Fire Safety Policy

Contents:

1. General Statement
2. Procedures
3. Emergency Evacuation Plan
4. Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPS)

Fire Marshals:

Main School (1 The Avenue): Vice-Principal, DOS, Registrar, Self-Catering Manager, Homestay Assistant and Admissions Officer
Summer Centre (4-5 Worcester Road): Social Programme Assistant, Summer Centre DOS, Summer Centre teacher

All fire marshals in the main school and in the Summer Centre are aware of their designated roles and responsibilities when the fire alarm goes off, whether for a drill or otherwise.

The Vice-Principal and Registrar are responsible for phoning and liaising with the fire brigade.

1. General Statement

ELC Bristol is part of the Clifton College Education group and we follow Clifton College's Fire Safety Policy. For a full copy of this policy, please click here and see the Fire Safety section contained within the Health and Safety Policy.
However, some of our policies and procedures are specific to ELC and our buildings - see below for more details:

We are a responsible employer and take our fire and safety duties seriously. We have formulated this policy to help us comply with our legal obligations to staff, students and visitors under the Fire Safety Order (2005). These include the provision of a safe place of work where fire safety risks are minimized. Due to its importance, this Fire Safety Policy forms part of our overall Health and Safety Policy. Our priority at all times is the safety of individuals.

To assist us in achieving the highest level of fire safety we have employed an ex-fireman of FRaMS (Fire Risks and Management Services) to carry out regular Fire Risk Audits on the school and ensure that all precautions are taken and all procedures followed with regard to our student residences, St John's House and 10 Wellington Park. Fire safety in Worcester Road is the responsibility of Clifton College, in the summer residence (Unite House and Orchard Heights when relevant) it is the responsibility of the Unite Students and in homestay accommodation and self-catering accommodation owned by other providers, the school will check to ensure that landlords and host families are aware of their responsibilities.

In self catering properties managed by the school, all new students must sign a fire safety document which outlines what to do in the event of a fire, highlights important fire safety points and informs them of the fire exits in the building. A master copy of the form is saved on our shared drive.

2. Procedures

The following procedures are in place to ensure high standards of fire safety.

  • Fire risk assessments have been undertaken and are reviewed regularly. However, other reviews will occur if there are changes that will impact on them. These may include alterations to the premises or new work processes. Fire risk assessments are carried out by the Health and Safety Officers.
  • The fire evacuation procedure will be practised 4 times a year (every term and once during the summer courses). A record will be kept of the date and the time taken to evacuate the buildings.
  • The fire alarm call points, emergency lighting and fire extinguishers are checked every Friday by the admin staff. Each fire alarm on each floor is tested, as well as each emergency lighting point, and the fire extinguishers are given visual inspections to check they have not been moved or tampered with and are in date. Records are kept of these checks in the fire safety folder.
  • It is noted that there are two distinct situations where different evacuations procedures are required, firstly, when students are in class and secondly, during break time and after school when students are out of their classes. Evacuation procedures will be practised for both scenarios.
  • Training will be provided, as necessary, to any staff given extra fire safety responsibilities such as Fire Marshals.
  • All new members of staff and temporary employees will be given induction training on how to raise the alarm and the available escape routes. Regular staff will be given annual refresher training.
  • All escape routes shall be clearly signed and kept free from obstructions at all times. Escape routes shall be checked weekly by the Health and Safety Officers.
  • Evacuation procedures are posted prominently on every corridor next to the Fire Alarm Call Point.
  • All fire extinguishers will be serviced and maintained annually by a suitable contractor (Cannon Security). If any employee notices defective or missing equipment they must report it to the Health and Safety Officer. A visible check of fire extinguishers is done weekly.
  • Alarms are checked every 6 months by a suitable contractor (Cannon Security) and tested weekly.
  • Emergency lighting is checked every 12 months by a suitable contractor (Cannon Security) and weekly by the Health and Safety Officer or their responsible person.
  • All visitors must be logged into the Visitors Book in the admin offices on arrival on site, advised of fire safety procedures and told if there is a planned fire drill for that day.
    Please see the Fire Safety Management files for all records of checks, certificates and remedial works.

