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Bottom of FormEmergency - Fire & Evacuation Aim1. To ensure, as far as practicable, that no person suffers injury or illness as a result of a fire on land or in a building that is owned or occupied by the University of Western Australia.Each workplace at the University is required to have a fully implemented emergency evacuation procedure (EEP).The procedures that follow are designed to assist in the organisation and implementation of emergency evacuation procedures for workplaces at the University of Western Australia.For assistance in implementing an EEP in your building/area, please contact the Safety and Health on 6488 3938.2. ContentsAimEmergency Evacuation PrioritiesResponsibility for Developing and Implementing Emergency ProceduresImplementation of Emergency ProceduresTrainingEvacuation DrillsEmergency Evacuation Procedures in the Case of FireDefinitions3. Emergency Evacuation Prioritiesa. First Priority: Protection of LifeThe first priority is to ensure that all people who may be in danger are warned, and that action is taken to guarantee their safety, before any steps are taken to prevent the spread of the hazard, to secure assets, or to eliminate the hazard.b. Second Priority: Prevent Spread of HazardThe second priority aims at controlling the extent of the hazard within the building and minimising its release into the environment.c. Third Priority: Save Assets in the Affected AreaThe third priority is to prevent personal and University assets from being damaged in the event of a fire.d. Fourth Priority: Eliminate the HazardThe final priority is to eliminate the fire by extinguishment.4. Responsibility for Developing and Implementing Emergency ProceduresManagement (Vice Chancellor, Deans, Heads of School) is responsible for the development and implementation of emergency procedures at the University.5. Implementation of Emergency ProceduresThe EEP for a building shall be implemented by the building's emergency control organisation under the direction of the Building Warden (also referred to as Chief Fire Warden).Emergency Control Organisation for a building (ECO)The emergency control organisation (ECO) facilitates the safe and orderly implementation of the emergency procedures in a building, including the evacuation of the occupants from the building when appropriate. The ECO is a structured organisation of people employed within a building who take command on the declaration of an emergency, pending the arrival of the fire brigade or other emergency service. The ECO comprises: -. Building Warden . Deputy Building Warden . Area Warden . First Aid Personnel . Other Specialists (eg Chemist) Management should encourage the implementation of an emergency control organisation and emergency evacuation procedures within all workplaces at the University. It is their ultimate responsibility to ensure that:. members are appointed to the emergency control organisation for the building; . such persons have training in emergency procedures; . they support the ECO with appropriate resources and authority. Members of the ECO should be mature and responsible who are physically capable and have the confidence of building occupants.For buildings with joint occupancy, all Areas shall contribute members to the emergency control organisation in proportion of number of equivalent full-time staff in occupancy, or other practicable arrangement.Duties of Emergency Control Organisation on Noticing or Becoming Aware of an Emergency.Building Warden :On becoming aware of a potential emergency, shall determine the nature of the emergency and decide on the appropriate action. If an emergency is declared, the Building Warden shall initiate the emergency procedures which should include the following actions:. ensure that the appropriate emergency service has been notified. This can be achieved by contacting Security on 2222; . ensure that the Area Wardens are advised of the situation; . initiate evacuation of the building/workplace; . brief emergency service personnel on their arrival and thereafter act on the instructions of the emergency service's senior officer. . being available, or organising Area Warden cover, at all times that the building is normally occupied; . organising and distributing to all Wardens and to all building occupants relevant information for use in an emergency, including details of the fire alarm system , the emergency warning system and the emergency procedures . prominently displaying evacuation procedures and plans for areas. Assistance can be obtained from Safety and Health; . maintaining and distributing to all building occupants a current list of all Area Wardens and their Deputies (with phone numbers and locations); . training, or organising the training of, newly-appointed Area Wardens in ECO operations. . It will be a matter of careful arrangement, for which the Building Warden is responsible; that all areas of the workplace have wardens at all times during normal working hours. Deputy Building Warden -is required to perform the duties of the Building Warden if that person is unavailable during an emergencyArea Wardens -are responsible for individual workplaces or areas of a workplace. An Area Warden, on becoming aware of the emergency, should implement the emergency procedures for their floor, which should include the following actions:. Ascertain the extent of the emergency; . Assist people in immediate danger; . Raise alarm (break glass alarm, shout FIRE, FIRE, FIRE); . Attempt to extinguish fire if safe to do so; . Implement evacuation of their workplace; . Perform methodical search of their area to ensure that all persons have been notified of emergency and have, or are, proceding totheBuilding Assembly Area; . Assist mobility impaired persons; . Place a staff member at the entry points to ensure that nobodycan enter thebuildingpending permission to do so