Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Introduction to Fire Safety Management
The emergency plan for the evacuation of a building
will be based on the fi ndings of the fi re risk assessment
(see Chapter 14). In many small buildings the emergency
plan may merely be a set of simple instructions to staff
as to the actions they are required to take in the event of
a fi re.
However, for most buildings, particularly those that
are shared with others, or have hazardous processes,
it is necessary to develop a more detailed and comprehensive
plan.
In guidance published jointly by the government and
the HSE (Fire Safety – An Employers Guide) the following
contents of an emergency plan are suggested.
The plan should provide clear instructions on:
➤ The action employees should take if they discover
a fi re
➤ How people will be warned if there is a fi re
➤ How the evacuation of the workplace should be carried
out
➤ Where people should assemble after they have left
the workplace and procedures for checking whether
the workplace has been evacuated
➤ Identifi cation of key escape routes, how people
can gain access to them and escape from them to
places of safety
➤ The fi re-fi ghting equipment provided
➤ The duties and identity of employees who have specifi
c responsibilities in the event of a fi re
➤ Arrangements for the safe evacuation of people
identifi ed as being especially at risk, such as contractors,
those with disabilities, members of the
public and visitors
➤ Where appropriate, any machines/processes/power
supplies which need stopping or isolating in the event
of fi re
➤ Specifi c arrangements, if necessary, for high fi re risk
areas of the workplace
➤ How the fi re service and any other necessary
emergency services will be called and who will be
responsible for doing this
➤ Procedures for liaising with the fi re service on arrival
and notifying them of any special risks, e.g. the
location of highly fl ammable materials
➤ What training employees need and the arrangements
for ensuring that this training is given.
In addition to the written description it is often very useful
to produce a simple line drawing of the plan layout of
the building. If the premises are larger or complex, then
it is particularly useful to include a line drawing. This can
also help to check fi re precautions as part of the ongoing
review.
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The drawing should include:
➤ Essential structural features such as the
layout of the workplace, escape routes
structure and self-closing fi re doors provided
to protect the means of escape
➤ Means for fi ghting fi re (details of the
number, type and location of the fi re
fi ghting equipment)
➤ The location of manually operated fi re
alarm call points and control equipment
for the fi re alarm
➤ The location of any emergency lighting
equipment and any exit route signs
➤ The location of any automatic fi re fi ghting
system and sprinkler control valve
➤ The location of the main electrical supply
switch, the main water shut-off valve
and, where appropriate, the main gas or
oil shut-off valves.
A clear plan of the building that is available to employees,
visitors, contractors and the fi re service has a
number of important benefi ts including:
➤ Assisting employers to better understand the emergency
plan
➤ Facilitating easy management of the means of
escape
Store
Store
Stage
Store
Assembly Area
Store Store
EXIT EXIT
Main Hall
EMERGENCY EVACUATION
PLAN
Garden
Toilets
Toilets
Store
Store
Doyle Street
Fire
Hose
Foyer
Billiard
Room
Figure 10.14 Plan of premises must be included in the
overall emergency plan
EXIT
Main
Entrance
In an emergency evacuation,
exit building at rear or front
and walk over to
assembly area
EXIT
Kitchen
Barbecue
Area
Covered
Car
Park
Please obey the directions of your Emergency
Controller, who is familiar with the location
of all fire extinguishers and emergency exits.