Fire drill has left me in a lot of pain.

dori2o

LisaB85 wrote: »

Do they not have evacuation chairs for those with disabilities?

They do but they again cause pain when I sit in them as the bar at the front digs right into my leg. There is also no footrests on them so it in effect forces my knee to bend and this puts further pressure on it causing further pain.

Googlewhacker

dori2o wrote: »

They do but they again cause pain when I sit in them as the bar at the front digs right into my leg. There is also no footrests on them so it in effect forces my knee to bend and this puts further pressure on it causing further pain.

I understand what you mean about it hurting but at the end of the day in a fire would you really stand where you have been told if a fire is on your floor and refuse someone offering to use the chairs?

Could you look at getting a better model purchased with the requirements you need?

dori2o

Torry_Quine wrote: »

As I am unaware at the time the alarm sounds that it was a test I had to follow normal procedure and go to the stairwell and wait. I was informed it was a test by the 7th floor fire warden who was the last person into the stairwell after doing his checks. This is what I was told would happen in the e-mail if the alarm was a test.

This is obviously where the problem arose. To be honest when you got the e-mail you should have told them that you would be unable to walk down unaided and if there was no help available then you would stay in the fire-well. By walking down I think you may have diminished the liability of the company as you didn't question whether this was acheievable.

I don't believe this to be true. Considering it took me almost 40 minutes to get down the stairs, I was in a lot of pain, breathless and quite dizzy. The drill was over and people were returning to the building just as I arrived at the assembly point.

I made it clear to the employer when the email was sent that I thought this was a bad idea but was told I had no choice. I assumed they knew what they were doing. They are after all a government department.

There is a goods lift in one of the stairwells that I have asked about using before when I set up my Evacuation Plan, but I was told in no uncertain circumstances was I allowed to use it.

Doom_and_Gloom

I would love to know if they would have sent this e-mail to a wheelchair user or someone who uses a wheelchair for work! How would they expect a wheelchair user to get down stairs safely?
I think they were stupid to say you had to go down the stairs. If it had been me I would have stayed at the 7th floor at the stairs and refused on health grounds (I have to use crutches or wheelchair to get around and I certainly wouldn't be able to get down that many stairs!). Indeed if you still have the e-mail say you did as it told and it went against what you should do. What you should do in the event is go to the 7th floor stairwell and wait with a 'buddy' if they want to practice the rest then they need to hire an evacuation chair for the day or buy one for you (I believe this could be a reasonable mesure as you don't work on a ground floor) so you don't need to wait for the fire brigade! Say that as you did what they said to do they have effected your disablity.

dori2o

Googlewhacker wrote: »

I understand what you mean about it hurting but at the end of the day in a fire would you really stand where you have been told if a fire is on your floor and refuse someone offering to use the chairs?

Could you look at getting a better model purchased with the requirements you need?

With regards to the fire being on our floor, if the employer is to be believed the stairwell is good for 4 hours of safety in the event of a major fire.

Assuming the fire brigade arrived within their standard 7 minutes I would be carried down.

It's not the real evacuations I have a problem with. I personally don't see a reason why I have to evacuate at all during a drill.

I know where the exits are and what my evac plan is.

What benefit has been made to the employer by having me evacuate today?

getmore4less

having been told it was now a test, don't you just follow the normal test process from that point. presumably getting a lift(elevator).

Whatever the current procedures dont work so need fixing.

Googlewhacker

dori2o wrote: »

I don't believe this to be true. Considering it took me almost 40 minutes to get down the stairs, I was in a lot of pain, breathless and quite dizzy. The drill was over and people were returning to the building just as I arrived at the assembly point.

I made it clear to the employer when the email was sent that I thought this was a bad idea but was told I had no choice. I assumed they knew what they were doing. They are after all a government department.

There is a goods lift in one of the stairwells that I have asked about using before when I set up my Evacuation Plan, but I was told in no uncertain circumstances was I allowed to use it.

Thats totally understandable because frankly via the stairs you are guaranteed to get down, in a lift it could stop and then you are screwed?

Torry_Quine

dori2o wrote: »

I don't believe this to be true. Considering it took me almost 40 minutes to get down the stairs, I was in a lot of pain, breathless and quite dizzy. The drill was over and people were returning to the building just as I arrived at the assembly point.

I made it clear to the employer when the email was sent that I thought this was a bad idea but was told I had no choice. I assumed they knew what they were doing. They are after all a government department.

There is a goods lift in one of the stairwells that I have asked about using before when I set up my Evacuation Plan, but I was told in no uncertain circumstances was I allowed to use it.

You say you assumed they knew what they were doing but only you know how you would be affected by walking down all the stairs. Yes you were in pain and breathless but you did it albeit very slowly. The goods lift would not be used in a fire either.

I hope that you don't think I'm unduly harsh but I just can't understand why you woud go against what you know yourself.

Googlewhacker

dori2o wrote: »

With regards to the fire being on our floor, if the employer is to be believed the stairwell is good for 4 hours of safety in the event of a major fire.

Assuming the fire brigade arrived within their standard 7 minutes I would be carried down.

It's not the real evacuations I have a problem with. I personally don't see a reason why I have to evacuate at all during a drill.

I know where the exits are and what my evac plan is.

What benefit has been made to the employer by having me evacuate today?

Don't get me wrong I am quite within agreement with you...

dori2o

Doom_and_Gloom wrote: »

I would love to know if they would have sent this e-mail to a wheelchair user or someone who uses a wheelchair for work! How would they expect a wheelchair user to get down stairs safely?
I think they were stupid to say you had to go down the stairs. If it had been me I would have stayed at the 7th floor at the stairs and refused on health grounds (I have to use crutches or wheelchair to get around and I certainly wouldn't be able to get down that many stairs!). Indeed if you still have the e-mail say you did as it told and it went against what you should do. What you should do in the event is go to the 7th floor stairwell and wait with a 'buddy' if they want to practice the rest the need to hire an evacuation chair for the day or buy one for you (I believe this could be a reasonable mesure as you don't work on a ground floor) so you don't need to wait for the fire brigade! Say that as you did what they said to do they have effected your disablity.

I assume they did as it went to everyone who has an evac plan. (it was a group email)

I think I'm going to see the union tomorrow and see what their take is on it. Maybe see if I can speak to the person on the 2nd floor who uses a wheelchair.