Evacuation Drill Monitoring
and Evaluation Report
DHCC – HSE
09/04/2015
Following the evacuation drill conducted by Dubai Healthcare City’s HSE
(Health, Safety and Environment) department at Dubai Healthcare City buildings IBN
SHINA, AL ZAHRAWI, MBR-AMC (Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Center) and AL
RAZI from March 18, 2015 to April 8, 2015, a number of observations and
recommendations were made. This report highlights these aspects with next steps.
The Dubai Healthcare City management is committed to achieving the highest standards of
health and safety in the DHCC community.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 2
INTRODUCTION: ............................................................................................................................................ 3
DEFINITION ................................................................................................................................................... 3
OBJECTIVE OF EVACUATION DRILL ............................................................................................................... 3
PRINCIPLE ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
LESSONS LEARNED: ....................................................................................................................................... 4
COMMENTS BY CIVIL DEFENSE: .................................................................................................................... 4
ACTION PLAN ................................................................................................................................................ 5
PICTURES ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
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INTRODUCTION:
The Evacuation Drills scheduled for all DHCC-managed buildings from March 18, 2015 and April 08, 2015 are based
on availability of Dubai Civil Defense (DCD), and reflects the DHCC management’s efforts to ensure the safety of
building occupants, to test occupants’ emergency response and effectiveness, and to test the operability of the
Building Fire Protection System and Access Control Systems installed in each building.
The table below provides details of the evacuation drill schedule and total evacuation time:
Building Name /
number
Drill Conducted on
Fire point simulated
Total Evacuation time
IBN SINA 27
MARCH 18
09:30AM
22 Minutes
MBR AMC 14
MARCH 30
09:36AM
22 Minutes
AL ZAHRAWI 34
MARCH 25
09:36AM
22 Minutes
AL RAZI 64
APRIL 08
09:32AM
25 Minutes
At the end of each drill, a post-exercise evaluation (debrief) session was organized with civil defense personnel,
technical observers, incident commander, security in charge and Facility Management and HSE teams to share
findings and identify areas of improvement.
DEFINITIONS
Evacuation Drill: Exercise in the use of firefighting equipment or the evacuation of a building or workplace in case
of a fire or other emergency.
OBJECTIVE OF EVACUATION DRILL
An evacuation drill exercise will be conducted periodically to ensure the DHCC staff, business partners (BPs),
service providers, contractors and visitors are aware of the way to proceed in case of an emergency.
The drill ensures that all personnel, including contractors, service providers, business partners, visitors and DHCC
employees working in DHCC-managed buildings, know:
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The sound of the fire alarm
The routes for emergency egress
The location of assembly points and procedure for permission to re-enter the building
A secondary but valuable benefit of a planned emergency drill is that it provides an opportunity to identify defects
such as inaudible or non-operational bells/ alarms, lift deactivation, jammed doors/access barriers or any other
observations related to the effectiveness of the drill procedure
PRINCIPLE
Credible incident scenarios being practiced such as rescue of a trapped person and/or injured victim, firefighting at
simulated fire zone to ensure the personnel are adequately prepared to respond when an emergency occurs. By
periodic exercise, BPs and visitors would be aware of the proper way to evacuate the workplace in case of an
emergency.
LESSON LEARNED:
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Most of the fire wardens are not trained as they weren’t able to complete the head count within the
specified time frame.
Non-functioning elevator doors: rear elevator door kept closed at Al Zahrawi and C-D block; #01
elevator’s door found kept closed at Al Razi Building.
Emergency Escape route plans are not posted at Al Razi Building.
Sliding doors of basement and fire exit doors are not integrated with fire panels in few buildings.
Incident commander has declared “All Clear” without confirming the safe access such as fire hoses left by civil defense personnel, posing trip hazards.
Fire marshals at assembly points did not collect the headcount formats from respective fire wardens
during the search for acknowledgement signature.
Two employees were inside the toilet and pantry respectively; they did not respond to emergency
call and the security team evacuated them from the building (IBN SINA).
The fireman operation of the elevator wasn’t tested as lift technicians are not prepared with their
own technical checklist to verify the fail safe system.
Some evacuees did not report to the assembly area as they were standing away from the assembly
points and one person in MBR-AMC was in the vehicle in the basement car park area.
The barrier at Al Zahrawi building’s basement car park wasn’t integrated with fire panel. The main
revolving door was revolving fast at MBR-AMC; further it could not be established whether it is
connected to the fire alarm system.
Most of fire wardens were not wearing reflective jackets.
The two minutes delay from DCD side to reach the location though they reached nearby building
(#34&64).
One of our staff re-entered the building before “All clear” signal and Desert Car wash personnel
were not evacuated.
Traffic diversion was not manned by the security team.
Few of the building alarm sounders were not functional (AL Zahrawi –outdoor and Al Razi- 2nd floor
alarm).
