POLICIES & PROCEDURES

OPERATIONS MANUAL

STUDENT PROCEDURE

STUDENT PROCEDURE NO: 4

PROCEDURE NAME: Misuse of Health, Safety and Fire Systems

PURPOSE OF THE PROCEDURE

To provide guidelines for the management of resident’s safety in regard to misuse of fire prevention equipment and fire regulations.

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INTRODUCTION

  • In line with current legislation DSL has a duty to ensure that the fire equipment is provided and maintained accordingly. This procedure provides the framework for the Management of residents who abuse/misuse fire prevention equipment. Tampering with fire fighting equipment is a criminal offence under the legislation stated above. The disciplinary procedure Pro 001 will be used to manage repeated misuse of equipment or repeated fire alarm activation.

PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH AN ALARM ACTIVATION

  1. When a fire alarm is activated you will be notified by a pager, mobile phone or by the main alarm panel sounding.
  2. Collect the master keys/fire keys, the fire alarm board and pen.
  3. Go to the location indicated on the main panel.
  4. Whilst students are evacuating check the block panel to see where the location of the fault is.
  5. Leave the fire alarm ringing whilst you go and investigate the problem.

Is there an actual fire?

  1. If you hear any crackling or falling items or see anything that indicates that there is a real fire, then you should evacuate and call the fire brigade on 999 giving your exact location.
  2. Before you enter any door that you cannot see through, check the door with the back of your hand to ensure that no heat is felt.
  3. If you feel heat on the door evacuate and call 999 giving your exact location.
  4. Call for assistance on the radio or the phone.
  5. Move all students to the designated assembly point.
  6. Once the site goes into full site evacuation keep a member of staff with the students to keep them out of the way of the area where the suspected fire is.
  7. Station a student or another member of staff on the barrier to show the fire brigade where the problem is.
  1. Collect all ‘personal emergency evacuation plans’ for the students located on the site and particularly those in that block for the fire brigade on their arrival.
  2. Collect the nominal role for the fire brigade on their arrival.
  3. Call the Critical Incident phone.
  4. Record all details on a fire alarm report and the occurrence book.

False alarm

  1. If there is no indication of a fire proceed to the location as indicated by the block fire panel.
  2. Check all communal area for any detector which has been activated as shown by a red light indication on the detector itself.
  3. If no detectors have a red light on them then go into each bedroom and check each bedroom detector, cupboard detectors, roof space detector to determine where the problem has occurred.
  4. Once you have identified the cause, record the details and return to the block panel and main panel, silence/ reset according to the system on your site.
  5. Check to ensure that all students have evacuated and take room numbers of any students who have not.
  6. Speak to the student/s responsible if possible and ask them to see the HM the next day to discuss any further action that may need to be taken.
  7. Find out how many students were in the flat when the alarm was activated.
  8. Allow the students to re-enter the building.
  9. Complete all details on a fire alarm report and the occurrence book.

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PROCEDURE FOR PENALTIES WHEN AN ALARM IS ACTIVATED

  1. Activating a fire alarm:
  • 1st offence: meet with the student and have a chat giving advice on avoiding future false alarms
  • 2nd offence: meet with the student and issue a £25 fine.
  • 3rd offence: meet with the student and issue with a verbal warning in line with Pro 001 and a £25 fine.
  • 4th offence: meet with the student and issue with a 1st written warning and a £25 fine.
  • 5th offence meet with the student and issue with a 2nd written warning and a behavioural contract plus a £25 fine in line with Pro 001
  • 6th offence £25 fine and stage four of Pro 001.
  1. Wedging fire doors, disconnecting door closers, failure to evacuate, blocking fire escape routes, use of candles, joss sticks, oil burners or open oil pans/ removing or defacing fire signs/ covering fire detectors :
  • 1st offence: meet with the student and if deemed appropriate issue with a £25 fine and a verbal warning.
  • 2nd offence: meet with the student and if deemed appropriate issue with a £25 fine and a 1st written warning
  • 3rd offence: meet with the student and if deemed appropriate issue with a £25 fine, a 2nd written warning and behaviour contract.
  • 4th offence: £25 fine and stage four of Pro 001.
  1. Intentional misuse of fire equipment I.E: Removing fire detectors/damaging break glass or fire alarm panels/ misuse of fire extinguisher or fire blanket:
  • 1st offence: meet with the student and issue with a 2nd written warning a behaviour contract and a £25 fine plus costs.
  • 2nd offence: £25 fine plus costs and stage four of the disciplinary

COSTS FOR ANY CALL OUT OR REPAIRS WILL BE ADDED TO THE ABOVE FINES WHERE NECESSARY.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO BYPASS ANY OF THE ABOVE STAGES IF IT IF DEEMED APPROPRIATE.

