FIRE EVACUATION DRILLS

Safety and effectiveness in evacuating the premises during a fire are crucial. It is important that all employees and visitors are familiar with the evacuation procedures.

Fire Evacuation Drills

The Fire Safety Team at Avisec Alarms and CCTV specialises in effective evacuation procedures and can offer essential guidance for your organisation.

To ensure that employees are well-versed in the emergency plan and to assess its effectiveness, it is recommended to conduct a fire drill at least once a year or as advised by the fire risk assessment. Avisec can organise and facilitate these drills, serving as independent observers and providing a debrief afterward. This will help you confirm that you have a robust emergency plan in place.

Who Should Participate

The evacuation should involve all personnel, except for those responsible for securing the premises or those required to remain with equipment or processes that cannot be shut down. It may also be appropriate to include members of the public.

For premises with multiple buildings on the same site, evacuations should be conducted one building at a time, allowing for an appropriate timeframe for each evacuation.

Conducting the Drill

For premises with multiple escape routes, the emergency plan should assume that one exit or stairway is unavailable due to a fire. By applying this scenario to different escape routes during each fire drill, you can encourage the use of alternative exits that are not typically used.

When conducting the drill, it is advisable to:

  • Distribute information about the drill and inform staff of their obligation to participate.
  • While surprise drills can be useful, they may also pose health and safety risks.
  • Confirm that equipment can be safely left unattended.
  • Designate observers to monitor the drill.

Monitor and Debrief

Observers should carefully monitor the following during the drill:

  • Challenges in accounting for all individuals.
  • Whether people use the closest escape routes instead of regular pathways.
  • Issues with opening final exit doors.
  • Difficulties encountered by individuals with disabilities.
  • The performance of key personnel, such as fire wardens.
  • Inappropriate behaviour, such as stopping to collect personal items.
  • Failure to close windows and doors when exiting.

Immediate debriefs involving feedback from all participants are valuable for assessing the effectiveness of the evacuation plan. Later, reports from fire wardens and designated observers should be gathered and reviewed. Any findings and necessary corrective actions should be documented and implemented.

Trust Avisec with your Fire Safety requirements and benefit from our commitment to our clients safety and compliance.
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