipment checks must be
  carried out at regular intervals (varies from 1
  to 5 years)
• Visual checks of equipment should be carried out
  on a regular basis
• Ensure electrical items are switched off when not
  in use
• Do not carry out your own electrical repairs
  unless you are competent to do so!
• Do not trail electrical cables under carpets,
  rugs, etc

Not acceptable!
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Smoking policy

• The University is a no smoking area (with very
  limited exceptions). Please ensure that you only
  smoke outside of buildings and away
  from the main entrances.

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Damaged furniture

• Damaged furniture, e.g. when foam begins to show,
  should be removed from the workplace

Not acceptable!
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Avoid unnecessary flames
Naked flames , e.g. Bunsen burners, are only
permitted if absolutely essential to the work.
Dont bring candles into the workplace - A small
candle can cause considerable damage!
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Methods of heating rooms

• LPG heaters and old electric bar fires should be
  avoided in the workplace
• Fan heaters should not be used in laboratory
  areas containing flammable liquids. If temporary
  heating is required, portable radiators or
  convector heaters (see opposite) should be used.
• Combustible items should not be placed near or on
  heating equipment, particularly ceramic/quartz
  space heaters

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Fire detection and fire fighting
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Fire detection

• Ensure ceiling detectors installed in your area
  are not accidentally obstructed or covered.
• Pay particular care after contractors have been
  in the area. Detector heads may have been
  temporarily covered with plastic caps (see
  photograph opposite) and not removed at the end
  of the work.

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Fire detection

• Also ensure that someone has not deliberately
  covered detector heads to allow them to carry out
  unauthorised activities. In the case opposite,
  the person concerned was fined 200!

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Means of detecting fire

• Remember the best fire detector is YOU!
• Be aware of what processes and activities take
  place in your area and always be prepared to use
  the alarm call points if you find a fire

Call point with plastic protective cover
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What to do if you detect a fire

• Fire action notices are located at various points
  in your building. These tell you what to do if
  you detect a fire, i.e.
• Verbally raise the alarm
• Activate the alarm via the nearest call point
• Call the fire brigade (2222) and give location
  details
• Without putting yourself at risk, close windows,
  switch off equipment, gas supplies, etc before
  leaving the building

Fire action notice giving fire instructions and
assembly point
999 has to be used in limited areas outside the
Precinct
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Emergency telephone number

• Everybody should be aware of the emergency
  telephone number(s) needed to contact the
  emergency services. In addition to informing
  staff, check to see if telephones in your area
  have the red emergency sticker attached (it will
  be useful for people who visit your area but are
  unfamiliar with the number).

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Fire extinguishers and their use

• Fire extinguishers are available at various
  locations throughout your building. Staff should
  be familiar with the location and basic
  operations. More detailed training in their use
  should be provided to those who have been given a
  more active role in fire fighting.
• NB - The main priority must always be to evacuate
  the building and not to fight fires.

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Using the correct extinguisher

• NB newly fitted extinguishers are now mostly
  red in colour with only a different coloured band
  around its neck indicating its contents. Above
  each extinguisher there should be a sign that
  indicates what each fire extinguisher contains
  and what it can be used on (see photograph
  opposite).

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Maintaining fire equipment

• Each fire extinguisher, fire hose reel and fire
  blanket, should have a service record label
  attached to it showing its maintenance record
  (see photograph opposite). No fire fighting
  equipment should be used if this is not up to
  date.

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Fire escape

• What to do if the
• alarm sounds

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Fire alarm tests

• The fire alarm system is checked weekly. Make
  sure you know the date and time of your test so
  that you do not confuse this test with a real
  situation. If the alarm bell does not sound
  during the test, report it to your Fire Officer
  or Safety Coordinator.

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Recognising the alarm

• In most areas, once the detection system is
  activated a distinctive and continuous bell or
  sounder will operate. Use the weekly test to
  ensure that you can hear the bell from your
  working area.
• NB in some areas where it is difficult to hear
  the bell (or where the hard of hearing may work),
  flashing lights may also have been added. Ensure
  that these are visible from the working position
  and that they are kept clear of obstructions.

