Fire evacuation best practice/risk assessment
  • Mathieu Wilson
    1
    Fire evacuation process. Currently we say for people not to be carrying anything in their hands, no food and drink, backpacks or handbags. Feedback from H&S committee and business continuity planning is they would like this changed to allow people to grab small important items - keys wallet phone if they are next to them and it doesn't slow evacuation. I have no issues with this if they can go in a pocket and not delay evac. Business continuity want people to also be able to take a laptop with them again if they are with it. I don't have an issue again if it doesn't impede evacuation, however the evacuation consultants say no as this could lead to an accident and delay the evacuation. Thoughts?

    6 story building with multiple emergency stairwells.

    My thought was risk assessment with the H&S committee from the site?
    Mathieu Wilson Options
  • Tracy-Lynn Richardson
    2
    Complete a risk assessment with the HS Committee. From experience I don't see the harm. As one of the controls you can add ....take laptop and personal only if safe to do so. Keep it practical
    Tracy-Lynn Richardson Options
  • ScottyE
    4
    Regardless of what you put down in a policy, people will grab their personal items - so they will be in breach of the current policy.
    I'd rather set reasonable expectations (e.g. purse, wallet, phone, keys. Maybe a small bag?) Set a limit around something that can be held in one hand, so they can still have a hand free for the stairwell and have to be able to take it within 1 min of alarm to get out (or less?). Then explain why they should only grab those critical items and why they need a free hand.
    ScottyE Options
  • Chris Peace
    87
    Yes, carry out a risk assessment. As part of that carry out an unannounced evacuation drill and then survey people to find out what they took or went back to collect (!).
    Some anecdotal thoughts to add to the discussions.
    A long-time friend is at Canterbury University. She described how after the worst earthquakes she always took her keys, wallet and phone with her when going to the toilet. She had experienced earthquakes while in the toilet.
    If necessary, I could log in to my Victoria University of Wellington account using my wife's computer (which lives at home) including everything for teaching but would lose access to other files on my computer. They're backed up in three different places but getting a replacement computer would take time.
    Chris Peace Options
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