| As part of the fire risk assessment it is important for | | | | assembly point and await further instructions. An |
| businesses to identify what to do in the event of a fire. | | | | individual should meet with the fire officer when he or |
| Common sense and discretion should be used on the | | | | she arrives and pass on any relevant informaton, this |
| discovery of a fire. If the fire is very small, and one is | | | | would include the possible location of the fire as well |
| confident that it can easily be extinguished, the nearest | | | | as whether everyone is out of the building. This |
| appropriate fire extinguisher should be used. If this | | | | information is vitally important and will ensure that the |
| action has no immediate effect on the fire the fire | | | | Fire Service have as much information as possible to |
| alarm should be operated to inform fellow colleagues | | | | enable them to put a plan of action in place. If you |
| and personnel within the workplace. | | | | have a plan drawing of the premises then this would |
| In premises not provided with an electrical alarm the | | | | also prove very useful and would save valuable time. |
| warning should be by word of mouth, "FIRE", or by | | | | On occasion the fire may not be visible from outside |
| operating the manual break glass call points. In general | | | | the building and some people may wish to re-enter the |
| the fire alarm should be sounded prior to the fire being | | | | building to collect their belongings or to shelter from the |
| tackled. All staff should be shown the "Break the | | | | adverse elements. It may be that the fire is in a Hotel |
| Glass call point" in the vicinity of where they work. | | | | at three 'o' clock in the morning on a cold Winter's night, |
| If calling the fire service or reporting a fire locally the | | | | if this were the case then guests would want to return |
| following information should be gathered where | | | | to their rooms as soon as possible, it is imperetive that |
| possible: | | | | people are only allowed back into the building once the |
| 1. The exact location of the fire; | | | | fire service have completed their actions in identifying |
| 2. The location of any trapped persons; | | | | the location of the fire and making it safe for individuals |
| 3. The type of fire ie the type of fuel involved; | | | | to return. The fire officer will inform the business |
| 4. Report any hazardous substances that may be | | | | manager of when it is safe to do so. |
| involved, such as the following - toxic or explosive | | | | Following the conclusion of the incident the fire officer |
| chemicals, any radioactive substances, any gas | | | | will carryout an investigation into the most probable |
| cylinders | | | | cause, it is likely that at this stage the very first thing |
| The Fire Service should be called directly by dialling | | | | they will ask to see is your completed fire risk |
| 999 and all the relevant information should be passed | | | | assessment, to identify what fire hazards you had |
| on to the fire service control. Remember the Fire | | | | recorded within it and the various preventative |
| Service Control may not be familiar with the | | | | measures you had considered to prevent a fire |
| topography of the area. It is therefore essential that | | | | occuring at your workplace. Insurance companies are |
| the correct postal address of the premises is given. It | | | | incresingly asking to see fire risk assessments when |
| may be conducive to provide a conspicuous notice | | | | purchasing insurance and certainly following a fire in the |
| adjacent to the telephone which may be used for | | | | workplace, not to have completed a fire risk |
| calling the Brigade. Such a notice should include the | | | | assessment at your business may compromise yor |
| correct postal address. All staff should be told the | | | | insurance policy |
| system of reporting a fire that is relevant to them. Only | | | | One of the most common causes of fire within |
| after the alarm has been raised and the Fire Service | | | | business premises is poor management. Fire Safety is |
| informed should the fire be tackled. In practice the fire | | | | often overlooked by businesses as people believe it, |
| may be discovered by more than one person and the | | | | "will never happen to them" don't fall into the same |
| above action can be carried out simultaneously. | | | | trap, as statistics show, that along with the heartache |
| If your efforts to tackle the fire has no effect or the | | | | of serious injuries to people, two thirds of businesses |
| fire is too large for first-aid fire fighting then evacuate | | | | never recover from a serious fire. Make the |
| the building immediately by using the shortest possible | | | | appropriate provisions now by putting your |
| route closing the door to the effected room behind | | | | management systems in place to protect your people |
| you. | | | | and your livelihood. |
| After evacuation report to the pre-determined | | | | |