emergency safety guidance

THE STITHIANS CENTRE EMERGENCY SAFETY GUIDANCE AND PLAN

You the hirers are the ‘responsible person’

At all times when The Stithians Centre is in use the RESPONSIBLE PERSON must be in charge and ready to take control of any incident.

Please read and become familiar with these instructions.

Your priority is lives and not the building

BEFORE YOUR EVENT STARTS

Decide the firefighting arrangements
Decide the arrangements for means of escape for disabled persons
Decide the duties and responsibilities of staff if there is a fire
Decide the arrangements for evacuation of people especially at risk, children, those with disabilities, members of the public, visitors, contractors;
Decide how you will proceed if the life safety systems are out of order, e.g. fire detection systems, sprinklers etc.
Decide who will be responsible for calling the emergency services
Decide who will meet the fire and rescue services on their arrival and notify them of special risks
Decide your plans to deal with people, especially children, once you have left the premises

ALSO

Check exit routes are not blocked by tables or chairs or anything else (see diagram overleaf)
Check the Fire Extinguishers are clearly visible.
Check that no “doubtful” looking electrical equipment or extension leads have been bought into the Centre.
Check that no decorations have been hung so that they could fall down and obstruct a fire exit
Check that the fire exit lights are switched on (see plan over leaf)

AT THE START OF THE EVENT OR FUNCTION YOU SHOULD NOTIFY THOSE PRESENT ABOUT:

The no smoking policy
The emergency warning signal
Who is supervising and how to identify them
Brief disabled people and/or their helpers on the evacuation routes.
Location of exits and escape routes
Location of muster points; and
What will happen after that , re-entry to the building

DURING YOUR EVENT YOU SHOULD

Watch that fire exit routes do not become obstructed
Take a record of the number of people attending your event
Ensure no naked flames are started (unless authorized e.g. candles)
Ensure where naked flames are present that combustible material is kept clear.
Watch that no vehicles obstructs the road, fire exits and that emergency vehicles have a clear access route to the Centre
Watch that nothing likely to cause a fire is taking place! No smoking!
Be vigilant of any smells of burning or a gradual build up of smoke.
Ensure noise levels cannot drown out a fire alarm
Ensure that rooms do not become overcrowded
Ensure that the number of people in the hall/rooms do not exceed the figures shown below:-

HENDRA ROOM – (meeting room IT suite) - 20 seated, 40 standing or seated as for concert

TREGONNING HALL – 104 seated round tables or 200 standing or seated as for concert.

IF THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE IN THE HALL ALL FIRE EXITS MUST BE KEPT OPEN FOR THE DURATION OF THE EVENT. See diagram for location of exits

FOUNDRY ROOM, - (small reception room), - 32 seated round tables or 50 standing seated as for concert

EMERGENCY PLAN

IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE and the alarm sounding

The alarm sounds like a loud intermittent beeping

Take command – give loud and clear instructions to immediately evacuate the building using the nearest available exits and gather on the pavement outside the village hall on the road or if obstructed on the paved area outside the Pre School entrance.
Check every room that it is safe to enter, to ensure that everyone has left the hall.
Contact all staff/users of the building as necessary.
Fire extinguishers should be used to clear a safe passage to an exit.
Contact the emergency services. –

The nearest telephone is at the Seven Stars Inn across the road, or if Stithians Preschool is open it is on the premises, or if Stithians School is open, turning right on exit to the pavement.

The address of The Stithians Centre is:

THE STITHIANS CENTRE

CHURCH ROAD.

STITHIANS

TR3 7DH

Once outside check everyone is accounted for.
Check that the road and area around the Centre is clear for the emergency vehicles.
Appoint someone to guide the vehicles if needed.
On the arrival of the Fire Brigade, the responsible person should report to the Officer in Charge that all persons are safe or should inform him /her of their last known position
Do not allow anyone to enter the hall until a fire officer tells you it is safe to enter.
Contact a member of The Stithians Centre committee on one of the numbers shown below:-

Fire Officer: Charlie Burley 01209 860 148

Chair: Denis Nightingale 01209 861 309

Vice chairman: Phil Blease 01209 861 535

Treasurer: John Colgate 01209 860 451

Secretary: Cath Cullen 01209 204450