Methodist College Emergency Procedures 2018
Tornado Watch/Warning
Tornado Watch/Warning Objectives In this lesson you will learn to: Identify the difference between tornado watch and tornado warning Identify how you will be notified if a tornado warning is announced Learn where and what to do if a tornado warning is announced 3
Tornado Watch/Warning Tornado Watch A tornado Watch is announced when conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop, a severe thunderstorm or tornado WATCH is issued by the National Weather Service in Lincoln, Illinois. Local radio and/or television stations will issue the watch notification for specific central Illinois counties. Be ready to act quickly if a warning is then issued. 4
Tornado Watch/Warning Tornado Warning WARNING is issued by National Weather Service when a tornado is sighted or indicated by weather radar for Peoria County and/or any surrounding counties. When a tornado warning is announced, everyone should be prepared to take the appropriate steps. Alert notification will be made by Security to all college phones (office and classroom), as well as through the SchoolCast system (text and/or voice call). To sign up for SchoolCast click HERE. 5
Tornado Watch/Warning Tornado Warning Response: Take immediate action Common sense should prevail Quickly move to the hallways off of the Student Commons Look for the Tornado Refuge signs Crouch down on your knees and protect your head with your arms Security will continue to monitor weather developments through phone, television, or weather radio ALL clear Everyone should maintain all safety precautions and remain in the commons area until the all clear announcement is made. 6
Tornado Watch/Warning Things to Remember Remember a tornado watch is when conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop. A tornado warning is when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Alert notifications will be made by Security through the College PA system. If Security announces a tornado warning, move quickly to the Student Commons area. Sit flat on the floor and put hands over head if tornado is hitting. ALL clear will be announced through the PA system by Security. 7
Fire Safety & Evacuation Procedures
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures Objectives In this lesson you will learn to: Identify the actions each employee should observe when a fire alarm has sounded. Identify three ways to avoid breathing smoke. Identify safety features of buildings that impact evacuation decisions. Identify ways to evacuate people who are not ambulatory. 9
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures An Action Plan called RACE Would you know what to do if you discovered a fire while at work? People must be able to act quickly. The lives of many could be in danger. The key to safety when a fire is discovered is to know the steps of an action plan. The four steps are: RESCUE - If people are in immediate danger from fire or smoke, move them to a safer place. ALARM - Sound the alarm to alert others to the fire. Call 3333 for fire emergencies, to give more information about the fire. CONTAIN - Close all windows and doors to stop the fire and smoke from spreading. EXTINGUISH or EVACUATE - Put out the fire, if it is safe to do so, or help evacuate people from the area. It may be easy to remember these four steps by recalling the word "RACE". Each of the four letters "R", "A", "C", "E" stands for one of the four steps to take when a fire is discovered. 10
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures The R in RACE is for Rescue The "R" in RACE stands for RESCUE - usually the first action step when you discover a fire. RESCUE anyone who is in immediate danger from the fire. If you are in a patient's room and you cannot put the fire out quickly, get all the patients out of the room. 11
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures The A in RACE is for Alarm The second action during a fire is usually to sound the ALARM. Be ready Before a fire occurs, learn where fire alarms are located in your work area and in other parts of the building. You may not be in your own work area when you discover a fire. After everyone has been removed from danger, sound the alarm. 12
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures The C in RACE is for Contain During a fire, recall the third action step by thinking of the third letter in the word RACE. "C" stands for CONTAIN. CONTAIN the fire as best as you can. There are several things you can do that will help to contain a fire: Close the door as soon as everyone is out of the room. This will keep the fire and smoke from spreading to other areas. Before opening a door, touch it with the back of your hand. If the door feels hot, DO NOT open the door. The fire is likely behind the door. If the door is cool, open the door slowly. If a fire is in the room, opening it quickly may fan the fire. The third step of the action plan is to contain the fire, by closing doors, for example. 13
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures The E in Race is for Extinguish/Evacuate The last action step in the RACE plan is to EXTINGUISH the fire or EVACUATE the area. To EXTINGUISH a fire: Use a fire extinguisher if you know how to use one and if the fire is small. Smother the fire. If the fire is in a wastebasket, smother the fire by stuffing a pillow or a heavy item of clothing into the wastebasket. Never use lightweight materials because they may burn and help to spread the fire. Use water. If the burning material is cloth or paper, pour water on the fire. If you decide to try to extinguish a fire: Check the temperature of the door before returning to a room containing a fire (if it is hot, do not go back in) Keep an exit or escape route open (NEVER let the fire get between you and the door or exit) Leave the room and close the door on a fire if it gets too large to extinguish safely. If the first attempts to put out the fire are not successful, evacuate everyone in the area from the area immediately. To EVACUATE: Doors and windows should be closed as the last person leaves the area. Encourage people to walk, and to stay calm. Remember the biggest danger is from the smoke. Crawl on the floor if rooms or corridors are filled with smoke. In a smoke-filled room, the least smoky region is between about 24 and 36 inches from the floor. Upon reaching the outside, go to a pre-arranged meeting place. West: Meet on the grass past the fire hydrant East: Meet on the grass past east parking lot Front: Meet at the flag pole Fire officers will determine if anyone is still in the building. Never reenter a burning building without permission from the Fire Department. Extinguish a fire if it is safe to do so. Otherwise, evacuate the area. 14