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Fire action notices

• Fire action notices in your building detail what
  needs to be done if the alarm sounds, i.e.
• Evacuate the building by the quickest route
• Do not attempt to collect personal belongings
• If possible close windows and doors on the way
  out
• Go straight to the assembly point and, if
  required, report any fire issues to the fire
  officer (they will be wearing a fluorescent
  armband)

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Familiarise yourself with the escape routes

• Make sure you know the alternative routes from
  your building dont assume that the route you
  normally use to go in and out of the building
  will be available.
• Note any obstructions on the route and report
  them to the Fire Officer.

Not acceptable!
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Familiarise yourself with the escape routes

• Final exit doors can come in a variety of types.
  Familiarise yourself with the door types in your
  building. Examples of what you might find on
  final door exits are shown on the following
  slides.

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Familiarise yourself with the escape routes

• Some final exit doors may have push button
  systems to open the door. These should
  automatically release if the alarm is sounded. If
  the door does not release, use the emergency
  break glass release to open the door and report
  the fault to the fire officer at the assembly
  point.

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Escape from buildings

• You should never use a lift to evacuate a
  building. This is because
• they may fail
• they may take you to the fire
• NB some buildings have been fitted with
  specially designed lifts for disabled persons.
  You should only use these lifts if you are
  disabled or are assisting a disabled person out
  of the building

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Assembly points

• Ensure you know your assembly points for your
  building. If in doubt, it will be written on the
  fire action notices in your building.
• If the alarm sounds and you have to evacuate, go
  to the assembly point. Do not just congregate
  outside of the building as this may hamper any
  emergency services that have to enter the
  building.

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What if I am in.?

• In a meeting
• In a basement handling storage items
• Backing up computer data
• REMEMBER You are expected to get out within 2.5
  minutes. You should be able to stop what you are
  doing, make it safe and then leave within this
  time

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Evacuation drills

• Evacuation drills are carried out at least once a
  year in every building. You will not be told when
  this will happen. You should treat any extended
  sounding of the alarm as a real fire and evacuate
  accordingly.
• NB certain routes may be blocked off by signs
  (see opposite) as part of the test. You will be
  expected to find an alternative route to exit the
  building.

NB evacuation applies to everyone!
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Know your fire signs

• When you see blue circular signs, the information
  provided is mandatory. You must follow the
  safety guidance provided. These will normally be
  found on fire doors, final exits, etc.

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Know your fire signs

• When you see green signs, these are used to
  provide important information. Directional
  running man and fire exit signs are examples of
  these.

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Know your fire signs

• Red coloured signs will indicate important fire
  safety information. These are normally found near
  fire extinguishers, hose reels, dry risers, call
  points, etc.

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Day to day awareness

• Everybody is responsible for reporting any
  failings or defects in the current fire safety
  arrangements. Facilities Management operate a
  telephone response desk that should be used for
  reporting any maintenance issues, e.g. damage to
  fire doors, missing signage or extinguishers,
  damage to walkways along escape routes, etc.

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Out of hours working

• Most buildings will run a working out of hours
  book. These are normally kept near the main
  entrance to the building. If you work outside of
  normal working hours then you must complete the
  book stating the start and finish time of the
  period spent in your workplace.

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Summary

• Get to know your building find out your escape
  routes and the quickest way out of the building
• Look at the fire action notices in your area
  find out what to do if the alarm sounds, what to
  do if you find a fire and where to assemble
• Be fire responsible dont do anything that
  could put yourself and others at risk and report
  any defects in the fire arrangements
• If you have any further questions about fire
  safety in your area there are a number of people
  you can speak to
• Safety Officer (Facilities Management)
• Safety Advisers Office
• Departmental Fire Officer
• Departmental Safety Coordinator

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Thank you for your time.

• Now go to the short quiz to test your knowledge.