PLACE 1 Sources of ignition
The main sources of ignition in Cass building are:
Fault in fixed electrical installation.
Faulty office electrical equipment.
Faulty electrical equipment Catering Kitchen – Ground and 3rd
All occupants
floor
Boiler plant and chillers on Roof
Arson
PAF arrange for the fixed electrical installation to be tested in accordance with the British Standards. Test certificates are kept at Cass
Electrical cupboards are fitted with smoke detectors.
Electrical equipment is tested by a contractor managed by PAF. Equipment is labelled after the test. Faulty equipment is taken out of circulation. Staff are asked to report equipment which has missed the test to their DSLO.
The equipment in the kitchen area is checked and maintained by the catering contractor.
Maintained by PAF contractor
Good security system in place. Swipe access for entry and exit of building. This is supported by CCTV surveillance and 24hrs security.
LOW
LOW
LOW
LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
Safety Office and SLO to carry out quarterly inspection of the building to ensure control measures are maintained effectively. In addition daily inspection is done by general assistants in each floor.
No further action needed
No further action needed
No further action needed
No further action needed
Constant monitoring of security arrangements
2 Sources of fuel
Standard sources of fuel such as furniture, carpets, paper and packaging material are present in the building.
Diesel stored in basement
All Occupants Sources of fuel are kept away from sources of ignition. Posters are stored behind glass.
Therefore, the risk of fire starting is remote. The building is fitted with smoke detection system complying with BS.
Diesel stored in accordance with HSG 176
LOW
LOW
Safety Office and SLO to carry out quarterly inspections to ensure sources of fuel are well managed.
No further action needed.
PLACE Gas in kitchen 3rd Floor
Cooking fats in kitchens (ground and 3rd
Gas supply pipes and connections are inspected annually by a Gas Safe registered contractor organized by PAF.
Cooking fats are well stored and managed Catering ensure that such materials are removed in a timely manner
6 monthly deep cleaning of cooker extraction system
floor- packaging material)
Blocked extraction systems.
LOW
LOW LOW
LOW
No further action needed
No further action needed No further action needed
No further action needed
3 Special hazards
Large lecture theatres on 2nd, 3rd
All occupants , ground and lower ground
floor. The largest occupancy being on lower ground floor (180 persons)
Hot work
Poor management of contractors
All four theatres have 2 exits on either sides of each room. Allowing up to 95 people out per minute.
Reception keeps a log of wheelchair users on site and their locations.
Evacuation of persons on wheelchair from lower ground floor need to be considered when booking the lower ground rooms
The University runs a permit to work system. No hot work is allowed without a hot work permit.
Cass Facilities manage its own hot work permit system.
Contractor management system is enforced.
New contractors are inducted and provided with a safety leaflet.
LOW
MEDIUM
LOW
LOW
No further action needed
Special evacuation needs to be assessed at time of initial room booking.
No further action needed
All contractors to report to Facilities before undertaking work.
PLACE 4 Limiting fire and smoke
spread
Breaches in fire and smoke containment arrangements.
Staff, students and visitors
Staff, students and visitors
Staff, students and visitors
The building is mainly glass and mortar with solid concrete floor. All rooms are fitted with BS compliant fire doors. There are ventilations ducts within the building. These are fitted with automatic dampers to stop the spread of smoke.
This building is also fitted with smoke vents The building is fitted with an extensive smoke and heat detection system to give early warning.
The system is maintained by PAF under a contract. Cass facilities maintain records.
At the time of assessment there were no visible gaps in the structural fire containment in the building.
Lift shafts run from basement to level 6. The shafts are contained within fire doors in case a fire started within these shafts.
MEDIUM LOW
LOW
LOW
LOW
Safety Office to arrange quarterly inspection of the building to identify ands shortcoming and to report these to PAF for action.
No further action needed
No further action needed
No further action needed
No further action needed
PLACE
6 Fire detection and warning
Lack of early warning The area is served with an extensive smoke and heat detection system to provide early warning.
PAF are responsible for maintenance of the detection and warning system. The system is tested on a weekly basis and records are kept by PAF.
LOW No further action needed
7 Vulnerable persons (disabled, elderly, young etc.)
Vulnerable persons are not able to leave the building in an emergency
Staff, students and visitors
The University operates a support system for evacuating people who may need assistance in an emergency.
Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) procedure details the arrangements for both staff and students.
MEDIUM Safety Office and SLOs to carry out assessments when departments are notified that a student or staff with disabilities is attending the University.
5 Fire exits, escape routes Blocked or unclear escape routes
All The Building is well served by 3 final double width exit doors.
