UCL ESTATES
Fire Safety
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
PREMISES FIRE SAFETY HANDBOOK
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
University College London
29 - 39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX
Contents
1.
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 1
2.
General Building Description ......................................................................................................................... 2
3.
Means of Escape (MoE) ................................................................................................................................. 2
4.
Instruction to Building Occupants................................................................................................................. 3
5.
Specific Evacuation Instructions ................................................................................................................... 4
6.
Emergency Disabled Evacuation Provisions ............................................................................................... 5
7.
Centrally Timetabled Space - Disabled Access Provisions ....................................................................... 6
8.
Fire Alarm (specific Information) ................................................................................................................... 7
9.
Fire Extinguishers .............................................................................................................................................. 7
10. Other Information ............................................................................................................................................ 7
INTRODUCTION NOTES
This document provides information that you need to know in order to use your building safely whilst complying with UCL policy
and fire safety legislation. Each UCL building has been given a risk rating, and this dictates how often fire safety reviews take
place, as well as how often departmental staff and fire evacuation marshals should receive full fire safety training.
UCL Departments must ensure that:

all staff are adequately trained on induction;

this training is refreshed periodically (depending on the fire risk rating);

fire evacuation marshals (FEM) are appointed for each floor the building;

fire evacuation marshals are suitably trained, including refresher trained periodically (depending on the fire risk rating);

departmental areas and the risks contained therein are managed safely;

appropriate arrangements are in place to ensure the safe evacuation of disabled people;
Fire Safety Reviews - UCL Fire Safety Team will periodically carry out fire risk assessments and fire safety reviews. The period in
which these reviews will take place will be dictated by the determined risk of the building.
Every October - a fire drill will be carried out in most UCL buildings and following the drill, fire FEMs will receive a Toolbox Talk of
relevant information to report to their colleagues. A report will be published on line, and this process will act as an annual
training supplement to ensure that UCL people remain aware of the significant findings of our fire risk management process.
1.
Introduction
This short guide provides basic fire safety information to for occupants and
visitors to person Building.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Apr 16
EP: 1 of 9.
Issued by: Fire Safety Manager, Safety Services, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT / fire@ucl.ac.uk
Premises Fire Safety Handbook
Bldg Name: School of Pharmacy (131)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2.
General Building Description
The School of Pharmacy (SoP) and comprise a large, purpose built reaching
building originally opened in 1960, although parts of the building are
understood to date back to 1930 and remained unused (due to the war) until
the building was completed. In 2008, a large extension was completed and
more recently, a refurbished second floor teaching laboratory that became
operational in 2015.
The School provides a base for a number of teaching and research
departments, which are located throughout the building. Apart from research
and teaching normal laboratory facilities, two lecture theatres and addition to
ancillary teaching and office facilities.
The building is provided with numerous staircases for means of escape but the
principal stairs are as follows:
3.
Means of Escape (MoE)

Main Stair West (Stair A) - descends from fifth floor and ascend from the
basement to ground level and exits directly onto Brunswick Square;

Main Stair East (Stair B) - descends from fifth floor and ascend from the
basement to ground level and exits directly onto Brunswick Square;

External Rear Fire Escape - descends picking up various rooms and wings
including the new extension from fifth floor to first floor. The stairs route leads
onto Henrietta Mews at the rear of the School;

Two internal staircases (Stairs P & Q) descend from the sixth to the fifth floor;

Two internal staircases (Stairs D & E) provided vertical circulation between
the basement and first floor;

Escape from Ground Floor - the ground floor has a number of fire exits:
o Through west wing Stair A onto Brunswick Square;
o Through east wing Stair B onto Brunswick Square;
o Rear west wing corridor leading onto Huntley Street;
o Rear fire exist leading onto Henrietta Mews;

