Out of hours fire wardens

[ASIF]

I have a query regarding fire warden cover in a student library.

Fire wardens are present during working hours but between 18.00 -22.00 there is no fire warden cover.
If the staff working this semi graveyard shift have had sufficient basic fire training and the fire alarm is monitored, would they need to be upgraded to fire warden level?
Due to the limited number of students using the library could it be deemed sufficient that on the actuation of the alarm they would self evacuate?

I would appriciate your thoughts...     

[CivvyFSO]

15.—(1) The responsible person must—

(a)establish and, where necessary, give effect to appropriate procedures, including safety drills, to be followed in the event of serious and imminent danger to relevant persons;
(b)nominate a sufficient number of competent persons to implement those procedures in so far as they relate to the evacuation of relevant persons from the premises;

If nobody is nominated regarding the implementation of procedures for the evacuation of relevant persons then they have not complied with this duty. That is not to say that these people need a full fire marshalls course, but the procedures should include ensuring that persons in the building are evacuated.

[wee brian]

Do you really let students use the library unsupervised at night?

[ahmedh]

Do you really let students use the library unsupervised at night?

I'm sure they are very well behaved, i know i was

Do the staff who work at this time then sweep/evacuate the library? From  your question it doesn't appear so, as you asking if they can self evacuate.

From experience this doesn't work, a number of them will remain. Afterall, "surely someone would tell them to move if it was important."

Just curious what type of institution it is? college? University? There is also the issue around maturity and lack of experience.

Have the students had a fire safety induction to site and any other training?

[Golden]

If its anything like I've experienced before, and with direct experience of trying to get my eldest daughter to do anything, the fire alarm would have to be loud enough to make their ears bleed to ensure that the students moved!

[SamFIRT]

Ditto

I have had to have crews physically drag students out of bed after the FAS has been operating for 15 - 30 mins ........and there is smoke in the halls of residence.

Good luck

[AJAY]

Well, what a low opinion of students you have! When I was one it did involve alot of sleeping, countdown and pot noodles. However things have moved on now you can get a degree in "cash in the attic"

Thank you all for your posts, the library in question is on a university campus and the students all have mandatory basic fire safety instruction once a year.
The policy is to evacuate the building and then the fire marshals carry out the sweep. In the "out of hours" I have now learned that only one floor of the library is open to the students, which itself is open plan. The students are supervised due to two staff members being present at all times the library is open.
Armed with this new infomation, it would seem that most of the students would self evacuate followed by a sweep of the floor by staff, the FA is monitored and the station is next door to the campus. I feel that article 15 has been met. 

[Midland Retty]

Just coming into this late, but in my experience you will need to have staff sweep the library as there always some students whom do not react to the alarm, and even if the fire station is right next door to the campus, remember that they may be out on another call when you need them!! 

[AJAY]

Good point Midland,

I also raised the concern of the latest trend amonst the students of wearing full "ear defender " headphones cranked up to a very high volume whilst staring into their laptops - rendering the senses of sight/hearing and therfore greatly increasing the evacuation time.

I guess they could ban students from using headphones...

[wee brian]

Maybe get a couple of flashing beacons.

Alternatively could you get some kind of RF device that bleeds over into their headphones - that would be fun.

[CivvyFSO]

Or a voice alarm saying "Free baked beans and vodka available outside"? I doubt they would miss that.

[SamFIRT]

Connect the mains IT supply to the FAS having it cut the supply when the FAS operates and electricfy their chairs. That should make them take notice.

[AJAY]

Oh the cruelty!

These students are our future!
Surely the pain of wee brians headphone attack (reminicent of Dr Who) Civvys very tempting offer and the terrifing electric chair senario would hold their attention for oh 5 seconds or until they utilise the teenage war cry - Whatever! 

[tmprojects]

Maybe get a couple of flashing beacons.

loud music and flashing lights!!! thats a rave isn't it?