Cass Facilities are responsible for ensuring all doors are kept in working order.
All escape routes are marked and equipped with emergency lighting.
Emergency lighting in staircase 4 needs to be replaced
Facilities staff regularly walks around the building to ensure escape routes are not compromised. SLOs and DSLOs also regularly inspect their area of responsibility. Staff are generally co-operative and report problems to Facilities or the SLO.
LOW
LOW
MEDIUM
No further action needed
No further action needed
Ongoing lighting replacement by PAF and Cass.
PLACE
Staff who are injured are not picked up in PEEP arrangement
There are refuge points in every floor in all four staircases.
Two refuge Points on levels 6 and four on the other 5 floors.
There are evac chair located in staircase 1 on Level 6 and Level 3
There are 4 persons trained in the use of the evac chair
MEDIUM
MEDIUM
Use induction process to inform staff of need to inform SLO of any injury. This will enable the SLO to assess evacuation needs.
If need it more Evac Chair operators will be trained.
8 Training and instruction Poor training may delay evacuation
All occupants A number of fire wardens sweep the building during evacuation. Fire wardens have been trained in the last three years. Training is under review to ensure they are re-trained.
SLO issues a daily fire warden and first aider provision
Staff undergo Cardinus fire safety training. The training provides basic awareness of fire safety.
This training is supplemented with 2 fire drills per year.
Student handbook provides general information which is supplemented with fire drills.
LOW
LOW
LOW
LOW
Fire wardens are being re-trained to building specific arrangement in which they are located.
SLO to arrange training with the safety office.
No further action needed
Consider to schedule an evening drill in 2011
No further action needed
PLACE
Staff who invite visitors are responsible for their safety.
Cass holds open days and open evenings. A dedicated team is responsible for ensuring fire precaution arrangements are in place and there is adequate number of stewards to help and ensure evacuations are carried out in an orderly manner.
Events organiser go to the SLO for a delegates briefing
Fire action notices and Evacuation maps are posted in all teaching rooms and on walls throughout the building.
LOW
LOW
LOW
LOW
No further action needed
No further action needed
SLO to ensure suitable arrangements are in place prior to open day/evenings.
Events Management to co-ordinate with external hirers
9 Emergency response plan Poor planning may cause delay and confusion
All occupants There are fire action notices in classroom. Staff and students follow directional signs directions from fire warden.
The Building has a documented emergency evacuation plan.
MEDIUM
LOW 10 Housekeeping
Poor housekeeping may delay evacuation in an emergency
All occupants Escape route corridors are generally clear of any obstructions. SLO and Facilities Team carry out regular inspections of the premises to ensure escape routes are clear and combustible are not near sources of ignition.
LOW Safety Office and SLOs to carry out quarterly inspections.
Staff to report poor housekeeping to Cass facilities.
11 Means of fighting fire There are no or inadequate means of fighting fire
All occupants There are sufficient appropriate extinguishers The building is also fitted with a sprinkler system
MEDIUM
No further action required.
PLACE
and is test weekly. The card for Insurance
purposes is with David Dobson LOW
12 Maintenance and testing (e.g. detectors, emergency lighting, fire alarm system, extinguishers)
All occupants PAF are responsible for maintenance and testing of all fire protection system.
LOW
13 Co-operation and co- ordination
Lack of co-ordination between schools may leave gaps in the system
All occupants
There is only one school in this building, therefore co-ordination is not an issue
LOW No further action needed
14 Out of hours fire procedures
No procedures in place for after 5/6 p.m.
Staff, students Currently the system relies on self-evacuation and lecturers initiating evacuation. No major problems have been reported.
MEDIUM Consider to schedule an evening drill in 2011
15 Construction/refurbishment Construction and
refurbishment add to the fire risks inherent in the building
Staff, students, visitors
PAF project managers are responsible for contractors’ activities. All contractors are required to supply risk assessment prior to work commencing. Safety Office is consulted before work starts. PAF and Safety Office review the impact of work on fire protection system and put in place control measures. On completion of the work PAF and Safety Office review the situation.
No further action needed
Review arrangements for summer works.
Building Use: Educational premise
Construction: Mostly glass with reinforced concrete floors Total Number of floors: 7 floors including a basement level.
Size of building: 13,743 sq m GIA and 10,412 sq m NIA
Detections and alarm system: The detection system comprises of a combination of smoke and heat detectors linked to a two-phase alarm system Number of final exits: 4
Maximum number of employees: Approximately 350
Maximum number of Students: Approximately 2500 during day, 2000 evening classes