EMERGENCY PROCEDURES - FIRE
If you discover a fire:1, operate the nearest fire alarm call point.
2, If safe to do so, contact security from any internal phone by dialling 222 or 2222 if phoning from
residences (0121 359 2922) from a mobile / outside line.
3, Only fight the fire if trained to do so (the University strongly discourages fighting fire even if trained
to do so)
4, Evacuate IMMEDIATELY using the nearest available fire exit.
5, Report to the fire assembly point.
On hearing the fire Alarm:
1, Evacuate IMMEDIATELY using the nearest available fire exit.
2, Report to the fire assembly point.
The Fire Assembly points are as follows:
Aston Business School building must go to Car Park Number 3 (Car Park by glass bridge /Students
Guild).
Please Note:
The Main building has a “two stage” fire alarm system.
An intermittent single tone alarm (stage One) signals that an incident has occurred somewhere in the
building. There is no immediate threat to your life but you must prepare to evacuate. Stop all works
immediately. Store any hazardous materials safely. Switch off all power tools. Finally await the
second stage evacuation alarm to sound described below.
A continuous two tone alarm (stage two) signals that you must evacuate the building immediately.
All other buildings utilise standard fire alarm systems either bells or sirens
During an Emergency:DO NOT STOP TO COLLECT BELONGINGS
DO NOT USE LIFTS
DO NOT RE-ENTER THE BUILDING UNTIL AUTHORISED TO DO SO
For any emergency where Police, Fire or Ambulance are required
Please Dial 222 or 2222 from residences (0121 359 2922) from a mobile / outside line. DO NOT dial
999
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES - FIRE
Aston University.
EMERGENCY INSTRUCTION.
Fire Procedures – Explanatory notes.
1. The fire emergency procedures overleaf are intended for general display. The notes below
are intended to amplify this notice for the instruction of all staff and students.
2. The notice first indicates the action to be taken on discovering a fire.
‘Operate the nearest fire alarm call point’
This alerts the security control room, at the south entrance to the Main
building. The alarm in the security control room automatically identifies the
building from which the fire alarm has been activated, and for some buildings
on campus will indicate the floor and room number.
The security office has instructions to investigate all alarms received. If the
alarm comes from the Main building North or South wings, the intermittent
fire alarm sounders will be activated, either automatically or by the security
staff. For other buildings the continuous alarm will be activated automatically
by breaking of the break glass or activation of an automatic fire detector.
‘Ringing extension 222 (2222 in residences) giving location of fire, and
name of person reporting and also any other relevant information’
This enables the security office to instruct the Fire Brigade where to enter
the campus and starts the process of assessing the magnitude of the
emergency. Any internal telephone may be used.
‘If safe to do so tackle the fire with the fire fighting equipment provided’
Fire extinguishers are provided to protect the escape route of persons evacuating.
You should only fight fire if specifically trained by the University to do so.
Even if suitably trained members of staff are strongly discouraged from
fighting fire no matter how small.
3. The procedures mention the two stage fire alarm system in the Main building,
If the fire alarm sounders are activated continuously; the building is to be evacuated. The
remainder of this paper is concerned with evacuation and the procedures to be followed. In
particular, it deals with the problems of checking that the evacuation has been completed, of
ensuring that equipment is safe and that sensitive material, such as cash drugs and
hazardous materials are secured.
The fundamental principle must be that departments, sections and other administrative
units should take responsibility for their own territory.
4. To secure complete coverage of the safety aspects of individual rooms within buildings, all
departmental areas will be covered by the departmental safety officer, or some other
nominated person. This officer in conjunction with the Head of Department or corresponding
senior officer should prepare a scheme for dealing with equipment and sensitive materials, as
noted in paragraph 3. Communal areas such as corridors, plant rooms, toilets etc. Will be
dealt with by the estates and buildings department. Consequently all areas within every
building can be regarded as being covered by the department representative or a member of
the estates staff.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES - FIRE
5. ‘Occupied rooms in normal working hours’
When the signal for evacuation is heard the senior person present in each classroom,
laboratory, etc. Should, if time permits and is safe to do so, see that windows are closed,
equipment is rendered safe, cupboards containing sensitive materials are locked and the
room evacuated. He / She should then leave themselves, closing and locking the door behind
them and they are in charge of a class of visitors, they must conduct them out of the building
and direct them to the assembly point.
6. ‘Assembly Areas’
These areas have been allocated to each building in accordance with the Executive safety
committee, Fire Brigade and the Police. In the event of an evacuation, all persons should
make their way to these ‘Assembly Areas’
(see schedule 1) This not only controls a large number of people but can be helpful in
checking that the evacuation is complete. Anyone knowing that a colleague has been in the
building that day and cannot find that person at the assembly point, should inform security
immediately and must not make any attempt to re-enter the building. In general staff,
students and visitors should remain at their assembly point until given further instructions by
security or the Fire Brigade. No attempt should be made to move private motor vehicles
unless instructed or authorised by the Fire Brigade. All staff should be aware of their
‘Assembly point’. It is the responsibility of departments to ensure that their own students and
visitors are made aware of their ‘assembly areas’.
7. Unoccupied rooms in normal working hours.
There is no simple means of telling in an emergency, which rooms are empty and which
rooms are still occupied by the uninformed or inattentive. It is therefore advisable to check all
rooms. For this purpose, when an evacuation is ordered, everyone should check the rooms in
their immediate vicinity.
In the Main building this will include the area between the nearest escape staircase Ie rooms
are checked as persons move towards the exits. It will be assumed that a locked door
indicates an empty room.
8. The check on complete evacuation, as described in paragraph 7, will not
deal effectively with the safety of equipment. This must be the responsibility
of the department concerned. If the equipment is in a room which is occupied
when the fire alarm is sounded, the point has already been covered
(see paragraph 5) The department has full responsibility for ensuring that
adequate instructions are displayed informing users of the room what steps
should be taken to render equipment safe.
This information is also essential for members of the emergency services who might enter a
room to take action when departmental members of staff are not available. It has to be
assumed, in emergency that if a room is locked the equipment within has been rendered safe.
The responsibility for securing
these conditions resets with the department concerned. In all cases, where
special conditions apply; these must be reported to security.
Sensitive materials must always be locked up when a room is left unoccupied
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES - FIRE
9. Procedures between 1800 hrs and 2200 hrs (Monday to Friday)
and between 0800 hrs and 1300 hrs on Saturday
During these periods it is likely that a number of rooms will be occupied by
staff, students and casual visitors etc. But the bulk of the staff will not be
present. Under such circumstances, the security staff will be pre-occupied
with other duties that they cannot reasonably be expected to provide a
complete check of all rooms. It is therefore the duty of all staff to ensure
that all persons for whom they have responsibilities are made aware of the
types of alarms, and the evacuation procedures.
10.
Procedure after 2200 hrs and at weekends after 1300 hrs Saturday and all day Sunday.
During weekends and after 2200 hrs Monday to Friday, staff and students must be authorised
in writing from their Head of Department, and they are also required to sign in with security
that they are in a University building. This enables security to be aware of the whereabouts of
persons in the event of an evacuation. It is also of great importance to the emergency
services.
11.
The above instructions relate to procedures in the event of a complete
evacuation and will in general apply to all University buildings.
Approved by the Executive safety committee
rd
Now the Executive committee for Health and Safety) 23 May 1974
rd
Minor revisions September 1985, January 1989, August 1997, and 3 May 2007
EST/DW/CVB
04/05/2007