O'Reilly Library Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures
Purpose: To ensure the safe and orderly evacuation of library users and library staff.
General Guidelines
1. If you see a fire, activate the fire alarm by breaking the nearest red Break Glass panel.
Do not put yourself at risk.
2. Whenever an alarm sounds, follow the evacuation procedure immediately. Never assume a drill is in progress.
3. Staff should not enter any area where smoke or flames are visible. This includes those designated as Fire Wardens for the duration of an incident.
4. Fire doors should never be obstructed or propped open.
5. Never attempt to use lifts for evacuation purposes.
6. Follow directions of designated Fire Wardens and assist disabled persons when necessary.
7. Do not re-enter the library until informed to do so by Security/Fire Wardens.
8. Only use a fire extinguisher if you feel competent to do so without endangering your own safety.
Safe Evacuation is the primary concern.
Evacuation Procedure
1. When the alarm sounds, all available staff should don high-visibility vests and follow evacuation procedures for their floor. All Ground Floor staff assemble at Reception desk
2. The person at the Reception Desk should don a high-visibility vest and go to the front lobby and guide people out of the building through the side doors. They should also prevent anyone entering or re-entering the building. (The side doors will disengage but will not open automatically, doors should be pushed outward and maintained open. When the alarm sounds the turnstiles will also collapse to facilitate exit).
3. The staff member on duty at the Reception Desk, or the first member of staff to reach the desk will be designated Fire Incident Co-ordinator for the duration of the incident.
4. The Fire Incident Co-ordinator should ring Security on 5999 (Press 1 for an emergency) and inform them that a fire alarm has sounded in O’Reilly Library and that the building is being evacuated. If a fire has been observed, the site and severity of the fire, if it can be assessed, should be reported.
5. The Fire Incident Co-ordinator should immediately assign staff reporting to the Reception desk to the following areas of the library to evacuate library users.
Assignment of staff will depend on availability of staff and on the time of day at which the incidence occurs. As a general rule two library staff should be assigned to each floor. Outside of core hours at night or on Saturdays one person should be assigned to each floor. If more are available three may be assigned to each floor.
All staff thus assigned to assist with the evacuation of the building for the duration of the incident should wear the high-visibility vests which will be kept at the Reception Desk. All other staff should evacuate the building immediately. Staff should only clear their assigned area if they feel it is safe to do so.
Staff in office areas on first and second floors should don a fire jacket held in their office space for such evacuations. They should sweep the floor they are on, directing students to evacuate the library by following the green fire exit signs to the nearest fire exit.
5.1 Lower Ground Floor
Two staff members should go to the Lower Ground Floor via the front granite stairs and sweeping the café and toilet areas, should evacuate people by the main fire exits clearly marked in green to Assembly Point 2 which is at the front of the library.
They should then continue sweeping through the lower ground floor evacuating people from the archives,research area and lobby via the rear door of the library to Assembly Point 1. Do not attempt to use the back stairs between the ground floor and lower ground floor as a shutter will drop on this staircase as soon as the alarm sounds.
5.2 First and Second Floors
Two staff members should sweep the First Floor each taking one side of the building. Two should sweep the Second Floor in the same way.Library users should be instructed to leave belongings and immediately evacuate the library by following the green fire exit signs to the nearest fire exit. Collaborative study rooms and the Gov Pub room should also be checked.
5.3 Ground Floor
Two staff members should sweep the ground floor instructing Library users to leave belongings and immediately evacuate the library by following the green fire exit signs to the nearest fire exit. Staff areas, toilets, ISS area, Lounge, Mentoring Suite, Training Room 1, Study rooms 1&2, Information Commons and the MLC should be checked.
6. All evacuated users, Library staff and staff assigned to evacuate the building should assemble at the nearest Assembly Point and await further instructions.
▪ Assembly Point 1 is at rear of Library
▪ Assembly Point 2 is at front of Library
Staff assigned to evacuate the building should take control at Assembly Points and where a person refuses to leave the building, their name should be noted as well as the location and this should be reported to the Fire Incident Co-ordinator or during the debriefing session.
7. Staff assigned to assist with the evacuation are not obliged to go into any area where they observe flames or smoke or otherwise feel at risk. A verbal report should be made to the Fire Incident Co-ordinator that it was not possible to enter certain areas. This report should include details of any mobility-impaired persons waiting in the refuge areas. The Fire Incident Co-ordinator will report this to the emergency services
Evacuation of Mobility Impaired Persons
Persons in wheelchairs or with mobility problems should be directed or escorted to the Refuge Areas on the core stairwell landings. The Refuge Areas are fireproof and persons should be informed that they are in a safe area and will be assisted out by the fire services when they arrive.
Assistance for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Alert the person(s) that an emergency exists using notes or hand gestures and assist or direct to fire exit.
Assistance for Persons who are Visually Impaired
Identify yourself. Describe the emergency and ask if help is needed and how it can be provided. Let the person take YOUR elbow and assist the person from the building describing obstacles/surroundings as you go.
Evacuation Incident Follow-up
Following an evacuation, whether live incident, false alarm or evacuation drill, all staff assigned to evacuate the building should meet with the Fire Incident Co-ordinator for a debriefing session. All issues noted should be reported and suggestions for improvement put forward. The Fire Incident Co-ordinator should forward a report of the incident to the Assistant Director, Public Services and Outreach, who in turn will send a report to the University Safety Officer.
Feedback should be provided to all staff as to the effectiveness of the evacuation and the time taken to clear the building.