    3. Emergency Evacuation Plan

    NB: To try and account for occasions where members of staff designated with various functions within this Emergency Evacuation Plan are absent, deputies have been allocated to all functions. However, in the event that both members of staff designated for a specific function are absent, the Health and Safety Officer or acting officer Manager shall temporarily allocate the function to an alternative suitably trained member of staff.

  • If you discover a fire: Raise the alarm immediately. This can be done by activating the nearest Fire Alarm Call Point. Fire Alarm Call Points are located in the corridor on every floor and can be activated by pressing hard against the glass with your thumb. Evacuate immediately using the nearest available fire exit. Do not stop to pick up any personal possessions. Do not stop to shut windows, but the last one out of a room should ensure that the door is shut. If a teacher is with his/her students in a classroom, he/she should take the class registers with him/her. The onus is on staff to ensure that under 18s in particular get out of the building safely. Inform the Health and Safety Officer/Fire Marshals as to the location of the fire. Report to the assembly points for a roll call – the back garden for people evacuating from the basement and the front garden for those evacuating from the ground, first and second floors. Assemble in the gardens next to the ‘Fire assembly point’ signs, as far away from the building as possible. At the summer centre, all staff and students should exit via the rear of the building and assemble at the muster point through the black gate at the bottom of the garden. If you are with a visitor, ensure they accompany you. If possible, the Health and Safety Officers should bring the visitor’s log book

  • If you hear the fire alarm: Leave the building immediately using the nearest available fire exit. Staff need to ensure that any students under 18 in their presence get out of the building safely. If you know that an under 18 is in the toilet or another part of the building away from the class, inform the fire marshal as you leave. Report to the assembly point for a roll call. If you are with a visitor, ensure they accompany you.

  • Persons responsible for taking roll calls are: The teachers and the office managers. The Director of Studies or Vice Principal checks the roll with the class teachers and reports to the Fire Marshal/Health and Safety Officer.

  • Fire Marshals – on hearing or setting off the alarm: Encourage everyone around you to evacuate as soon as possible. Check rooms are all empty, and then check with the Director of Studies, Vice-Principal and Registrar that all students under and over 18 and teachers, admin staff and visitors are accounted for at the roll call. Procedures will be in place regarding which floors/rooms the fire marshals will check.

  • Fire Alarm Status: In the event that the fire alarm is for a genuine fire, then the designated person must call the fire brigade as soon as possible. The persons designated to call the fire brigade are the Vice-Principal and Registrar. In their absence, the DOS should call. In the event that the fire alarm is a false alarm, then the Fire Marshals should establish the cause before letting anyone re-enter the building.

  • Before the Fire Brigade arrives: If there is a fire, the fire marshals can, if they have received appropriate training from FRaMS and when they have consulted with the Principal or Vice Principal and the Health and Safety Officers and if it is agreed that the situation does not place them at risk, make use of the fire extinguishers located on every floor to put out the fire. If, at any time, they feel that the situation places them at any risk at all, they must not proceed but must wait for the Fire Brigade to arrive.

    4. Assisted Evacuation (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan)

  • Any member of staff or student who cannot leave the building unaided in the event of an emergency will need to have a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) for their evacuation. On a weekly basis the Registrar checks the NB on the database and liaises with the relevant staff to complete the PEEP form. This is then given to the DOS whose responsibility it is to ensure the relevant teacher has a copy when the student is in their class. It is the responsibility of the teacher to assist the evacuation of the student in accordance with the PEEP.
  • Completed PEEP forms are kept in on the S Drive.
  • A master copy of the PEEP form is saved on S:Fire Safety/Personal Emergency Action Plan.
  • It is the responsibility of the DOS to liaise with the Health and Safety Officers to complete the PEEP form (S:Fire Safety/Personal Emergency Action Plan) for the individual. A copy of this form must be given to all teachers at the start of class.
  • People who need aid to leave the building may include anyone with a physical disability such as a wheelchair user but it could also include a student with a recent foot injury who is on crutches, someone with visual impairment, hearing difficulties or someone that is heavily pregnant.
  • Anyone with mobility issues will be evacuated according to their PEEPS.