Pavers are uneven, and could potentially lead to hazards like trips and falls while reaching the
Assembly Point (IBN SINA) and level differences at the exit point of the staircase door on the ground
and first floor (Al Zahrawi).
Incident commander did not take notes as per incident commander’s checklist (MP09 – F01 /
management procedure).
Non availability of traffic cone, flash light and caution tape for traffic diversions and evacuation chair
to evacuate the disabled in the building.
The first aid boxes are not replenished as per Dubai Municipality guidelines.
Civil Defense Officials Comments:
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Assembly Point found with the building premises (IBN SINA and Al Zahrawi).
The emergency vehicles parked in front of the building entrance is a threat to the civil
defense/ambulance team; further the floor will not bear the load of fire tender as it above the
basement (IBN SINA).
Page 4 of 13
ACTION PLAN
SI
Action Required
01
All doors are to be integrated with fire
panels
Fire warden for EMCO and Desert Car
Wash Team
Ancillary assembly point to be
established in the CAR park
Identify the place for ambulance and
fire tender
Replacing tipping interlocks and leveling
out pavers
02
03
04
05
06
Assembly Points (APs) to be evenly
distributed to enable swift count and
identify trapped persons inside the
building as quickly as possible
Action by
Action Target in
2015
IBN SINA
Closeout
Dates
FM & HSE Team
FM & HSE Team
March 26
Area identified; communication to be
sent
Will be identified during next drill
Q3
Q2
Q3
FM & HSE Team
Comments
Access doors deactivated
Q2
Q2
R.A.G.
Status
July 30
Will be communicated before next drill
Q3
AL ZHARAWI
01
All staircase doors and sliding doors are
to be integrated with fire panels
02
Ancillary assembly point to be
established in the CAR park
Level difference at exit point of staircase
door at ground and first floors to be
leveled.(major civil work)
Post more internal escape route maps
(at least 6) on each floor at prominent
locations
Damaged Manual Call Point (MCP) at
L1/STR3 (staircase) and GL (ground
level) near security desk to be replaced
Exit door opens in reverse direction at
GL/STR4 (ground level / staircase); need
to be rectified (emergency doors must
03
04
05
06
Q2
FM & HSE Team
Q4
FM Team
Q4
All BPs
Access doors deactivated
Will be communicated prior to next drill
Will be rectified during refurbishment
project
Will be communicated prior to next drill
Q4
Q2
FM Team
Q4
Will be rectified during refurbishment
project
open in the direction of escape)
07
Roof top exit door will be fixed with
panic bar at STR3 (staircase)
08
Smoking zone to be relocated as it falls
within 10ft to LPG cylinder which is
being used by Dental Lab
FM Team
Will be rectified during refurbishment
project
Q4
April 21
Q3
MBR AMC
01
02
03
Emergency exit sign in front of Dubai
Healthcare City Authority (DHCA) office
to be rearranged as it must indicate
nearest exit routes (2nd floor, Right
Wing)
Directional sign (towards Left wing side
assembly point) to be installed at front
side of the building
Use of rear doors as emergency exit
04
Access stair from 2nd floor left wing to
library 1st floor left wing
01
02
Escape and Rescue Plan to be displayed
All basement sliding doors are to be
integrated with fire panels
2nd floor alarm sounder to be repaired
Cause of C-D block; #01 elevator door
malfunction to be investigated and
rectified
03
04
FM Team
Ongoing
Q3
FM Team
Q3
HSE team /fire
marshal
Will be used while evacuation
depending upon the crowd.
Fire warden for Library to decide and
direct during emergency situation
Q3
Q3
FM Team
FM Team
AL RAZI
Q3
Ongoing
Ongoing
Q3
Q2
May 20
April 8
Q2
GENERAL
01
02
03
Prepare exclusive procedure for
Emergency Response Drill Exercise
Training for fire marshal, incident
commander and fire warden through
approved training providers
Ensure availability of traffic cones
HSE Team
HSE Team
Q3
Ongoing
Q3
HSE Team
Procedure being revised
Q3
Page 6 of 13
04
05
06
07
08
(2sets), flash lights (2 numbers) and
caution tape – 1 roll) for traffic
diversions
Security team to assist with traffic
control during evacuation process
Re-circulate the role of occupier in case
of emergency to read and understand
their responsibilities
Evacuation chairs to be placed at each
floor (at least one) in order to evacuate
people with disabilities, who may
require assistance during an evacuation
Replenish first aid boxes
Include gas leak/explosion in the list of
potential emergency situations
Security team
HSE
Team/Customer
communication
HSE Team
Instructed and verified for next drill
Q-2
Will be communicated prior to the next
drill
Q4
Approached equipment supplier for
design and cost
Q3
Q2
HSE Team
Q3
Page 7 of 13
May 4
Procedure being revised
PICTURES
IBN SINA
AL ZAHRAWI
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MBR AMC
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AL RAZI
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