How to deal with a fire
If you discover a fire, break a glass call point, dial 999 and follow the evacuation procedures below.
If the fire is detected by an automatic alarm and it is safe to do so, identify the location of the fire using the control panel and investigate. Ensure the evacuation procedure is continuing as you investigate the location of the fire.
Follow the “How to manage an Evacuation” guide then refer to the “Key roles for supporting a fire evacuation” (see header below).
Note – Regular testing and exercising are important to ensure personnel are familiar with their roles.
Evacuate the building
How to manage an evacuation
Key roles for supporting a fire evacuation
Fire Wardens report to assembly point
- Ensure that everyone in your area, including any visitors or contractors evacuates the building quickly and safely.
- Ensure any person with special needs is able to evacuate.
- Make a quick check of your area on the way out.
- Ensure people go to the correct and safe assembly point.
- Do not allow anyone to re-enter the building or leave the assembly point until it is confirmed that it is safe to do so.
- Report to the Person in Control (PiC) at the assembly point to advise/confirm the situation for your area.
- If a Work Area Manager (WAM) reports to you that someone is missing pass this information to the PiC.
- Specific security procedures, such as the securing of assets, should only be performed if they can be done without placing people at risk.
Work Area Managers report to assembly point
- Where available, bring attendance sheets with you to the assembly point.
- Try to account for all your team. Report anyone missing to a fire warden, along with where they were last seen.
First Aiders report to assembly point
- Ensure that first aid equipment is taken to the assembly point.
- Report to PiC at assembly point to advise / confirm the situation for your area.
People with special duties report to assembly point (ie. gate / door keepers, receptionists etc)
- Report to the PiC at assembly point to advise / confirm the situation for your area.
Person in Control reports to assembly point
- Confirm that the fire evacuation procedures are underway, as set out in your fire evacuation plan.
- Ensure that any information that may help in trying to account for everyone, and assist the Emergency Services, is taken to the assembly point, eg. signing-on sheets, visitors’ book and site log book.
- Ensure that fire wardens and people with special duties report to you to confirm that the building is clear or otherwise, eg. Receptionists, Doorkeepers, Security, First Aiders, Gate House.
- Do not allow any person to re-enter the building or leave the assembly point until it is confirmed that it is safe to do so.
Co-ordinate with Emergency Services
- Use the unit plan, to notify the Group Property & Facilities Solutions Helpdesk, Central Postal Control (CPC), Ops Control (if you work for PFW), and your line manager, who will have access to the contingency plans.
- Use the incident log to manage the incident and ensure that contingency arrangements are deployed as necessary.
Fires to adjacent building
If there’s a fire to a building adjacent to RMG property, please follow the guidance below:
- If the fire services are not at the scene, call them on 999. Make sure all employees are a safe distance from the fire.
- Speak to the fire services at the scene. Understand if the affected building is stable. If there is a risk of collapse, fire services can advise whether sections of RMG property need to be cordoned off.
- If cordoning off, ensure the cordon is clear and that staff are prevented from entering.
- If barriers, lighting and/or signage are required and these are not on site, contact PFS helpdesk on a rapid response job.
- Cordoning off the area may have an impact on activities on site, and could temporarily give rise to risks that must be managed appropriately (e.g. if blocking off traffic routes, walkways or fire exits). You must assess any impact, and put in place temporary arrangements as required to ensure the site can continue to operate safely – if it can’t, the impacted activities must stop until they can be done safely. Your Safety Advisor will assist with this.
- Brief all staff (and any visitors) on temporary arrangements in place, and ensure the temporary arrangements are monitored.
- If the incident impacts the security of your site, contact the security helpdesk.
- If cordoning off the area will cause operational disruption, inform Central Postal Control (CPC)
Conduct a formal review
Once the incident is over the PiC must conduct a formal review, seek to identify improvement opportunities to ensure that best practice can be shared.
If in doubt at any stage always call Central Postal Control (CPC)
Central Postal Control deals with issues on a regular basis and will be able to talk you through how to deal with any situation.