Escape from Basement Level
o West (Stair A) - escape is available up to ground and out into Brunswick
Square;
o East (Stair B) - escape is available up to ground and out into Brunswick
Square;
o Central Staircases (Stair D & E) - escape is available up to ground and
out into Brunswick Square via the main entrance;
o Sub-basement - escape is available out to the basement and via a
vertical caller and hatch leading into front light well and Brunswick
Square;
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Apr 16
EP: 2 of 7.
Issued by: Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT / fire@ucl.ac.uk
Premises Fire Safety Handbook
Bldg Name: School of Pharmacy (131)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4.
Instruction to Building Occupants
Building Fire Risk Rating:
Category 3 Risk.
Fire Risk Assessment in this building will be
undertaken every 2 years
Fire Risk Assessment:
(subject to building changes or alterations)
Fire Risk Assessment
Review:
Interim A (Annually) - Fire Safety Staff;
Department Fire Risk
Review (iaw TN077):
Departments - review annually & keep completed
copies locally for fire brigade inspection;
New Staff Induction - immediate on arrival carry out
full walk of building, escape routes & staff member to
complete ‘Basic Fire Safety’ eLearning on Moodle
Staff Training (TN086):
Refresher - full training as per induction to be
completed by all staff on periods determined in risk
rating time line above.
(Additional refresher training will be delivered by means of Toolbox
Talks. These will be given following fire risk assessments, reviews and
fire evacuation drills, at least annually to FEMs. This information will
then be cascaded to all staff by FEMs).
Relevant
Information
Minimum number of trained FEMs per floor in this
building is: TEN (10)
FEM Training (TN099):
New / Initial FEM training - completed through
eLearning on Moodle.
Refresher - the FEM refresher period is determined in
risk rating time line below.
(Additional refresher training will be delivered by means of Toolbox
Talks. These will be given following fire risk assessments, reviews and
fire evacuation drills, at least annually, to FEMs).
Fire Drill:
Scheduled annually for start of term (October)
Persons with Disabilities:
Department to provide PEEPs
arrangements (see details below)
Other Information:
None
and
specific
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Apr 16
EP: 3 of 7.
Issued by: Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT / fire@ucl.ac.uk
Premises Fire Safety Handbook
Bldg Name: School of Pharmacy (131)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5.
Specific Evacuation Instructions
Local fire
information:
Fire Action Notices (and in some premises, additional supplementary
instructions) located throughout the premises at fire points and within
residential sleeping accommodation rooms provide the local fire
Emergency Plan and you should be aware of their contents.
Action on
discovering a
fire:
On discovery or being made aware of a fire, immediately raise the
alarm to give warning throughout the building by operating the nearest
fire alarm manual call point (red).
On hearing
the fire alarm:
On hearing the fire alarm, leave the building immediately by the nearest
available fire exit (this may not necessarily be the way you entered the
building).
(1). This building is equipped with a single stage addressable fire alarm
system. Which when activated, emits a continuous warning throughout
the building.
The fire alarm
system:
Calling the
fire brigade:
Evacuation
procedure
and using lifts
during fire:
(2). Automatic Fire Detection (AFD) – smoke & heat detecting devices
are provided for early warning of fire to aid faster escape.
(3). Manual Call Points (MCPs) - means for raising the fire alarm in
addition to fire detection is by operating MCPs that may be found on
routes leading from the building (including corridors, landings, staircases
& final exits).
Dial Ext: '0' or (9)999 and report the fire (use the Building Reference
number to assist in identifying the premises or the address shown on the
UCL Fire Action Notices).
This building’s fire alarm system is monitored on a 24-hour basis who will
summon the Fire Brigade. However, you should always make an
Emergency Telephone call to raise the alarm.
On hearing the alarm or being directed by a Fire Evacuation Marshal
(FEM), occupants are to evacuate the building by the nearest available
escape stair, corridor or exit route to the Final Exit from the building. If
your escape route is blocked / obstructed by fire or smoke, you should
turn your back on the fire and follow the alternative route from the
building by following the green fire escape directional signage provided.
Lifts should not be used in the event of the fire alarm sounding.
Fire Assembly
Point:
Electronic
security door
release
mechanisms
see TN002
and TN004:
On leaving the building you should proceed to the Fire Assembly Point;
the location of the Fire Assembly Point(s) is indicated on the local Fire
