Transcript Unit 2 - Safety Management Systems

Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Fire Risk Assessment:
The Evacuation Perspective
Principles and Practical
Experiences
Claire McCartney BA BAI MBS P.G.Dip MIEI CMIOSH
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
The Evacuation Perspective Legislation
 Section 19 of the Fire Services Acts 1981 & 2003
states:
“potentially dangerous building means any building
which would, in the event of a fire…, constitute a
serious danger to life…”
 Adequate means of egress from the building
 Notices as to the procedure which should be
followed in the event of fire
 Appliances or fittings for enabling the occupants to
escape on the occurrence of fire
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
The Evacuation Perspective Legislation
 Section 8 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work
Act 2005 states:
“Every employer shall ensure, so far as is
reasonably practicable, the safety, health and
welfare at work of his or her employees. ”
 Design, provision and maintenance of safe means
of egress from the place of work
 Prepare and revise adequate plans, procedures and
measures to be taken in case of an emergency
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
The Evacuation Perspective Legislation
 Section 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at
Work Act 2005 states:
“Every employer shall identify the hazards in the
place of work under his or her control, assess the
risks presented by those hazards and be in
possession of a written assessment of the risks to
the safety, health and welfare at work of his or her
employees…and persons other than his or her
employees. ”
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Fire Risk Assessment Principles
It is not acceptable to rely on the
intervention of the Fire Service
It is not acceptable to leave a
disabled person in a refuge area
NDA Promoting Safety Egress and
Evacuation for People with Disabilities
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Fire Risk Assessment Principles
Safe evacuation of all occupants
Fire Risk Assessment
Building
and
Building Emergency
Evacuation Plan
Occupants
Personal
Emergency
Evacuation Plan
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Fire Risk Assessment –
Building
 What is the evacuation strategy for the building?
 Total evacuation
 Phased evacuation
 Zoned evacuation
 Fire Safety Certificate granted by local Fire
Authority outlines the evacuation strategy
 Building is designed based on the evacuation
strategy, including building structure (passive)
and fire safety systems (active)
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Fire Risk Assessment – Building
 Fire alarm – audibility of sounders, number, location &
height of bgus, visual/vibrating devices, paging system
 Compartmentation – fire resistance and fire doors
 Escape routes and final exits – complexity and
familiarity of routes, travel distances, stairs, ramps,
level thresholds, fire doors along routes
 Refuge/rest areas and communication system
 Evacuation lifts or normal lifts
 Way-finding – directional signs, low level signs,
handrails, directional sound, colour contrasts, thread
indicators, number & location of emergency lights
 Signage – height of signs, size of print, tactile info
 Equipment and facilities – evacuation chairs
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Fire Risk Assessment –
Occupants
To design a building that provides safe evacuation
for all, we must base the evacuation time on the
person who will take the longest time to escape.
Evacuation time – from detection, through premovement time (including alarm activation,
recognition and response time) and to the end of
movement time when the evacuation is complete
Design the Building Emergency Evacuation
Plan to suit the greatest evacuation time
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Fire Risk Assessment –
Occupants: Types of Disability
 Mobility impairment – range or speed of movement
 Sensory impairment – ability to gather information,
e.g. sight and sound
 Cognitive or mental health impairment – capacity to
process information and react appropriately e.g.
dyslexia or autism
 Hidden disability – stress of situation triggers
condition e.g. asthma or heart problem
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Effect of Disability on
Evacuation Time
 Recognition time – get alarm signal, see developing
threat, interpret information
 Response time – raise alarm, fight fire, prepare for
escape, decide on action
 Movement time – horizontal and vertical travel
 Automatic door closers and electromagnetic
catches, ‘Do not use lifts’, way-finding, unfamiliar
terrain, complex escape routes, queues form
behind person, reduced corridor/stair width,
slower in dense crowds, travel distance without
resting, reaction to instructions
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Fire Risk Assessment –
Occupants
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Level of alertness – awake, asleep, cognitive state
Level of mobility – walk aided or unaided
Social affiliation – alone or with a group
Intellectual capacity – ability to understand
instructions or procedures
Mental health status – tolerance to noise or panic
situations
Role and responsibility – staff or public
Position – standing, seated or lying down
Commitment – to activity they are engaged in
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Building Emergency
Evacuation Plan
 Prepare a PEEP for all known disabled persons and
standardised PEEPs for potential visitors
 Facilitate independent escape if possible – provide
suitable aids and adaptations
 Do not overplay safety issues – dignity
 What can person do in exceptional circumstances
not just everyday situations
 Assign “buddies” if necessary and train accordingly
 Do evacuation drills and ‘mock-ups’
 Identify time required for each person’s escape
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
PEEP Escape Options
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Flashing beacons, vibrating devices, pagers
Use of lift
Walk down stairs slowly on their own
Move down stairs on bottom
Walk/move down stairs with assistance
Use evacuation chair
Carry down – own chair or other chair
Additional orientation information, tactile map,
colour contrasting, large print
 Assistance with opening doors
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
Personal Emergency
Evacuation Plan - Consultation
 Consult with those directly affected:
 Employees
 Regular visitors
 Consult with relevant disability organisations to
anticipate needs of other visitors and members of
the public
 Consult with other members of staff assigned as
‘buddies’ in the evacuation procedures
 Consult with local Fire Service
 Consult with the landlord and other tenants
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
References
 NDA – Promoting Safe Egress and Evacuation
for People with Disabilities
 HM Government – Fire Safety Risk Assessment:
Means of Escape for Disabled People
www.firesafetyguides.communities.gov.uk
 BS5588-8:1999 Fire precautions in the design,
construction and use of buildings – Code of
practice for means of escape for disabled people
Claire McCartney MIEI MIOSH
Fire and Safety Consulting & Training
THANK YOU 
Any Questions?