Introduction to being an Emergency Warden

Transcription

1 Introduction to being an Emergency Warden Congratulations on your appointment as part of your facility s Emergency Control Organisation (ECO). As part of the coordinated efforts to respond to an emergency your role and participation is a valuable one. Introduction Part of your responsibility as a member of the Emergency Control Organisation (ECO) is to attend the training that is conducted at regular intervals so as to gain a full understanding as to what types of emergencies are likely to affect your facility and how we respond to effectively manage this range of emergencies. Each facility is equipped with different emergency equipment and may differ in how emergencies are handled. Therefore, it is important to understand that if you have had previous training at another facility you should still attend training and familiarise yourself with the procedures for this facility. This document is to provide you with a preview to the role(s) and responsibilities of being a Warden and also the practices and procedures that are generally deployed during emergencies. However, we hope to see you at the next training session. Overview So you know what we re going to discuss in the next few pages here s a brief list of topics. The nature of emergencies The need for an evacuation plan The ECO hierarchical structure The wardens duties Procedures for occupants with a disability Procedures for persons refusing to leave Egress safety What s Expected of a Warden? First and foremost it needs to be said loud and clear; Wardens are NOT expected to be rescue teams, quasi-security personnel, fire-fighters, or bomb defusing experts. Wardens are appointed to give clear concise instructions and coordinate the most practical response to the emergency at hand. How they achieve this will differ depending upon the nature of the emergency. Generally Wardens are expected to: Be capable of performing their duties Have leadership qualities and command authority Be available to undertake their appointed duties Be capable of communicating with occupants and visitors Be capable of deputizing for other positions Be able to undergo relevant training Similar but Different So how is it that most buildings within Australia have similar emergency management systems? Throughout Australia facilities generally adhere to an Australian Standard which defines the manner in which the facility should structure its emergency capabilities. Australian Standard AS3745:2010- Planning for emergencies in facilities, to be exact. Many States and Territories have local legislation and in some instances Commonwealth legislation that also influences how a facility manages and prepares for emergencies.

2 The Structure of the Emergency Control Organisation Like any organisation there needs to be a hierarchy of control. Establishing who has the authority at each and every level to take charge during an emergency is the foundation of our emergency plan. Therefore, like all organisations there needs to be a CEO or person in charge. In our case we call the senior role the Chief Warden. We ll also appoint a Deputy Chief Warden to assist or act in the Chief Warden s absence. Then it is a case of dividing your facility into different zone, regions, divisions, areas or floors. This is wholly dependent upon the physical layout of your facility. Most, if not all hi-rise buildings will segment their facility into floors. Each floor will have a senior Warden appointed to it and they will be called the Floor Warden. Similarly, if we were dividing the workplace into areas it would make sense to call that senior Warden the Area Warden. The Floor or Area Warden has the responsibility of taking charge of their particular floor or area. Because that s a lot of responsibility for one person it makes sense to appoint assistants to help with the procedures required to manage the emergency. Therefore, each floor or area shall have Wardens appointed to carry out the instructions of the Floor or Area Warden. Lastly, because moving people en-masse presents the opportunity for someone to sustain an injury, it is good practice to ensure that at least one qualified first aid attendant is appointed. It will be their job to transport a first aid kit to the Assembly Area and provide first aid if required. Each role is identified by a different colour. Depending upon your role you will be issued with a helmet or cap in one of these identifying colours. Chief Warden White Deputy Chief Warden White Floor/Area Warden Yellow Warden Red 1st Aid Green with a white cross It is important that during an emergency, you actually wear the cap or helmet provided. Not all Emergencies are the Same The likelihood of the modern workplace catching fire nowadays is rare. The introduction of things such as electrical circuit breakers, smoke detectors and other fire detection and suppression devices and the elimination of smoking in the workplace have definitely increased fire-safety at work for all of us. That s not to say it can t happen. Not all emergencies are fires though. You may have noted that none of the Warden roles mentioned previously was prefixed fire. (i.e. Fire Warden) This is in recognition that we are responding to an emergency of which, fire is just one cause. Other emergencies that may arise include: Structural Damage Bomb Threat Medical Situation Chemical spill or leak An over or under supply of a utility (eg. power surge or cut, gas leak or cut etc.) Workplace Intrusion External emergencies that affect the safety of occupants