from the Building Warden or a member of the emergency services; . Communicate with Building Warden; For further details on the tasks involved with evacuation please see evacuation procedures.A Deputy Area Warden should be appointed for each Area Warden so to assume the Warden's responsibilities when absent, and otherwise assist as required.Area Wardens should be appointed for each floor or zone of a building, to control the emergency procedures for that area, generally as directed by the Building Warden. However, Area Wardens have the authority to evacuate their area if there is any impending danger.Area Wardens must be familiar with:. the operation of the fire alarm system, the emergency warning system and any other equipment used to assist in the operation of emergency procedures for the building; . the area (floor or zone) they represent, including; 29. all means of egress and alternative escape routes; 29. the existence and position of rooms leading off blind passages; doors leading to dead-ends and any other confined areas in which persons could be located; 29. potentially hazardous materials or operations undertaken in their zone; 29. the location and operation of fire doors, smoke doors, fire blankets, portable fire extinguishers and fire hoses in their area; 29. the number and location of mobility-impaired persons in their area; . It is important that an Area Warden or a Deputy Area Warden be available for each area during periods of normal occupancy. If possible, at least one Area Warden should be appointed each twenty persons employed in every area; To assist building occupants and emergency services personnel to identify ECO personnel during an emergency the Building Warden and all Area Wardens should wear red caps with WARDEN written on. These caps can be obtained from the Safety and Health on 6488 3938. All University Building and Area Wardens are protected under the terms of the University's Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance policies whilst undertaking their duties. These policies apply to all University staff provided they act within the scope of their duties and training and/or act in good faith. Protection is not provided under these policies for non University related activities.First Aid Personnel -On hearing the alarm will make contact with the Building Warden and make his or her way to the building Assembly Area with equipment to render first aid as required.Other Specialists-Depending on the area (building or otherwise) a specialist may be required in the case of special hazards that may arise in the event of a fire in the area. An example would be a chemist who can assist on the assessment on the effects of certain chemicals in a fire environment. TrainingTraining of Emergency Control Organisation MembersTraining available to Wardens include:Warden Training Course provided by the ISER Group (formerly CIMS) (3 hours) Refresher Warden Training Course provided by the ISER Group (formerly CIMS) (1 hour)Fire Awareness and Extinguisher Training provided by the Safety and Health (2 hours)Fire Warden Training is also provided by Fire and Emergency Services or Industrial Foundation for Accident Prevention (1 day)Contact the Safety and Health for more information.Evacuation DrillsEvacuation drills are a most important part of the staff training associated with emergency evacuation procedures. Drills, complete with local alarms (activated by Central Plant Personnel) should be carried out in all buildings at least once a year.It is the Building Warden's responsibility to ensure that at least one evacuation drill is conducted for their area every year.The following points should be noted by the Building Warden in planning and implementing an evacuation drill:. if appropriate; coordinate the timing of the drill with Director or Head of School; Laboratory Manager of School ; . invite the Safety and Health to attend, sound the alarm and assess the evacuation; . make a special effort to organise the drill when both the Head of School and other senior management are present in the building. The cooperation and active participation of senior management is essential to ensure the wholehearted support of staff. . If desired, prior warning of the drill (approximate date and time) can be sent to all staff to assist their understanding and cooperation; . Ensure that all staff recognise the ALERT and EVACUATION signals and know the relevant procedures, exit routes, and assembly area; . The Building Warden should superintend the drill, record the time required to complete the evacuation, and note any problems and deficiencies; . After each drill a meeting of Wardens, the Safety and Health and senior management (if available) should be held to evaluate the success of the drill and to solve any problems that may have arisen. Evacuation of Lecture Theatres, Libraries, Classrooms and Teaching LaboratoriesThese areas require explicit organisation because of the potential for large numbers of people to be congregated in a small area. The person in charge of the class shall act as the Warden and is responsible for evacuating his/her area.Upon Hearing the Alert or When Notified of an EmergencyThe person in charge of the class should direct students to:. Stand fast and push chairs, large bags, etc. under desks or benches. . Turn off electrical devices and laboratory operations that are not safe to be left unattended. . In controlled sequence, move along gangways to main aisles and exit in an orderly manner through the nearest appropriate exit. . Move to the Building Assembly Area. These procedures need to be orderly to minimise crowding in aisles and doorways. Emergency Evacuation Procedures in Case of FireYou discover a fire:7. Help people in immediate danger 7. Warn others by shouting "Fire, Fire, Fire", raise the alarm if not already sounding and telephone 2222. 