Ealing Independent College Fire Policy This Policy Applies to all students and staff of Ealing Independent College Addresses of College Buildings: Main Building: Boarding House: Ealing Independent College, 83 New Broadway, London. W5 5AL 26 Whitehall Gardens, Ealing, London. W3 9RD Reviewed: October 2017 Date for Revision: October 2018 Annual Review Dr. Ian Moores Vera Messarius Principal of Ealing Independent College Health and Safety Coordinator (HSC) Becky Silver Graham Shaw Fire Officer (College Secretary) Deputy Housemaster 1
Policy Statement Ealing Independent College is required under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, to comply with the relevant statutory provisions. Within this policy the responsible person will endeavour to observe measures to ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Measures will be taken to prevent or reduce the risk of fire and the spread of fire on the premises and to train and instruct employees, students, visitors and contractors in relation to the arrangements for action to be taken in the event of fire on the premises. Responsibilities THE FIRE WARDEN as the person with the day to day safety management of all buildings held under the responsibility of the College and will be responsible for: ensuring fire safety within the premise the fire safety features provided ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of employees and in relation to relevant persons who are not employees, take fire precautions as may reasonably be required in the circumstances to ensure that the premises are safe. ensuring that a fire safety manual for both the main College and Boarding House is prepared containing details of the following: The Fire Safety Risk Assessment Drawings of the premises showing the fire safety features provided, including fire doors, alarm call points, sounders, emergency lighting, fire-fighting equipment Maintenance of a Fire Log containing: ALL OTHER STAFF Details of the routine maintenance activities and frequencies of routine testing Details of the fire drill routine Details of the fire safety training of staff Details of all ongoing tests and training All employees have a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure that they do not place themselves or others at risk of harm. They are expected to co-operate fully in complying with any procedures to protect the safety and well-being of their colleagues, pupils and visitors. THE PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALL STAFF IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE IS STANDARDISED AND OUTLINED IN THIS DOCUMENT. IT IS ALSO TO BE FOUND IN THE STAFF HANDBOOK 2
FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT & PROCEDURES To be conducted annually and undertaken by the Health and Safety Co-ordinator and London Fire Department. The Health and Safety Committee is to meet regularly to discuss and review all procedures and matters arising from risk assessments. The exact frequency of these meeting is to be determined by the Health and Safety coordinator in order to respond immediately to any issues that may arise. Risk Assessment In order to eliminate or reduce the risk of fire, hazards have been identified by means of risk assessment. The following risks were included in the assessment: i) Ignition Sources ii) Combustible materials iii) People at risk iv) Adverse structural features PERSONS AT RISK During a typical working day there can be approximately 160 students and 29 staff on the main College site, and up to 7 students and 2 staff at the Boarding House. 1. POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS Boilers, sparks from light switches and other electrical equipment. Smoking on the premises is forbidden. Combustible solids are not subject to heat or naked flame Paper and card throughout the premises should not be allowed to accumulate in piles Waste dustbins should be kept as far away from the school walls as possible. All fabrics used should be flame retardant. All furniture should conform to British Standards. Chemicals and combustible liquids are kept in a locked fire cabinet and not subject to heat or naked flame 3
2. Management to reduce the risk to employees and other persons on the premises A. Fire Detection and Warning i) There is a fire alarm system installed on all College Premises ii) iii) iv) Smoke detectors are installed in areas which form part of an evacuation route and which may be unattended in the event of a fire or where there is one route only available. A heat detector is installed in the Boarding House kitchens The number smoke / heat are in accordance with legal requirements v) When a fire call point is activated an alarm is sounded throughout the building vi) The fire alarm panel is situated in the lobby of the College which will indicate the place of call point activation. The fire alarm panel for the Boarding House is sited in the ground floor corridor B Means of Escape in Case if Fire i) The main College building has 3 main fire escapes: Main entrance Reading room Staff room (ground floor) (ground floor) (ground floor) The Boarding House has 3 main fire escapes: Main entrance Kitchen Conservatory (ground floor) (ground floor) (ground floor) ii) iii) iv) Escape routes will be kept free of obstruction Escape routes lead to a place of safety for all people in less than the required two minutes More than one exit route from the room / building is available where the structure of the building allows. v) All escape route doors open in the direction of escape vi) vii) viii) All other doors are opened as part of the morning unlocking of the school Escape routes are clearly signed using luminous pictograms Emergency lighting is installed in key locations as instructed by fire inspector (SA Fire Systems) to facilitate safe use of all exit routes in the event of loss of electrical power 4