3 Not all Emergencies Require Evacuation As a Warden your primary role is to facilitate moving people from an area of danger to an area of safety. That might not necessarily be outside the building! Depending upon the nature and location of the emergency, evacuation may be to another nominated internal or external area, such as another floor or refuge. Alternative Assembly area(s) may be necessary if the nominated area is unsuitable. In the instance of a bomb threat, our regular Assembly Area is the one location that we will NOT evacuate to. Come along to the bomb threat training to find out why. This leads us to the conclusion that in the event of alarm activation in the building, listen to your Floor/Area Warden and/or PA announcements from the Chief Warden as they may be informing you of a different Assembly Area. Occupants with a Disability An occupant with a disability is considered to be anyone who requires more time or assistance to evacuate the premises or, someone who cannot evacuate. The person should be moved to the Warden Intercom Point (WIP) or other prearranged safe location, in the care of the Floor/Area Warden The Floor/Area Warden then confirms with Chief Warden that they have a person with a disability, are staged at the WIP, moving to the goods lift lobby, or moving onto the landing in the emergency stairs or other prearranged safe location, if their safety is compromised The Emergency Services will perform the rescue if the person s safety is at risk Persons that Refuse to Evacuate Any person that refuses to leave or refuses to obey any Warden s instructions during an emergency should be reported via your organisation s OH&S system. Your organisation should deal with this issue as an internal disciplinary matter with the staff member involved. Unfortunately there is little that your property manager or emergency training provider can do about this. However, there are some simple steps to deal with the matter should it arise during an emergency. 1. Ask the person to comply 2. Ask a second time with a witness present (if possible) 3. If they still refuse; leave the person 4. Report their whereabouts to the Floor Warden who will inform the Chief Warden 5. Chief Warden will inform the Emergency Services 6. Emergency Services have the authority to remove this person from the building If the Alert Tone Activates, What do I do? We ve already mentioned that emergencies come in all shapes and sizes and that not all emergencies are solved by evacuating. To establish a starting point for our emergency procedures there is a core set of actions that Wardens are asked to perform. Of course, if the emergency is right there on your floor or in your area you have total authority to enact whatever procedures you deem suitable to provide for life-safety. However, if the Alert Tone has activated and you cannot determine why, here s the core set of actions to perform. Respond calmly to the agreed meeting point on your floor and rendezvous with the Floor Warden. Generally, for hi-rise buildings, the meeting point will be the Warden Intercom Phone (WIP). Please establish the location of your floor s meeting point, prior to an emergency. Put your red helmet or cap on and await instructions from the Floor Warden. If evacuation is advised then the Floor Warden will direct you to search and clear an area of the floor and ensure that the occupants assemble at a common location on the floor. For many hi-rise buildings this is the lift lobby area. When you have determined that the area you are responsible for is clear of occupants, report back to the Floor Warden at the WIP and await further instructions. Please note that if you encountered any person that refused to leave, you should

