Fire Safety Management Plan for Gym - Assignment Example

Topic: FIRE SAFETY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR GYM Name: Subject: LAW Course: Tutor Date Submitted: TABLE OF CONTENT FIRE SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT 3 FIRE SAFETY MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE 5 Evacuation strategies 5 Emergency response 6 Fire alarm detection 7 Fire prevention and arson awareness 7 INTRODUCTION Fire being a risk in all parts of the University of Central Lancashire (the University), its costs include the threat to the peoples life/ or wellbeing, property loss and severe normal business disruptions. Fire safety encompasses measures to prevent fire outbreaks and mitigating the direct and consequential damages by timely detection, tumbling spread by giving flee routes, disaster migration procedures and firefighting means. The mitigation procedures must comply with university laws. This strategy expands on the University’s general health, safety and environmental protection policy. Its key point is the establishment of fire safety management systems and standards that protect human health and safety and to ensure that buildings are safe. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 came into force in October 2006, replacing/consolidating a large number of existing fire safety related pieces of legislation. This Order places greater focus on risk assessment, fire prevention and overall reduction of risk by placing duties on the ‘responsible person’ (the employer) in order to achieve legislative compliance. 2. Scope The plan applies to all campuses, sites and premises occupied by the University of Central Lancashire or where the University bears the authority to employ. Its necessities shall broaden to all persons at those premises including contractors whether permanently or temporarily engaged. Minor variations in the processes at various campuses or individual buildings are specified in a fire safety plan consistent with the objectives and standards of the strategy. Where the building is in use by the University, relevant occupiers will have to agree on the fire safety arrangements and procedures. 3. Objectives This strategy aims to ensure that a ‘safe’ environment is provided to employees, students, guests and members of the public all over the University of Central Lancashire in order to decrease the threat to life, individual harm, and belongings and business losses. The main aim is to provide and safeguard buildings, fire safety systems and procedures so that incase of fire tragedy, the occupants will timely reach a place of safety. FIRE SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT An effective fire safety management requires a comprehensive and brief fire safety policy. Its aims at setting out the organization’s fire safety objectives and providing a clear mandate from the Board to relevant staff to implement appropriate fire safety and emergency measures. Fire safety policy documents that have not been ratified by the Board have the potential to develop a latent risk due to lack of a clear direction in fire safety management. An inappropriate fire safety policy undermines corporate governance and the responsibility of the Board to govern whilst inadvertently diluting the responsibility of managers to manage fire safety issues. FIRE SAFETY MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE Evacuation strategies Fire evacuation procedures in every University building are subject to yearly tests and drills to create awareness of migration signal, escape routes and assembly areas. Fire drills shall be organized by the Accommodation, Buildings & Grounds Manager and monitored by the Fire Safety Officer to identify and remedy any deficiency. Disabled people Refuge points will be availed for physically challenged people to assist them reach a safe area before they get help. However, refuges are not recommendable because it is tremendously stressful for physically challenged people to hang around in a harbored area in the case of fire hence migration lifts will be availed where feasible. A safe haven will be enclosed by a fire-resistance structure and give an express path to the egress. Safe havens will be separately located on every floor apart from ground floor, within a partition or harbored staircase and in balconies which have ways of escaping from fire. In addition refuge points will not be located in places where they can interfere with ways of migration, in floors used for machines only and on the ground floor egress. Refuges will be situated in storey’s amid a base area of 280M 2. The least area of a refuge point ought to be 1400mm x 900mm.A migration chair will be available and should only be used by selected qualified people. A suitable evacuation support will be availed to assist mass departure from a lower/basement level. Blinking lights or vibrating units will be fitted into the alarm system to warn the deaf. The latter tragedy alert system is worn by deaf people and employs radio transmitters to trigger tiny receivers (Regulations, 2000). The receivers tremble to create awareness, and convey a message. These systems can offer a cheap and safe cover to huge public buildings with features that affect the efficiency of conventional alarm