Qustion please with regards fire drills ?

hilda1

My other half works during 1500hrs till 2300hrs during week days. He works in a 8th storey building, which, at the best of times, is only 33% full (i.e. most of the floors are empty).

He has worked there for over 9 months but has never had a fire drill, where they evacuate the building. Is this legal ? If not, who can he report this too ? For info, the company's focus is on productivity and not following due process; so if he can report them, he would like to do so. The company has very little focus on staff well-being. He and lots othe others are looking for other employment.

Please note that they do weekly fire alarm tests (i.e. Just sound the alarms). His shift comprises approximately 300 peoples from 1900hrs to 2300hrs. The building has approximately 500 people from 1500hrs to 1900hrs, when other areas are operating in the building.

Any advice would be welcome.

Cooper18

Each area should have a fire evacuation plan I think, so he should read that. We rarely do drills as our alarm is triggered by accident at least once a year! But we have a nominated person who oversees the plans and equipment (fire doors, extinguishers etc). I'm sure someone more helpful will be along soon!

AP007

I am sure its no less that 1 actual evacuations per year and tests 4 a year

scooby088

Fire alarm drills where everyone evacuates the building should be done at least twice a year, there is a system to follow you have to inform the monitoring company to take the alarm off the system. Testing of the alarm can be carried out weekly.

It also depends on how many employees need to be evacuated in case of a fire.

there may not have been a drill whilst your OH has been employed there but doesn't mean there hasn't been one.

If you are worried then the employer needs to be informed or the hse needs tobe informed.

AP007

scooby088 wrote: »

Fire alarm drills where everyone evacuates the building should be done at least twice a year, there is a system to follow you have to inform the monitoring company to take the alarm off the system. Testing of the alarm can be carried out weekly.

It also depends on how many employees need to be evacuated in case of a fire.

there may not have been a drill whilst your OH has been employed there but doesn't mean there hasn't been one.

If you are worried then the employer needs to be informed or the hse needs tobe informed.

If it is at least 2 a year and they have not had one in 9 mths I am guessing they aren't going to do 2 in 3 months

cr1mson

How does he know one has not been carried out when he was not working?

paddyrg

Ask at the local fire station, someone should be able to advise from there I'm sure ;-)

AP007

cr1mson wrote: »

How does he know one has not been carried out when he was not working?

surely the aim of a drill should cover all staff who work there or you may as well have a drill when no one is there.

cr1mson

AP007 wrote: »

surely the aim of a drill should cover all staff who work there or you may as well have a drill when no one is there.

Yes so if there were 2 drills a year you would expect them to be at different times to try and cover that rather than making sure each drill covers everyone.

For instance at my work we have two a year one in the morning and one in the afternoon so for those who only work mornings or afternoons they would only have one. No idea what the regulations are and whether you are actually allowed to have drills at same time of day each time.

ohreally

New staff require to be trained when they start work for an employer - linked with induction. Existing staff should be informed of any new risks which have been identified.

Employers should carry out at least 1 fire drill per year and record the results. These results should be kept as part of the fire safety and evacuation plan document.

Training should be completed during the course of an individuals normal working pattern.

AP007

ohreally wrote: »

New staff require to be trained when they start work for an employer - linked with induction. Existing staff should be informed of any new risks which have been identified.

Employers should carry out at least 1 fire drill per year and record the results. These results should be kept as part of the fire safety and evacuation plan document.

Training should be completed during the course of an individuals normal working pattern.

There are some temps who do not get that training as they do not work for the employer, but the agency and get forgotten about.

I remember when I worked for an agency (at my last job when I was a temp before I went perm) I was asked to sign that I had taken part in the evacuation of the office and I understood the fire drill - I wrote on the sheet I had never been told about the fire drill etc - 5 months after I started there.

I then got the walk round to be shown where the extinguishers were etc.