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Posted By MICHELLE BROWN
Is there a law to say fire drills have to be done? My Manager doesn't want one doing as we may lose sales by being out of the office.
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Posted By John Webster Michelle Try accessing http://www.official-docu.../document/fire/index.htmwhere you can view a copy of; Fire Safety - An Employers guide This will guide you through the practical requirements of the various regulations. Unless it is a requirement of your fire certificate, then you do not HAVE to do fire drills. However, it is necessary to have an appropriate emergency plan and to ensure that every body knows and understands it and that you are able to demonstrate that it will be effective. How can any employer do that without ever conducting a fire drill? Looks like you are up against a profits before people attitude. If its telephone sales, I'm sure most people won't notice you are on a drill if they are "still held in a queue" Talk to your local fire brigade. They enforce the rules. hope this helps John
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Posted By fred tubb
I agree entirely with john w, your bosses Acop for fire safety had better be submitted and workable. As a person that has seen the aftermath of incidents at work, one or two drills a year surely is insignificant to sales in total.
As John says have a quite word with your local Fire Service, Safety Department in confidence.
A safety sign should be permenantly hung over
managements desk (just a joke), its the famous words of Karl R, Popper.
Even the greatest improbability always remains a probability, however small, and that consequently even the most improbable processes - that is those which we propose to neglect - Will someday happen.
Fred Tubb MSc, GIFireE, CFPA(Eur), MIOSH.
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Posted By Mike Charleston
Hi Michelle
The answer is very easy - run Fire Drills but do not include everyone in the same one. In any drill there should be some consideration given to those who should not have to respond (and this will not contravene any requirements from any source).
Just as with different departments or other forms of discrete entity within an organisation, it should be possible to run drills and leave people in place to deal with ongoing "business" at the same time.
After all, it would be no good if the MOD or any emergency service were to withdraw all normal services whilst conducting a drill or exercise!
Mike
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Posted By Frank Neville Johnson
Michelle
As a seasoned fire safety inspector with a local authority fire service this is the sort of management response that gives me concern.
However, the relevant law is the 'Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1999 and (if your building has a fire certificate) the Fire Precautions Act 1971 as amended. Your Fire Certificate is likely to specify a legal requirement for training employees in fire procedures and also a requirement for periodic evacuation drills.
The enforcement parts of the FP(W)Regs, refer to contravention's of 'The Workplace Fire Precautions Legislation' This is defined as a compilation of the FP(W)Regs Part II and much of the MHSAW Regs. The critical parts relevant to your problem are MHSW reg 3, 'Risk Assessment' and MHSW reg 7 'Procedures for Serious and Imminent Danger'. Now the implication is, 'how are you going to know if your plan will work if you do not practice it'? If you choose not to practice you will need to convince your employees, your customers, an inspecting officer or a court that it will work during an emergency.
Mike's idea to only include a few employees may not find favour with the local fire brigade as this may encourage people to think the fire alarm doesn't apply to them. I could write a book about the number of fires I have attended where the fire alarm has been ignored. A compromise may be to hold fire drills when the store is effectively closed to the public perhaps during stock taking, but your local fire brigade may have their own view on this. As Fred says, I think you should check with them.
Best of luck.
Frank
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