Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

6.8.2 Fire routines and fi re notices
Site managers must make sure that all employees are 
familiar with the means of escape in case of fi re and 
their use, and with the routine to be followed in the event 
of fi re.
To achieve this, routine procedures must be set 
up and made known to all employees, generally outlin-
ing the action to be taken in case of fi re and specifi cally 
laying down the duties of certain nominated persons. 
Notices should be posted throughout the premises.
While the need in individual premises may vary, there 
are a number of basic components which should be 
considered when designing any fi re routine procedures:
➤
the action to be taken on discovering a fi re
➤
the method of operating the fi re alarm
➤
the arrangements for calling the fi re brigade
➤
the stopping of machinery and plant
➤
fi rst-stage fi re fi ghting by employees
➤
evacuation of the premises
➤
assembly of staff, customers and visitors and, carry-
ing out a roll call to account for everyone on the 
premises.
The procedures must take account of those people who 
may have diffi culty in escaping quickly from a building 
because of their location or a disability. Insurance com-
panies and other responsible people may need to be 
consulted where special procedures are necessary to 
protect buildings and plant during or after people have 
evacuated. For example, there may be some special 
procedures necessary to ensure that a sprinkler system 
is operating in the event of fi re.
6.8.3 Supervisory 
duties
A member of the staff should be nominated to supervise 
all fi re and emergency arrangements. This person should 
be in a senior position or at least have direct access to a 
senior manager. Senior members of the staff should be 
appointed as departmental fi re wardens, with dep uties 
for every occasion of absence, however brief. In the 
event of fi re or other emergency, their duties would be, 
while it remains safe to do so, to ensure that:
➤
the alarm has been raised
➤
the whole department, including toilets and small 
rooms, has been evacuated
➤
the 
fi re brigade has been called
➤
fi re doors are closed to prevent fi re spread to adjoin-
ing compartments and to protect escape routes
➤
plant and machinery are shut down wherever pos-
sible and any other actions required to safeguard 
the premises are taken where they do not expose 
people to undue risks
➤
a roll call is carried out at the assembly point and 
the result reported to whoever is in control of the 
evacuation.
Under normal conditions fi re wardens should check that 
good standards of housekeeping and preventive main-
tenance exist in their department, that exits and escape 
routes are kept free from obstruction, that all fi re-fi ghting 
appliances are available for use and fi re points are not 
obstructed, that smoking is rigidly controlled, and that 
all members of staff under their control are familiar with 
the emergency procedure and know how to use the fi re 
alarm and fi re fi ghting equipment.