ix) Provisions are made for assistance of people with special needs by a nominated member of staff C Fire-Fighting Equipment i) Suitable and sufficient fire-fighting equipment is provided in all areas ii) iii) iv) Fire-fighting equipment is placed on exit routes Employees are trained to be competent in the use of fire-fighting equipment All fire-fighting equipment is clearly visible and signed v) The number and type of fire extinguishers positioned on every floor complies with current legislation (for more details refer to the Safety Check Files). Their location and operating instructions are clearly marked locations. All staff are fully aware of their positioning. All Fire Marshals have had adequate training in their operation. Maintenance of fire extinguishers and fire alarm system is undertaken by the Fire Warden in conjunction with SA Fire Systems D Fire Emergency Plan and Training i) The fire emergency plan gives clear instruction regarding the action to be taken by staff in the event of fire. ii) iii) iv) The evacuation procedure and route to be taken to the Assemble Point is clearly posted throughout the buildings The fire brigade is called automatically via an off-site monitoring system The acting person in charge liaises with the emergency services when an incident occurs v) Information about access to the school is provided to the emergency services vi) vii) viii) ix) In the event of a fire out of school hours, information with regard to key holders and contact numbers is provided to the emergency services All staff will receive induction training regarding the Fire Emergency Plan Fire drill practice takes place at least once per term A fire log book is kept in each department which includes details of fire drills, staff training, alarm testing and escape lighting and is kept on the premises. x) In the case of an emergency requiring evacuation particular attention must be paid to those with disabilities or visitors who are unfamiliar with the evacuation process. Registers of who is present (including any visitors) is kept in the front office 5
E Maintenance and routine testing Daily Staff ensure by visual inspection that exit routes are kept clear, that fire doors are not wedged open and that combustible waste has not accumulated in the classroom The Fire Warden checks that the fire alarm panel indicates no faults Weekly The Fire Officer ensures that the fire alarm is tested by using a different call point/zone each week and checks that the fire extinguishers in that zone are not damaged. Tests are logged. The Fire Officer ensures that a flick test is carried out on the Emergency lighting every 4 weeks and logged. Bi-annually The fire alarm system, including the smoke detectors heat detector and emergency lighting is tested six-monthly by the provider (SA Fire Systems) Annually All fire-fighting equipment is checked annually by the providers (SA Fire Systems) Portable electrical equipment is inspected annually and PAT tested by a qualified person (Dr Graham Shaw) All gas boilers are inspected annually by a Corgi registered plumber. The inspection will include the cut-off switch and the Bunsen burners. These switches are located in the in Chemistry Laboratory and kitchen of the Boarding House Five Yearly Mains electrical installation will be inspected every five years by a Registered electrician 6
3. Measures to reduce the risk of fire i) Ealing Independent College has a non-smoking policy on all premises ii) iii) iv) Electrical appliances and gas points are regularly checked visually for any signs of fault. This is the responsibility of each relevant department. Any smell of gas should be reported immediately to the office who will call the emergency number for the gas board whilst evacuating the building A cut-off mains switch for both gas and electricity is installed in the science laboratory v) Hazardous chemicals to be stored in locked fire cabinets and their access restricted to authorised personnel. In the case of the Chemistry and Biology Departments, these cabinets are located in designated rooms with a coded lock on the door. These rooms themselves also meet Fire Department regulations concerning fire containment vi) vii) viii) Fire doors are installed at the point of high risk All internal doors are closed at the end of the working day All electrical equipment is PAT tested annually No electrical equipment should be brought on site without the knowledge and inspection of the person responsible for PAT testing (Graham Shaw). Students are not allowed to use mobile telephone chargers in school. Chargers for lap tops must first be PAT tested and certified before use ix) The main boiler is gas fired and is serviced regularly x) Combustible waste is cleared from the classrooms daily and the paper recycling bin is emptied weekly xi) xii) Contractors on site are required to complete a hot work permit and are fully instructed on the procedure for fire safety compliance and action to be taken in the event of a fire The Fire Officer will liaise with the fire service and Chief Fire Officer to request assistance and to confirm compliance with new legislation 7