ANY FIRE EXTINGUISHERS OR BLANKETS THAT ARE USED SHOULD BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY BY THE MEMBER OF STAFF ON DUTY REGARDLESS OF TIME/DATE ETC.

  1. Monthly report to be completed on 1st of each month pertaining to the fire alarms reported. This report must be sent to the Operations Manager, the DSRL finance manager and theDSL Clerical Assistant.

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PROCEDURE FOR MONTHLY FIRE PREVENTION

  1. The Hall Manager should print out the ‘monthly fire preventions sheets for their site each month, which should include extinguishers, blankets, signs, emergency lights and push handle doors. They also need to oversee that it is completed in a timely manner.
  2. Any fire extinguishers or blankets that are missing should be replaced immediately and noted in the occurrence book. Replacement stock should be ordered through the Operations Manager.
  3. A list of any other items missing should be placed on the fault tracker and the caretaker should be given 7 days to replace these items.
  4. The Fire alarm should only be activated to evacuate students in the event of an emergency.

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PROCEDURE FOR ITEMS WHICH MUST NOT BE USED IN HALLS DUE TO PERSONAL SAFETY AND FIRE REASONS.

LIST OF BANNED ITEMS (this list is not exhaustive):

  • Chip pans
  • Candles
  • Drones of any type
  • Joss sticks
  • Oil burners
  • Bicycle’s or motorbikes inside the buildings
  • Hover boards, scooters, skateboards anywhere on Halls of residence property.
  • Electric wheelchairs (unless they have been risk assessed for your site)
  • Smoking devices of any kind.
  1. Staff should report any hazards that they may come across whilst on site. Cleaners should be report this in their duty books which should be signed off on a daily basis and a note put in saying what has been done about the issue. All other staff should note this in the occurrence book.

If no problem has been found by a cleaner they should write down NTR in their book under the date they have been into that flat. All duty books should be numbered and no pages should be ripped out of them. If a mistake is made it should be just crossed out and initialled.

  1. Hall Managers should use their discretion regarding the immediate removal of the item/s. If it is perceived to be an immediate risk then the HM should proceed to step 4 of this section of the procedure. If it is not an immediate risk the student should be given 24 hours to remove the item using ‘fire risk letter 1’.
  1. The Hall Manager should give the students 24 hours to remove the item. If it has not been removed then it should be confiscated using ‘fire risk letter 2’. They should bring this letter with me which you both need to sign when they collect the item. The note should then be left in the students file. If the item is not collected then please use the ‘disposal procedure’. If the perceived risk is rubbish please use the ‘communal hygiene procedure’
  1. If a personal item has been removed because it is an immediate risk or has not been removed following a ‘banned item letter 1’ and has now been confiscated a ‘fire risk letter 2’ should be put in its place in the flat. The item should be kept in a lockable area with a sticker on it saying where it has been taken from. If a student comes to collect it they should bring the ‘banned item letter 2’ with them which should be signed by both parties and kept on the students file. If there is a second incident with the same piece of equipment then the situation should be dealt with via the ‘disciplinary procedure’. If the item is not collected then the ‘disposal procedure’ should be used.
  1. Any faulty fire equipment should be replaced immediately, if a door magnet, closer is not working then this can be given to the global engineer to complete on their next visit.

NB: Wax melts can be used in halls as long as they are only used in a student’s room and are not left on whilst the student is not in their room.

NB: no electrical cooking or drink making devices in the bedrooms.

CONCLUDING STATEMENT

This procedure and the practices it contains should not be altered. Any alterations required for this procedure should be brought to the attention of the management team in order that a replacement procedure can be issued.

Issue date: FEBRUARY 16Review date: FEBRUARY 19

Authorised by Operations Director

Date:

APPENDIX ONE:

FIRE ALARM REPORT

Date: 21-6-16 Time 21:30

Occurrence book no ……425……

Which sensor activated…KITCHEN

Room No of person(s) responsible 4B5

Cause………BURNT TOAST

Time Building evacuated at: 21:35

Number of occupants affected 3

Room no of those not evacuated 4B2

Fire Service called: NO

Alarm reset at: ……21:38……………………..

Name/position of staff member. NIC RA

Signature…………………………………

[ ] Warning [ ] Fine [ ] Disciplinary

(HM USE ONLY)

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