Action Notices provided, which may also be supplemented with
additional information such as local escape route plans etc. Do not
obstruct the building entrances as this may hinder access to the fire
brigade crews & appliances. Beware of the road traffic and your and
others safety during the evacuation!
Where fitted doors forming part of the Means of Escape (MoE) may be
provided with Electromagnetic Security Locks (Gallagher):
(1). Generally, locks release on activation of the fire alarm system (but
there are some specialist exceptions to this requirement);
(2). Each door in direction of escape is provided with an independent
‘break glass’ emergency release device (green box) that may be
activated to release the door in an emergency.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Apr 16
EP: 4 of 7.
Issued by: Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT / fire@ucl.ac.uk
Premises Fire Safety Handbook
Bldg Name: School of Pharmacy (131)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6.
Emergency Disabled Evacuation Provisions
Mobility Impaired
Persons (MIP) or
Persons with
Disabilities:
Department’s local management arrangements and fire
evacuation strategy for MIP and disabled persons should not
rely solely on the Fire & Rescue Service, rescuing people
waiting in refuges but for the Department to have satisfactory
arrangements in place to assist persons from the building.
Personal Emergency
Evacuation Plan
(PEEP)
Managers should review & use the ‘Disable Information
Emergency Egress Assessment & personal Emergency
Evacuation Plan (PEEP)’ available from
www.ucl.ac.uk/fire/documents under ‘Disabled’
Disabled
Facilities:
Refuge
(Generally, only provided
on individual Risk
Assessment or as part of a
PEEP initiated by the
Department):
Relevant
Information
Some UCL buildings have refuge areas, which are surrounded
by fire-resisting construction. These are to be considered as
temporary waiting areas only. Disabled people should never
be left in the building, as departments must always have
sufficient procedures in place to evacuate all relevant
persons. The refuge may be used as a safe place for a less
ambulant person to wait for everyone else to leave, before
making their way down the stairs (with assistance if
necessary) at their own pace.
Disabled Refuge
Communications
Facilities:
(1). Local coms by phone or talk box with local instructions
and numbers to call;
(Communication
facilities
for disabled refuges have BT
big button telephone or
system complying BS5839-9):
020 7679 3333 (Ext: 33333)
Disabled Evacuation
Lift:
Deaf Persons Fire
Alarm Alerting
Facilities (change to
alerting facilities for
hearing impaired
people):
(2). Mobile Users should call the UCL Security Control Room
(available 24/7) who can arrange help and assistance on:
Alternative Number (24/7) - 020 7387 5256;
UCL Security Ops (24/7) - 020 7679 2108 (Ext: 32108);
None
Deaf Messaging System (DMS) (see UCL Fire Safety Tech Note TN
007) - a DMS is provided and connected to the fire alarm
system to send out a text message upon fire alarm activation
to those who have opted into the service. Blue information
stickers at the entrance to the building provide the text
information and instructions;
DMS Ref text
NONE
The building has fire safe lobbies to Stair A & B - which will
provide time for arrangements to be made for others to assist.
General Emergency
Evacuation Plan
(GEEP):
The person you are visiting will take you to the refuge, which is
within the evacuation stairway at each level of the building
and ensure that FEM s or others are informed that a refuges is
being used.
If you are able, make you own way down the stairs in your
own time, once all other occupants have passed you.
Other Information:
Evacuation chairs are available on Stair A & B landings
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Apr 16
EP: 5 of 7.
Issued by: Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT / fire@ucl.ac.uk
Premises Fire Safety Handbook
Bldg Name: School of Pharmacy (131)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7.
Centrally Timetabled Space - Disabled Access Provisions
Centrally Timetabled Lecture Theatres & Seminar Rooms - Disable
(Wheelchair) Emergency Egress Facilities / Arrangements
Lecture Theatre /
Seminar Room
Locations
Accessible
/ Egress
TBN
TBN
TBN
TBN
TBN
TBN
TBN
TBN
TBN
TBN
Evacuation Arrangements
(None1 / Limited2 / Accessible3)
1
None - no disabled access or egress available;
2
Limited - Emergency egress requires management & other assistance, should be planned & written up on PEEP;
3
Accessible - Access and egress available without general assistance as generally facility where practical to self-escape;
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Apr 16
EP: 6 of 7.
Issued by: Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT / fire@ucl.ac.uk
Premises Fire Safety Handbook
Bldg Name: School of Pharmacy (131)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8.
9.
Fire Alarm (specific Information)

