1. Principles

Staff and people who use services should be as safe as possible from the threat of fire or from injury in the case of an outbreak of fire. This is best ensured by training for staff, so they know the procedure to follow when a fire occurs or an alarm is sounded.

Each service must develop and communicate an evacuation plan which has been tailored to the building and the needs of the people using the building. Monthly fire drills should take place which include an element of learning.

2. Procedural Steps

Step Action By Whom
1. The service must have a designated fire safety lead who is responsible for reviewing procedures and ensuring drills, maintenance and staff training are completed as per the procedure. Agreed by service manager
2. All staff must be made aware of who the designated fire safety lead is, and what their responsibilities are. Fire safety lead / all staff
3. All staff must receive fire safety training. Attendance should be documented in their staff files. All staff / team leader / fire safety lead
4. All staff must read and understand the fire procedures. All staff / team leader / fire safety lead
5. All staff must know: the emergency evacuation procedure, the location of fire alarms, the location of different types of fire extinguishers, how to use them and which extinguisher to use for different types of fire and how to use the telephone systems to call the Fire and Rescue Service. All staff / team leader / fire safety lead
6. Full records of fire precautions must be kept in the fire log. This information should be entered by the fire safety lead or by a contractor carrying out tests or maintenance. Designated fire safety lead / manager
7. Fire tests must be conducted weekly and drills must be conducted monthly. Records of these should be kept, including outcomes (for example detected faults and actions). Designated fire safety lead / manager
8. Fire-fighting equipment must be regularly checked and recorded, such as emergency lighting, extinguishers etc. any faults should be documented, reported for maintenance and checked to ensure fault has been corrected. Designated fire safety lead / manager
9. Training events must be recorded, including dates, times, names of staff who attended and information covered. This should also be recorded in staff files. Designated fire safety lead / manager
On Discovering a Fire:
10. On the discovery or suspicion of a fire staff should remain as calm as possible. All staff
11. The first person to become aware of a fire should raise the alarm immediately by operating the nearest break glass call point or by shouting “fire”. Any member of staff
12. If smoke is seen coming from under a door or in a closed room staff should not attempt to open the door, but should immediately raise the alarm. Any member of staff
13. Ring 999 to call the Fire and Rescue Service. Any member of staff
14. Staff may tackle small fires with the appropriate fire extinguisher, but only if the alarm has first been raised, it is safe to do so and staff feel confident in doing so. Any member of staff / member of staff in charge
15. In the event of a fire or the fire alarm sounding, implement the fire evacuation plan. Depending upon the plan, this may be a full evacuation to a place of safety outside the building, or to a safe zone within the building. If evacuating to a safe zone, staff must be certain that at least two fire doors are between any persons and the source of the fire and that smoke inhalation does not pose a risk. The level of risk must be reviewed continually until the Fire and Rescue arrives. Member of staff in charge
16. A roll call should be made to identify who is safely evacuated and whether anyone cannot be accounted for. Designated fire safety lead / manager
17. Where possible and safe to do so, check all rooms to ensure nobody is remaining in them or is trapped. No risk whatsoever can be taken with the safety of anyone carrying out these checks. If there is any risk that the rooms may contain fire or smoke, or any risk that the person conducting the check may be cut off by fire or smoke, the check should not be made. Overseen by member of staff in charge
18. Any doors still open should be closed. Any member of staff
19. Ensure any person not accounted for must immediately be reported to the member of staff in charge or directly to a Fire Service officer. Any member of staff
20. Staff and people using the service should not stop to collect valuables or possessions. Any member of staff
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