Disciplinary hearing

SORN

I am facing a disciplinary hearing for falling to evacuate  the building while fire alarm was on. During the investigation meeting I was told that this is a gross misconduct which can lead to being dismissed.

The fire alarm keeps going on and off in my company quite often, that day was 2nd time in less then half an hour, and when we go to the fire assembly point there is always someone missing. I was not aware of the gross misconduct. The company has almost 100 employees and we never had any fire training, as well as no handbook was never given to me.

Can the company really dismiss me?

Thank you in advance for your support

74jax

Are you a fire warden? If so, then I would insist on fire training, it's absolutely shocking if they don't agree and I'd step down as a fire warden immediately.

If not, then what training do you mean? No one should tackle a fire. You have regular fire alarm drills, and have said you know where the assembly point is, I'm not sure what else you need training on? 

I worked for TWFRS for a short time, I can't imagine what a fire fighter would say on having to risk their life to get someone out of the building because a drill had just been carried out half an hour prior so they didn't bother evacuating......

Putting someone's life at risk to me seems a very good reason for dismissal. 

Dakta

Foregoing the legal aspect the consequence of you not responding to a fire alarm would force someone to have to investigate your absence, which may lead to an attempted rescue and compromised safety for others. This could compromise the whole safety of the company, and given someone deliberately not evacuating puts the company in a bit of a position where it cant be guarentee your safety and it c for others because of your inaction. Given firms have to abide by rules and safety comes above all
gross misconduct would not surprise me at all.

I'm sure anyone inspecting the firm (insurers, regulators etc) would not be particularly chuffed about a culture of not heeding fire alarms also.

Where I work which is pretty corporate we had a quick induction around the building when we started, no books or manuals. Just a regular test of the alarm (not a full drill). They might do a shock drill now and then but its as rare as.  But thats all it needed you dont need documentation

If it's a job you want, and the business takes safety seriously to any degree my advice would be to change tack to contrition fast.

Jillanddy

SORN said:

I am facing a disciplinary hearing for falling to evacuate  the building while fire alarm was on. During the investigation meeting I was told that this is a gross misconduct which can lead to being dismissed.

The fire alarm keeps going on and off in my company quite often, that day was 2nd time in less then half an hour, and when we go to the fire assembly point there is always someone missing. I was not aware of the gross misconduct. The company has almost 100 employees and we never had any fire training, as well as no handbook was never given to me.

Can the company really dismiss me?

Thank you in advance for your support

I can't say you have "my support" - what you did was reckless and could have put others in danger. You don't need fire training to know that when the fir alarm goes off then you evacuate the building - and you not only knew that fact, but you must also have seen everyone else leaving. Yes they can really dismiss you. Grovelling would not be inappropriate.

SORN

There seem to be always someone missing, when we are at assembly point and I have never heard anyone being dismissed for that, and every company I worked for I always had fire training, I think I lost my job 100% Thank you all for the support

Dakta

I nearly picked up on that you mentioned other people may be doing something similar, but it's an awkward point.

If anyone else is doing it, they could be in hot water too. They could.

If it's that you have been singled out for any reason, it may seem unfair and even be part of something else but unless you didn't actually do this they can easily just say 'well were paying attention to whos doing this now as we have just became aware of it'.

Because you did what they are accusing of, they have the ammunition and the grounds. That said I would (strictly opinion here) consider it a matter that could be rectified with stern words unless there was more to it. But this is in their hands, so if the jobs worth saying as I said above contrition will give best chances. I can't see how you could fire back because it's just you or because you've not been given training etc.

redped

SORN said:

The company has almost 100 employees and we never had any fire training, as well as no handbook was never given to me.

Can the company really dismiss me?

Thank you in advance for your support

Maybe I'm missing the obvious, but at what point would you decide to leave the building if the fire alarm went off?  When you saw flames?  When you smelt smoke?

What sort of training do you think you should have been given - what to do when the fire alarm goes off?  Do you expect them to train you on other obvious things, like how to open a door, or how to use a light switch?

The thought of someone potentially having to risk their life to see if a missing person is genuinely injured, or just couldn't be bothered to move from their desk, seems really selfish to me.

Sorry, no support from me.

Dakta

In all fairness by sounds of it it had gone off a few times, I know it's not a defence and it isn't but we are all human.

Key thing is how to deal with the situation - I would try and show understanding of why the action wasn't the best to take, try and look from their angle and work with them. It might help it might not but it won't add to the harm.

Undervalued

SORN said:

There seem to be always someone missing, when we are at assembly point and I have never heard anyone being dismissed for that, and every company I worked for I always had fire training, I think I lost my job 100% Thank you all for the support

That is a bit like saying "because some people commit crimes I can too"!

Like others that have responded, I think your best option is to apologise profusely.

The fact that "there is always someone missing" is not a valid defence. Yes training should have been provided, however it is so obvious that hearing a fire alarm means you should evacuate the building I wouldn't rely on that as a defence.

GingerTim

I'm a fire warden at my place if work, and before lockdown we had a fire alarm fault and it went off about ten times in a week. Full evacuation each time, apart from one person who refused to leave - absolutely infuriating that they would potentially put someone at risk.

Not only were they chewed out for their stupidity ny the attending fire brigade officer in front of a couple of hundred people, but they are also on a final warning.

In short, your action was incredibly foolish and you should be as contrite as possible.

Jillanddy

SORN said:

There seem to be always someone missing, when we are at assembly point and I have never heard anyone being dismissed for that, and every company I worked for I always had fire training, I think I lost my job 100% Thank you all for the support

I am 64 and  I have never had fire training. It is covered by "when the alarm goes off leave the building and go to the collection point". You knew exactly that - you have done it on occasions before because you said that you have! What other people do is irrelevant, and what you may or may not have heard about them is also irrelevant. Trying to be clever and argue with them about the the employers perceived failings will certainly get you dismissed. The person in the wrong here is 100% you.