system. In addition to conventional overhead lighting, mechanical lighting systems will aid the visually challenged people to evacuate a building in times of fire tragedy. Emergency response Fire action notices will be provided in residential halls, kitchens, lecture theatres and other rooms used by public providing information on evacuation procedure and assembly areas. Enough fire Marshalls, and security staff will be put in place to supervise evacuation. They will be identified by uniform or barge. Fire alarm detection Complying with any output specification of agreed project, tenancy agreement or legal responsibility, all fire systems and equipment will be installed, maintained, inspected and tested by the University’s service providers. Fire prevention and arson awareness Separating buildings where highly flammable liquids, petroleum spirits, combustible gases and waste materials are stored from other parts of the building. In accordance with the fire safety standards, explosive gas cylinders e.g. propane, hydrogen and acetylene should be kept in open stores designed in compliance with the standards. These cylinders should be returned to their stores at the end of the day. Sufficient natural or mechanical ventilation will be put in place in all storage areas of highly flammable substances to prevent the formation of flammable or explosive atmospheres. 9Routine procedures for staff For routine procures the staff will be required to: 9.1 Know the fire safety plan for the building(s) at their work place. This will be done through Emergency Incident Managers, Fire Marshals, Building Managers and Security staff for effective fire evacuation procedures; 9.2 know the location of fire alarm activation call points, portable extinguishers, all escape routes 9.3 avail information to building Managers about all problems in fire safety system for example failure of any device, or obstructed escape route by the staff; 9.4 call Fire Service in case of a fire, stating clearly the Name & Address of the affected building and Nature of the Emergency (fire, chemical spill, etc 9.5 immediately make an alarm 9.6 If possible shut down probable dangerous processes or machinery. 9.7 Leave immediately without running via the nearest safe exit route with but the building lights should be left on. 9.8 Fire extinguishing should not be attempted 9.9 Remain out of the building until they are allowed to enter. 10 Selection and control of material Selection and control of material will be achieved by; 10.1 Store room for flammables, for example petroleum, spirit, and combustible gases will be separated from the building by locating it far away from other buildings and separated by fire-resisting structures. 10.2 Compressed or liquefied flammable or explosive gas cylinders such as acetylene, hydrogen and LPG (propane), shall be put in specially designed and constructed stores in accordance with relevant standards2. While cylinders in use containing these gases within the University buildings will be taken back to the required store at the end of the working day. 10.3All storage areas for high-risk flammable substances will be under Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) 2005 for risk assessment. 10.4 All storage areas of high-risk flammable substances shall have sufficient natural and mechanical ventilation to prevent them from exploding atmospheres. Laboratories and laboratory equipment and apparatus shall be designed, assembled and operated appropriately to sufficiently reduce the risk of fire. 11 Maintenance and testing of fire safety systems In order to maintain and test fire safety system the following shall be done; Installation Starting Date Test Frequency Competent person Exit door, fire doors and Automatic doors 01/03/2012 -free swing of the door of escape routes. Daily Fire safety technician Fire safety engineer will be invited every month Escape routes 01/03/2012 - Escape routes will be cleared from any flammable materials and obstructions. While ensuring that it is in good working conditions Daily fire safety technician. Fire Alarm 01/03/2012 -ensure the fire alarm panel is properly functioning in terms of sounds and indicators daily Fire safety technician Check every 3 Months Fire engineer Emergency lighting and exit signs and 01/03/2012 -guarantee legible safety signs and notices. -guarantee proper functioning of emergency lighting units e.g. power supply Daily check Licensed contractor and building maintenance Monthly Technical expert Smoke alarm 01/03/2012 -operation -examination of indicator lights - sound and battery check weekly Fire technician Check every six months. & Annual test Technical experts Fire Extinguishers and hose reels 01/03/2012 -strictly following manufacturer’s instructions in Test fire extinguishers and hose reels base to guarantee correct location and in working conditions. Weekly Fire technicians and building maintenance officer Adopted from (BS 9999, 2008) 12 Staff Training and fire drills Safety training and drill will be done through; 12.1 In the first week of employment, local fire safety orientation training shall be given to all new employees by their Departmental Safety Officer (or other appropriate person). This will entail escape routes identification, location of fire extinguisher and call points, identification of the assembly point and any local hazards that require their awareness. 