7. Decide if you can put the fire out. If you are not sure, do not attempt to. 7. Don't attempt to use a fire extinguisher if you have never been instructed on how to use one. 7. If you can put out the fire then do so, if not proceed to evacuate the building. You hear the fire alarm ringing; you must prepare to evacuate the building:7. Switch off all computers, printers and electrical appliances. 7. Close all windows and doors. 7. Gather your personal belongings in preparation to immediately evacuate the building. 7. Organise/help other people in the room. Evacuate the building and proceed to your Building Assembly Area:7. Move at a quick walk, do not run. 7. If you have to move through a closed door that you cannot see through: 11. Feel the door to see if it is hot; 11. Look for smoke coming under the door; 11. Open the door slowly and look around it to see if there is a fire behind it; 11. If there is no fire on the other side, proceed through and close the door behind you; 1. Move to the Building Assembly Area asquicklyas possible; 1. Report to your Warden that you/your group is there and if you know of anyone trapped in the building; 1. Remain in the Assembly Area until you are informed that you may leaveby either the Building Warden or a member of the emergency services You notice someone on the verge of panic:1. Give them a task or responsibility; 1. The person will still require constant monitoring; 1. Do not hit them; 1. Take hold of one of their hands and guide them out of the building to the Assembly Area; 1. If they will not cooperate or start to grab hold of things. Leave them where they are; 1. Evacuate yourself and inform your Warden, the Building Warden, one of the security personnel, or the police or Fire and Rescue Services immediately. Mobility impaired peopleIf you encounter a person with some form of physical disability that restricts their mobility. You may be required to assist them from the building. If you are unable to remove them from the building many stairwells have respite areas for mobility impaired persons. They can be left here, where they are shielded from the fire, and a person should wait with them until retrieved by emergency personnel on arrival. It is important to inform the emergency personnel or Building Warden of their location so that they can be retrieved as soon as possible. If you are trapped in a room:1. Exit through a window if you are on the ground floor; 1. If you are not on the ground floor: 1. Close the door; 1. Go to the window; 1. If there is smoke in the room open the window a little so you can breathe fresh air. If not, do not open the window. This can assist in the spread of fire into your area from lower floors; 1. Attract people's attention to your plight. This can be achieved by writing on a paper and sticking it to the window or calling out the window. If you open the window remember to close it again as this can be an entry point for fire. Do not open the window up fully; 1. If the room is filling with smoke, stay close to the ground. The air is cooler and oxygen is more plentiful in this region; 1. Wait for the Fire and Rescue Service to rescue you. REMEMBER1. Fires spread rapidly; 1. Fires produce thick black smoke that is difficult to see through and causes suffocation; 1. The freshest air will always be near the floor; 1. Move quickly. Do not run; 1. Be decisive; 1. Make a decision and follow that decision. 1. DefinitionsArea - refers to a Faculty, School, Section, Centre or place where University employees work.Fire alarm system - The fire alarm system is designed to provide automatic notification of the presence of fire (by detecting heat or smoke) in the building. It is made up of fire detectors positioned throughout the building and wired to the fire indicator panel and fire bell. When a detector is activated, its location is shown on the fire indicator panel, the fire bell commences to ring continuously, a signal is sent automatically to the fire brigade, and the emergency warning system is started in the ALERT mode.The fire alarm system can be manually activated using the break-glass switch adjacent to the fire indicator panel.Emergency warning system - provides an audible signal throughout some buildings to warn occupants of a fire or other emergency situation. A two-stage system is used. The ALERT signal (repetitive 0.635 s-interrupted sound of 420 Hz frequency) is sounded automatically on actuation of the fire alarm or is manually activated in other emergency situations. The Area Warden manually activates the EVACUATION signal (repetitive signal of rising frequency 500 Hz to 1200 Hz) if required or, in the absence of manual override, the EVACUATION signal sounds automatically after a set time delay.Emergency warning and intercommunication system (EWIS) for a large or multi-storied building also includes an intercommunication component that allows two-way conversation between the Building Warden at the master emergency control panel and Area Wardens in different parts of the building.Emergency control organisation (ECO) - facilitates the safe and orderly implementation of the emergency procedures in a building, including the evacuation of the occupants from the building when appropriate. The ECO is a structured organisation of people employed within a building, which takes command in the declaration of an emergency in the building, pending the arrival of the fire brigade or other emergency service. The ECO comprises the Building Warden, Area Wardens, Deputy Wardens, and may also include chemical, biological and radiation safety officers, technical officers, first aid attendants, security attendants, communications officers, etc. The term Warden is used to signify a member of the ECO.Last Edits:August 2010Previous Edits:August 2009

Responsible:Safety and Health AdviserApproved by:S&H Manager

Date for Review:March2011File Ref:F4193

Previous Titles:n/a

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