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures When a Fire Alarm Sounds When a fire alarm sounds, you must know how to respond quickly. Quick actions can help to save lives. Remember, when a fire alarm is activated, the Fire Department (or other staff responding to the emergency) will know the location of the fire alarm but not the location of the fire. Respond to all fire alarms. Act as if every fire alarm is for a real fire. A fire alarm may be activated for one of several reasons: There is a fire. Someone suspects there is a fire. There is a fire drill. Alarm may be triggered by construction, dust, dirt, water or bugs. Several safety features are automated and triggered when a fire alarm is activated: The Fire Department is notified immediately of the location of the activated fire alarm. All staff must respond immediately to fire alarms as if there is a fire. DO: Close all doors. Evacuate if you see the fire or if directed to leave. Stay in your assigned area until you receive directions or until you hear an allclear message. DO NOT: Open doors that are hot to touch. 15
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures Smoke, the Biggest Danger The biggest danger from a fire is deadly smoke. If you are in an area that is filling up with smoke, help people protect themselves from breathing the smoke. There are three ways to protect yourself and others from breathing smoke: Cover your mouth and nose with a damp cloth or a wet paper towel to filter out the smoke. If smoke is coming in under the door, put a towel, blanket, or other material under the door to stop the smoke. Crouch low until you are 24-36 inches off the floor. Smoke rises so stay less than 36 inches from the floor. Crouch low (between 24 and 36 inches from the floor) when the room is full of smoke. 16
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures Safety Features in Buildings Automatic systems in buildings that respond to heat, smoke or fire include smoke detectors, sprinklers, and fire alarms. Emergency exit signs help you to make decisions about which route to take during an evacuation. Smoke detectors Smoke detectors are located in all areas and will set off the fire alarm if they detect smoke. They need to be kept in good working order. Report any damaged smoke detectors to MC maintenance. Fire sprinkler systems Sprinklers are set off when they sense high temperatures from a fire. When set off, they pour water under pressure onto the fire. Never hang anything from the sprinklers and be sure that equipment or high shelves never block them. Items should not be any higher than 20 inches from the ceiling. If you find a sprinkler leaking, report it immediately. Fire alarm The fire alarm is triggered automatically by smoke detectors or manually by pulling the alarm. When the alarm is sounded throughout the building, fire and smoke doors close, and the ventilation system shuts down so that smoke is not carried to other areas. It notifies employees of the location of the fire. It automatically notifies the fire department of the fire. Be sure that you know the location of the manual fire pull station in the area(s) where you work. "EXIT" signs Emergency exit signs can be seen from any direction. They show access to the outside. They are designed to help you and others evacuate a building when smoke or fire makes it difficult for you to know where you are. During evacuation, people should move toward the outside fire exits. 17
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures Types of Evacuation There are two types of evacuation: Simple evacuation Total evacuation Simple evacuation Simple evacuation is to remove a person from the room or area. Total Evacuation Total evacuation is the complete evacuation of a building. 18
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures Things to Remember Remember the action plan called "RACE," and use the word "RACE," to recall the four steps in that plan. RESCUE people from the area. Help others out of immediate danger. Sound the ALARM and notify others of the fire. It is important to know the location of fire alarms and the number to phone in case of a fire in the hospital. CONTAIN the fire. Close all doors to prevent fire and smoke from spreading. EXTINGUISH the fire or EVACUATE the area. Try to put out the fire if you feel it is safe to do so. Otherwise leave the fire, close the door, and evacuate the area. RESCUE, ALARM, CONTAIN, EXTINGUISH/EVACUATE is usually the best order for the four steps, although there may be exceptions. When a fire alarm sounds, assume a fire is burning even if you cannot see one. Quick action saves lives. Respond to fire alarms by closing doors. 19
Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures Things to Remember The biggest danger during fire is often the smoke. Your safest place is the area between 24 and 36 inches from the floor. Exits are designed to help you progress safely to the outside of a building during a fire. Remember to check the doors to see if they are hot. If not, open them carefully and close them again as soon as you pass into the next building. When you move simple, you are moving the person out the room or area. Total evacuation is leaving the entire building or complex. 20
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous Material Labels Objectives After completing this lesson, you will be able to interpret a label for a hazardous chemical. Specifically, you will be able to: Describe appropriate general precautions to take with chemicals. 22
Hazardous Material Labels Hazard Pictograms Hazard Pictograms is part of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) by Occupational Hazard and Safety Administration (OSHA) New labels on products have symbols that tell you how dangerous the product is to use. There are 9 new labels (pictograms) that identify a product. A signal word - either DANGER or WARNING - where necessary is used. A hazard statement indicates the nature and degree of the risks posed by the product. If you have any questions about a particular chemical, ask your director/dean. 23
Hazardous Material Labels Flame Flammable gases, category 1 Flammable aerosols, categories 1, 2 Flammable liquids, categories 1, 2, 3 Flammable solids, categories 1, 2 Self-reactive substances and mixtures, types B, C, D, E, F Pyrophoric liquids, category 1 Pyrophoric solids, category 1 Self-heating substances and mixtures, categories 1, 2 Substances and mixtures, which in contact with water, emit flammable gases, categories 1, 2, 3 Organic peroxides, types B, C, D, E, F 24
Hazardous Material Labels General Safety Precautions When Working with Chemicals There are some general safety precautions you can take, when it is appropriate: Wear gloves. Work in a well-ventilated area. Wear eye protection. Do not mix chemicals. Exercise caution when working with combustible or flammable materials. Wear a mask to protect from fumes. Always protect yourself when working with chemicals. As the saying goes, 'It is better to be SAFE than SORRY.' 25
Hazardous Material Labels Things to Remember Labels on chemical products have information about how to handle the chemicals safely. If you have any questions about using a particular chemical, ask our Biology Instructors. It is better to be safe than sorry - be sure to follow common precautions when working with chemicals. 26