4 report their location to the Floor Warden. The Floor Warden will contact the Chief Warden and determine further actions. If evacuation is ordered, listen to which route of egress (exit) is advised. It may not be the stair or exit closest to you. When instructed, enter the stairwell carefully. Remember there may already be evacuees from the levels above descending the stairs. Your Floor Warden should organise the occupants from your floor to descend the stairs by placing a Warden at the front of your group and a Warden at the rear of the group. Whilst in the stairs Wardens should ensure that people proceed single file and hold the handrail whilst descending. Upon reaching ground level and exiting the building, it is important to ensure your evacuees move away from the exit and away from the building. Until such time as the Emergency Services close roads it is essential that evacuees remain on the footpath as they move to the Assembly Area. If crossing roads is necessary, then crossing at pedestrian crossings is highly advised. Cross roads with caution. Remember, every motorist in the vicinity will be distracted by the emergency or at the very least, the flashing lights and Emergency Service vehicles attending. As a Warden you are still responsible and in charge of the evacuees even though you are now not at your usual place of work. Continue to monitor the situation to ensure safety for your evacuees. Upon reaching the Assembly Area report your arrival to the Assembly Area manager and move your group to the most rearward area available. This ensures there is room at the Assembly Area for the evacuees yet to arrive. Phew! We Made it. Hang on, don t relax just yet. There are a few things that you may still need to do, or at the very least, keep an eye on. Safety is the number one concern. Please ensure that the 1 st Aid person for your floor continues to be visible and approachable to assist anyone who may need medical attention. Many people soldier on despite a sore ankle or breathing difficulty and now is the time many people will feel more comfortable seeking assistance. Secondly, people get bored quickly. Be observant for those evacuees (work colleagues) that decide to wander off to the nearest pub or coffee shop. Remind those staff members that they are still at work and to wait for authorisation from your/their senior manager as to what staff can/should do. Thirdly, your organisation may have business continuity plans that involve relocating staff to other sites should an emergency disrupt business for a predetermined amount of time. You, as a Warden, may be called upon to help organise your evacuees as part of those arrangements. The Home Straight At the resolution of the emergency the responding Emergency Service will liaise with the Chief Warden and authorise building occupants to return to the facility. Only when instructed by the Assembly Area Manager or your Floor/Area Warden should you and your evacuees return to the building. To prevent overcrowding the footpaths, pedestrian crossings and elevators in your building, each group of evacuees may be directed to return to the building by floors or areas and not as one extremely large group.

5 As a Warden, your role is to ensure the movement of people is conducted in a safe manner even when returning to the building. Be aware that your evacuees will now consider the emergency or exercise over. They may not demonstrate the same level of care and concern whilst returning to the building. Please control your group and ensure that evacuees still use the footpath not the road, cross at pedestrian crossings and do not jaywalk. Escort your people back to the building, ensure that the elevators or escalators are not overloaded as people return to their floor. Upon returning to your floor, return your helmet to its usual location. It is advisable for the Wardens from each floor or area to have a quick debrief amongst themselves as to what worked and what didn t. Depending on the emergency and its impacts, your building management may conduct a building debrief with the Emergency Control Organisation as part of continual improvement. So What Now? Please don t mistake this brief overview for comprehensive training. We ve already mentioned that emergencies come in all shapes and sizes and there s a lot to learn. However, this overview should give you a good enough understanding to work alongside other Wardens who perhaps have had more training and experience, until such time as you can attend the next building emergency training session. In the meantime you can build upon your knowledge by checking off the actions below which will ensure that you are prepared if an emergency arises. Attend the next available emergency training - offered by your building. Determine the location of your floor s Warden Intercom Phone (WIP) or meeting point for the initial Warden rendezvous Warden Intercom Phone Find the emergency exits. Find out how they are referred to? (eg. Stairwell 3, North Stair, Exit B, etc.) Find out where the building s predetermined Assembly Area is? Hint: It will be depicted on your building s Emergency Evacuation Diagram. Locate where the Warden headwear is? (Helmets or caps) Identify who is the Floor/Area Warden for your Floor/Area? Introduce yourself and ask them any questions you may have regarding the nuances of your floor or area. If your floor has multiple tenants, go knock on their door and introduce yourself to their Wardens. There s no us and them when it comes to an emergency. You re all on the same floor; you re all going to be affected. Team is the theme. Determine where the designated safe locations are? This location is where occupants with a disability can safely await assistance from the Emergency Services. It may be a goods-lift lobby or area adjacent to an emergency stairwell. Conclusion Perhaps something that is rarely said and sadly missing with regards to the volunteers that give their time and effort to making the workplace a safer place is; thank you. We understand that attending training takes time away from your job. We know that the annual emergency exercise is not convenient for everyone and is regarded by many as unnecessary. However, we believe, as we expect you do, that spending a few hours training and around an hour each year practicing something that may very well save lives, is a good investment. Thank you and welcome aboard.