12.2The safety department in conjunction with Health, Safety and Environment Office shall give all employees general fire safety awareness training after every two years by where they must ensure that local systems are functioning well to facilitate the taking place of the training. The duty of the Head of Departmental is to ensure that fire Marshals are appointment and trained by the Health, Safety and Environment Officers. 12.3 Residential students must attend a fire safety induction training provided by the Hall Warden. During the session, students will be informed about the appropriate safety measures and procedures for the specific residence, the dangers and penalties associated with interfering with fire safety equipment. The procedures for evacuation and Assembly Points shall be put on Fire Action Notice boards located at strategic points all through the University buildings. 13 Fire Risk Assessments Risk assessment will be achieved through 13.1 a competent person from the University Fire Officer will carry out the fire risk assessments s for all University buildings, in accordance to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Service) Order 2005, 13.2 Amendment of the risk assessments shall be done when necessary (e.g. building changes).Reviewing of the fire risk assessments shall be done whenever there are structural changes, layout or usage of the building to ensure their on-going relevance and adequacy. 14 Record Keeping, Auditing and Updating manual 14.1 Supervisors and line managers during inspections will have an obligation to ensure that fire safety precaution and prevention measures and working as they are intended are properly implemented. 14.2 Officers from the Departmental Safety will supervise local arrangements to enhance the provision of satisfactory training services to their clients. Fire safety will be integrated as part of the Safety Management System audits done by the Health and Safety Officers, As part of the health and safety folder especially when risk assessment are carried out Record keeping will play a major role. Being a versatile building in the University of Lancashire; record keeping will include details of important findings, actions taken and a duplicate of the emergency plan, and maintenance of fire protection equipment and trainings. Specifically record of the following items will be kept: Full system inventory, together with information on all equipment, components, distribution networks, electrical apparatus, wiring and controls. Fire dampers and cavity barriers specification and location of the positions of all fire compartment boundaries and all cavity barriers marked on the installation drawings. Installed system certificate of completion, fire-fighting access panels, firemen’s control, fire dampers site, and plant room access and layout. The stipulation of such plans will enables fire and rescue service personnel and maintenance engineers in effective performance of their work Accordingly, after record keeping and risk assessments auditing and updating will be done and this will include: • Fire-fighters information signs; • Stagnant water supplies, private hydrants, meter bypass valves and underground tanks; • Reserve fire pumps, electrical generators, air pumps and hydraulic motors; and • Manual/self closing devices for roller shutter doors in fire compartment walls. 15 Reporting and Investigation of Incidents 15.1 Operational or Security Personnel aware of a fire-related incident will as soon as possible report it to the Health, Safety and Environment Officers. In cases where reporting is verbally done or where Health and Safety Personnel respond to fires or fake alarms, the standard incident report form will still be completed and taken to the Health, Safety and Environment Officers4. 15.2 Whenever it is proper, a Health, Safety and Environment Officer will investigate and make recommendations in accordance to the Health and Safety Policy. Analysis of information provided by completed incident forms and subsequent investigations will be done occasionally by the Health, Safety and Environment Officers to identify trends and make recommendations2. 15.3 Appropriate reports will be availed to the Committee of Health, Safety and Environment and other concerned bodies as required In conclusion, fire can deliberately or accidently start thus all essential safety factors should always be considered for the university to maintain a good image and uphold the lives of the users of the facilities5. References 1. Amarjit, S., & Jimmie, H. R. (1999). Implementation of safety and health on construction sites: proceedings of ... Netherlands: A.A Balkema. 2. Charles , G. (2009). High-Rise Security and Fire Life Safety. Burlington: Elsevier. 3. Michael, B. (2009). Business Continuity Management: Building an Effective Incident Management Plan. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. 4. Steven, N. (2003). Resource for Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health. Battermarch: National Fire Protection Association. 5. BS 9999. (2008). Code of practice for fire safety in the Design, Management and Use of buildings. Britain: British Standards Institute. Read More