Call points - fire alarm ‘manual call points’ are found in routes leading from
the building (including corridors, landings, staircases & final exits), to raise
the alarm manually;

Sounders - fire alarm sounders are formed a two tone sounder;

Weekly testing of the fire alarm - see www.ucl.ac.uk/fire/documents TN062;

Lifts, ground on activation of the fire alarm.
Fire Extinguishers

Extinguishers;
o Multipurpose 6 litre WATER MIST fire extinguishers are provided at the SoP
with one extinguisher provided by each fire alarm call point and fire;
o Monnex and Lithium (L2) specialist Dry Powder extinguishers have been
provided at high risk locations;

Fire Blankets - are provided in kitchens and tea points;

See www.ucl.ac.uk/fire/documents TN028, TN030 & TN035;
10. Other Information
(a).
Location and Provision of Lockers (Circulation Areas) - stairs and some
corridors are to remain free of any storage including lockers;

(b).
See www.ucl.ac.uk/fire/documents TN070;
Kitchens and Tea Points:

Management of unwanted alarms and fire risks - please see TN105A
on the definition of kitchens and tea points and what is permitted
within them;

See www.ucl.ac.uk/fire/documents TN105a;
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Apr 16
EP: 7 of 7.
Issued by: Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT / fire@ucl.ac.uk
Fire
Action
School of Pharmacy
29 - 39 Brunswick Square
On discovering a fire - operate the nearest
fire alarm call point. Dial Ext '0' or (9)999
& call the Fire Brigade - your address is:
SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
29 - 39 Brunswick Square
London, WC1N 1AX
Only attempt to fight the fire, if it is safe
and practical to do so - using the most
appropriate fire extinguisher for the type of
fire you intend to tackle.
Do not use WATER on ELECTRICAL or
FLAMMABLE LIQUID fires.
On hearing the fire alarm - leave the building
by the nearest AVAILABLE FIRE EXIT.
• CLOSE - all doors and windows as you leave.
• Do NOT - stop to collect belongings.
• Do NOT - use the lift.
• Do NOT - re enter the building until instructed to do so
by the Senior Fire Officer present.
When clear of the building - proceed to your
designated FIRE ASSEMBLY POINT at:
Brunswick Square Gardens
Henrietta Mews
(Beware of traffic when crossing the road)
Issued by: the Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT.
UCL Fire Technical Note – TN027A
Fire Safety
Technical Guide
WATER MIST FIRE EXTINGUISHER (6 LITRE)
USER GUIDE
A new type of multipurpose fire extinguisher (Jewell Saffire Ltd E Series) is being
supplies in certain UCL premises located in common areas
Water MIST Fire Extinguisher (6 Litre Size)
Colour
Water Mist
6 Litre Size
Classes of
Fires
Details
Safe to use on Class A fires - this includes wood, textiles,
curtains, furniture & plastics paper and general materials (this
unit has a 13A rating).
Safe to use on Class B fires - the includes flammable liquids
such as petrol, oils, lubricants, paints & waxes in quantities up
to 21 litres in size (this unit has a 21B rating).
Water
Mist
Safe to use on Class F fires - this includes small domestic size
containers of high temperature (360°C+) cooking oils used in
food frying (this unit has a 75F rating).
Safe to use on Live Electrical Fires - always try to isolate the
electrical supply before use. This extinguisher can be used on
live electrical equipment but do not touch the electrical
equipment with the extinguisher (this unit has a 35Kv rating).
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE:
1. Before using and operating this type of fire extinguisher, read instructions
carefully.
2. Ensure that you are positioned between the fire and a safe exit or escape
route.
3. Pull out safety pin firmly (this will be held in by an anti-tamper seal device).
4. Apply the water mist applicator in circular movements over the fire area
keeping out of the smoke and steam produced. Do not touch the electrical
equipment with the extinguisher.
5. If the fire is not extinguished on completion of the extinguisher's contents,
then immediately leave the building by a safe exit closing all doors behind
you ensure alarm has been raised. Call the fire brigade.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Date Last Amended: Nov 15
1.
Issued by the - Fire Safety Manager, UCL Estates, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT - This guide is to be regarded as a general statement of
UCL local requirements, information or guidance only & supplements relevant British Standards or Manufacturers Instructions etc.