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Posted By Ian stevenson
Our office had a fire drill last night; it was raining heavily and most staff wear only cotton shirts. A fire drill is an exercise to test the efficiency of evacuating the building and making sure staff are aware of correct procedures. Is it better to advise the staff at the begining of the shift of the impending drill or let them get soaked and spend the remainder of the shift in discomfort.
Ian
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Posted By Steve Layzell
Ian,
Sadly, for precisely this reason, fire precautions all too often end at the point of evacuation. Idealy, they should continue with the welfare of the staff post-evacuation. Considering that in the event of a real fire, the staff could be exposed to far more uncomfortable and adverse weather conditions, it ideally should include evacuation to a place of shelter where refreshments and contact with the outside world could continue whilst at the same time allowing the emergency services to go about thier duties. In reality, this could continue for hours.
Our company has made provision for evacuation to a neibouring business, and they, likewise evacuate to our premises.
Steve Layzell
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Posted By Stuart Nagle
Ian.
Sadly it seems that the person employed who organised the drill has a thing about getting people wet!! They are not an ex fireperson are they.....
I would assume that most persons doing this would be hung from the yard-arm by their colleagues for doing it in inclement weather, there's simply no need really.
I do not agree that fire drills should be advertised in advance. If staff have received the training they are required to have and follow the requirements, there is no need to 'prime' them before carrying fire drills out.
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Posted By Gavin Gibson
Keep it simple but effective - do not tell staff before hand and do not carry out evacuation drills when it's raining - there is no need.
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Posted By Jonathan Breeze
I have often been tempted to do this soooo much, you would not believe it.
However there are two good reasons why I would wait until better weather to run an evacuation, these are:
1) The fact that I have to work with these people and I may require a favour to be returned at some point.
2)As a H&S practitioner, I need to consider all aspects of an employees health & safety including whether or not they may go off sick as a result of my actions.
I would also point you to all the previous good advice that has been tendered.
Jon
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Posted By Hilary Charlton
I plan fire drills but if it's raining it gets postponed. I do not notify staff but ensure that the conditions are at least clement. Recommend you have a postponement if it rains in future - one day either way will not matter.
Hilary
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Posted By Mark Betton
All good comments above, and as a Facilities Manager, a dilemma I have found myself in before now.
However, in my situation, is it not so easy.
The buildings I manage are multi-tenanted and are occupied by 9 different multi-national blue chip organisations.
We therefore have to notify a senior floor manager of each tenancy in advance, largely to keep business disruption to a minimum.
We actively insist that this information is not passed on to the remainder of the staff so as to keep the scenario as "real" as possible.
Therefore, it can be a logistical nightmare to rescheudle a drill due to inclement weather. That said, if the weather is extreme we will then postpone by 1 week.
The last time we carried out a drill in the rain, people were found to hanging around very close to the building under shelter - a lesson to be learnt as regards instructing these people that *any* evacuation should be treated as the real thing - after all the only person who really knows it is a drill for 100% certain is the individual who activated the system in the first place.
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Posted By Ian stevenson
Thank you all for replying, I will move at the next safety committee meeting that the issue is given more thought in future.
Regards
Ian
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Posted By Hilary Charlton
Another thought - if it is raining why don't you switch your fire drill where everyone leaves, to an emergency drill for, say a chemical spill, where everyone stays in and shuts windows and doors etc., you are still having a drill but just a quick turnabout can make this into a highly effective part of your emergency plan.
Hilary
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Posted By Dave Westhead
I don't want state the obvious but surely an assessment of any evacuation would point to the fact that it was safer to carry it out in dry weather due to wet slippy pavments etc.
Dave
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Posted By Harry Mooney
Ian,
I recently posted a "Fire Drills" query on this site (it has receded now to page 9)and you might find some interesting comments on procedures there.
Harry
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Posted By Ian stevenson
Harry
Thank you some good feedback to your question, I will be discussing this issue at the next safety committee meeting
Regards
Ian
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