4. Arson: Action plan Deter unauthorised entry onto the site by use of: Robust doubly fronted main door Security doors on remaining two points of entry Intruder alarm system which is activated once the premises is vacated Ensuring that all windows are closed and locked once the premises is vacated Reduce the opportunity to start a fire by ensuring that all flammable materials are stored securely in locked fire cabinets Reduce scope of fire damage: Make sure all fire doors are closed. Ensure that any flammable materials are returned to locked cabinets after use. Members of staff are adequately trained in fire procedures. These include building evacuation and the use of fire extinguishers All data to ensure the continued operation of the school is backed up and stored off site 5. Monitoring and reviewing A review of the Fire Safety Manual is carried out annually (or whenever material changes occur) by the Health and Safety Committee The fire evacuation procedure practices are assessed each time to identify and rectify any deficiencies Fire safety is managed by the Health and Safety Co-ordinator Evacuation is managed in 3.00 minutes and is judged to be adequate given the size of the building, the maximum occupancy and that the spread of a fire is likely to be slow. Staff training is adequate and the pupils have at least one escape drill per term. Staff training and drills are always recorded in a fire log There is adequate and sufficient means of fighting small fires Formal risk assessment to take place regularly but all staff should be alerted to any potential fire hazards and report them to the any member of the Health and Safety Committee AT ANY TIME All staff are aware of a Fire Procedure, as outlined previously in this document 8
PROCEDURES IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE (College Main Building) Assembly point: This is the car park in front of the building On discovering a fire Raise the alarm immediately by activating the fire alarm call points this is achieved by pushing on the glass panel. The alarms are located as follows: Top floor: First Floor: Central corridor Central corridor Ground Floor: by front doors, by rear door and by staff-room door. Instruct all students in your class and nearby to evacuate the building immediately without collecting personal belongings or making use of mobile phones. Guide the children to the assembly point for roll call Close windows and doors behind you if possible If it is possible without placing yourself at risk tackle the fire using the fire extinguishers which are situated on each floor. Do not attempt to fight the fire unless you have been trained to do so. Do not return to the place of fire On hearing the alarm Instruct all students in your class to evacuate the building immediately and calmly without packing up personal belongings. Tell the students in your class to cease what they are doing and to proceed immediately and calmly to the assembly point where they are to register with their form tutors. Close all windows and doors in the room where you are situated, ensure that all your students have left the building, then leave yourself Ensure any visitors accompany you to the Assembly Point Ensure that all students at the assembly point remain in their designated groups in a quiet and orderly manner 9
Role of Fire Marshals On hearing the fire alarm, each floor marshal will check that the floor is evacuated and, without taking any risks, ensure that the doors and windows are all closed. They will then report to the Senior Fire Marshal that the floor is clear. During a fire drill evacuation will be timed, aiming to vacate the building in two to three minutes. During the evacuation you should encourage any students and staff around you to evacuate and to proceed to the assembly point Your primary role is to ensure that there are no persons left in your designated areas Report to the person in charge of any person you know to be remaining in the building If you are also a form tutor, you should then follow the procedure outlined below Role of Form Tutors: Registers are to be taken by form tutors. These should be collected from the front office as you exit the building Count heads at the assembly point and inform the person in charge once you have completed the roll call and accounted for all of your students. If you cannot account for all of your students you should verbally inform the person in charge of any missing persons immediately In the event of any student being unaccounted for, it is the responsibility of the tutor to make every effort to contact the person(s) by phone and report any findings to the person