Fire Evacuations

[M11]

Is it a legal requirement to do a roll call when an alarm has been sounded. even if it has been identified as a false alarm?

[Martin]

There is no legal requirement to do a roll call. It could be argued that in a larger premises you would fail  the test of protecting peoples safety as far as reasonably practicable if someone was inside and the RP didn't haven't some way of knowing. However it still doesn't have to be a roll call. might involve search officers confirming their area is clear.

If it is definitely a false alrm then who is at risk? No need to know everyone is out, if it perfectly safe to be inside! However it may encourage staff to ignore the next real warning if there is no proper re-entry procedure.

[kurnal]

From the time the incident is confirmed as a false alarm then the role call may cease. It is a legal duty to have measures in place to ensure that the evacuation is complete and no persons are at risk. As Martin says this may be a nominal roll call or it may be by wardens sweeping the building. Neither system is perfect. Wardens cannot safely sweep an area where there is a fire raging- and this is precisely where persons may be trapped. So  a sweep search on its own may not be enough. On the other hand a roll call is only as good as staff discipline and booking in / out  procedures, so a combination of both is best.

Up until the incident is confirmed as a false alarm then procedures should be followed. If you then record the time of alarm, time taken to account for staff, persons taking part, problems encountered and lessons learned you have carried out your evacuation exercise for those staff. Another tick in the box.

[M11]

Cheers folks. It would be impossible to do a roll call for a site with more than 1000 staff in a reasonable time. the sweep is definatley the way to go.

thanks again

[dell678]

I am interested in Kurnel's reply, could you tell me where it says;
'It is a legal duty to have measures in place to ensure that the evacuation is complete and no persons are at risk.'
I am not being presumptuous, just we are dealing with a few issues involving B&B's and hotels and staffing levels at night.
The FSO does not differentiate between B&B's and Hotels both are sleeping accommodation however we would be appalled if there was no staff on duty during the silent hours in hotels, however it would seem that B&B's can get away with it! Not all owners of B&B's sleep on site and even if they do what happens when contractors sleep during the day and the proprietor finishes her cleaning then goes down town and leaves the B&B empty?
I would be interested on anyones views on this subject, Thanks

[kurnal]

Dell
This response is based on the English and Welsh legislation
Hotels and B&Bs are not as clear cut as workplaces in general- because of the specific wording of article 15 and that relevant persons who are not employees have no duty to co-operate under article 23.

There is no explicit requirement to have a roll call or to carry out a sweep search- the duty is to establish appropriate safety procedures including drills to be followed in the event of fire and to nominate a sufficient number of competent persons to to implement these procedures for evacuation of the premises.