in charge immediately. Role of teaching staff who do not have a tutor group: Assist in the evacuation of all persons in the building as you proceed to the Assembly Point Assist in ensuring that all students proceed to their Form Tutors and remain in a quiet and orderly manner until instructed to disperse. It is important not to allow students to mix into other groups, interact with their phones or in any other way become distracted from any announcement made by a member of staff. They should be encouraged to wait in a quiet and orderly manner In the event of any staff absences, you may be asked by members of the front office to act on behalf of a particular tutor. If so, you should place yourself in a prominent position and verbally call out for that member of staff s tutor group. Then follow the steps outlined above ( Role of Form Tutors ). 10
Role of members of the front office To ensure that the tutor folders issued to staff in the event of an emergency are kept up to date. These folders should contain the following: o A list of each member of that particular tutor group o Information of whether each student should be present in the building o Contact phone number The information in the folder should be represented in an accurate, clear and simplistic format to allow efficient use by any member of staff in the event of an emergency. It is recommended that a single sheet should be produced for each tutor group that states which student is not timetabled to be in the building during each timetabled lesson To ensure that a current list of students who are registered absent from College at the time of the evacuation is handed to the person in charge To ensure that in the event of any tutor being absent from College, the tutor s folder is handed to a member of as thy exit the building. It is advisable (if the progress of the evacuation will allow) to hand this responsibility to a staff member who does not already have a tutor group To ensure that in the event of any member of the front office being absent, that the responsibilities outlined above are carried Role of Housemistress (at night) To conduct a sweep of the middle floor rooms and ground floor rooms on exiting the boarding house. The House of house (in the top floor room) is responsible for ensuring the other resident student exits the boarding house. Role of Person in charge Confirm all persons have been accounted for Gather the details of any fire or incident (location / type / adjacent fire hazards) Ensure the fire brigade had been called Note: The current fire system automatically alerts the fire brigade via a manned central office unless they have been forewarned about a fire drill. You should still contact the company directly by phone to confirm that they have been made aware of the nature of the emergency). Liaise with the fire brigade on its arrival 11
Fire Marshals Floor Marshals/Sweepers must make a Senior Marshal aware of any issues that result in any designated member of staff not being present during teaching hours to check their designated areas Main Deputy: Becky Silver Senior Marshal: Graham Shaw Ground floor: Phil Carr and Sophia Harrison First floor: Adrian Winiecki and Phil Brack Second floor: Ashkan Ajeer and Sunny Bagga Fire Marshals for the boarding house: Graham Shaw Maria Bavington List of persons in charge Primary lead: Ian Moores (Fire Marshal) Secondary lead: Graham Shaw (Fire Marshal) Tertiary lead: Becky Silver (Fire Marshal) 12
PROCEDURES IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE (Boarding House) Assembly point: Opposite side of the road to the main entrance On discovering a fire Raise the alarm immediately by activating the fire alarm call points this is achieved by pushing on the glass panel. The alarms are located as follows: Top floor: First Floor: At entrance to bedroom At the top of the stairs Ground Floor: by front door and by fire control unit (outside of the kitchen). Instruct all residents to evacuate the building immediately without collecting personal belongings or making use of mobile phones. Guide the students to the assembly point for roll call Close windows and doors behind you if possible If it is possible without placing yourself at risk tackle the fire using the fire extinguishers which are situated on each floor. Do not attempt to fight the fire unless you have been trained to do so. Do not return to the place of fire until authorised to do so by the fire brigade On hearing the alarm Instruct all residents to evacuate the building immediately and calmly without packing up personal belongings. Tell all residents to cease what they are doing and to proceed immediately and calmly to the assembly point where for roll call. Close all windows and doors in the room where you are situated and ensure that all persons have left the building, then leave yourself. Ensure any visitors also make their way to the Assembly Point Note: It is the responsibility of the Fire Wardens (Graham Shaw and Elizabeth Chare) or the member of staff present at the time to ensure that unless there is imminent threat to your own safety, each floor is inspected and the building is evacuated correctly, with no individual left in any part of the building. 13