Emergency Procedures - Overview
This Emergency Procedure Manual has been designed for the guidance and information of the occupants of Dumas House.
During an emergency, all occupants may have to be evacuated from the building. These procedures have been designed to enable the safe evacuation of the occupants and it is mandatory that these procedures are actively supported and adopted by all tenants and their employees.
Aims, Objectives and Scope
The Aims of the Emergency Plan and Evacuation Procedures are:
- To provide an effective means of assessing and communicating the nature and potential of an emergency condition as it arises and develops within the building.
- To provide a pre-determined and delegated counter action by which to safely control the emergency or evacuation responses to a threatening condition.
The Objectives of the Emergency Plan and Evacuation Procedures are:
- To ensure that the orderly and sequential corrective action is initiated without delay.
- To eliminate or minimise personal injury or distress to any occupant of the building during an emergency condition.
- To eliminate or minimise damage to the building, its services or its contents during an emergency condition.
- To restore the normal day-to-day activities of the building as quickly and as safely as possible.
The Scope of the Emergency Plan and Evacuation Procedures can be applied to:
- Fire.
- Bomb Threat
- Earthquake
- Chemical or Gas incident
- Storm or Cyclone
- Any other incident requiring the Emergency Control Organisation response
Some aspects of the Emergency Plan e.g. communications, assistance or alerting the permanent emergency services etc may also be applicable to emergency conditions such as:
- Injury or illness
- Hold-up
- Theft
- Illegal Entry
Glossary of Terms
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Alarm System
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Facilities provided in a building to give an alarm of fire or other event.
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Alarm Signal
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A signal given by fire alarm at the Fire Indicator Board.
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Alert Signal
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An audible or audible and visual signal to alert wardens to commence the prescribed actions whilst other building occupants secure workstation.
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Evacuation Signal
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An audible or audible and visual signal to indicate to wardens and building occupants that an evacuation is necessary.
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Assembly Area
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A predetermined area where building occupants assemble prior to evacuation and after an evacuation.
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Exit Stairway
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A fire resisting escape route within the building designed to allow safe travel to the outside of the building.
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Evacuation Assembly Area
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The final area where building occupants assemble following an evacuation.
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Emergency Control Organisation
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A group of occupants who exercise control over emergency conditions within the building.
Consisting of:
- Chief Warden & Deputy
- Floor Wardens & Deputies
- Section Warden & Deputies
- Any other Warden
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E.W.I.S.
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Emergency Warning and Intercommunication System.
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Emergency Planning Committee
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A group of occupants who plan and maintain the emergency procedures which consists of:
- Chief Warden & Deput y
- Floor Wardens or Deputies
- Co-opted specialists.
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Floor Assembly Area
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An area set-aside on each floor for occupants to assemble prior to entering the exit stairway.
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Portable Fire Extinguishers
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A first attack fire-fighting appliance, which is designed to be carried and operated by hand.
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Fire Hose Reel
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An assembly designed for permanent connection to a water supply and consisting of a hose with a shut off nozzle and a hose guide. These are situated at Warden Intercommunication Points on each floor.
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Master Emergency Communications Point (MECP)
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The location within the building from where the warning system can be activated and from where instructions can be relayed to the Warden Intercommunication Points. The MECP is on the ground floor (North) side of central services core.
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Fire Indicator Board
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A control and indicating panel containing the alarm zone facility. It is the MECP.
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Warden Intercommunication Point (WIP)
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The location on a floor from which instructions can be received or information relayed to the MECP. The WIP’s are located adjacent to the Emergency Escape stairwells..
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Warden
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A member of the Emergency Control Organisation who assists with building control during an incident.
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Authority
Directions given by Emergency Control Organisation Personnel shall be observed in all aspects by all persons on the premises being evacuated and to the extent that if any such directions are inconsistent with those given by the management of any tenancy, the directions of the Emergency Control Organisation shall prevail.
"AUSTRALIAN STANDARD AS3745 Emergency Control Organisation and Procedures for Buildings".
Should a person refuse to comply with the directions given by a Warden, from the Building Emergency Control Organisation:
- Ensure the person has been clearly advised they are required to evacuate the building because of an emergency situation.
- Notify the Chief Warden, who will advise the Officer-in-Charge of the attending Emergency Service who, at his discretion, may take the appropriate action under law to remove the person/s.
Fire Precautions
- Where there is risk of fire and an adequate supply of water is not available, a person who, in the case of a construction site, is the main contractor or a subcontractor or, on the case of any other workplace, is the employer, shall provide on the site a supply of regularly maintained and efficient fire extinguishers of such type and capacity as is suitable for the control of any fire likely to arise from the type of work being carried out.
- A person who, in the case of a construction site, is the main contractor or, in the case of any other workplace, is the employer, shall provide and maintain and keep readily for immediate use such fire escapes, appliances and equipment as the Commissioner may, after consultation by the commissioner with the Chief Officer of Fire Brigades appointed under the Fire Brigade Act 1942 or an officer authorised by the Chief Officer.
- In all parts of a workplace in which goods or materials which in the event of a fire are liable to burn with extreme rapidity or emit poisonous fumes or cause explosions, a person who, in the case of a construction site, is the main contractor, in the case of any other workplace, is the employer, shall display safety warning signs prohibiting a person from smoking or lighting or introducing a naked flame or any other source of ignition into the those parts of the workplace.
- A person who contravenes sub-regulation (1), (2) or (3) or a safety warning sign displayed in accordance with sub-regulation (3) commits an offence.
- A person who in the case of a construction site, is the main contractor or, in the case of any other workplace, is the employer ,shall have an evacuation procedure to be followed in the event of a fire or other emergency, and shall ensure that employees are familiar with the procedure.
The Managing Agent delegates authority to the Dumas House Emergency Control Organisation to conduct emergency evacuations when required in the event of an emergency and when required in accordance with the Western Australia Occupational Safety and Health, Regulations 1996, Article 3.10.
The contents of this Manual have been prepared for the more common emergency conditions arising in the building.
These procedures seek to achieve the following specific objectives:
- Minimise and eliminate injury or distress through panic, lack of knowledge of the building, equipment, alarms, lack of instruction in appropriate actions and misunderstanding of procedures.
Disclaimer
The attached Plan and Procedures are to be read by all Dumas House tenants and their staff, on receipt, at regular intervals and when any amendments are issued. The information contained herein is by no means exhaustive, however if the broad guidelines of action, communication and knowledge of procedures are applied then the potential hazards of dealing with emergency situations will be minimised.
These procedures will only be successful if all tenants co-operate with the Emergency Control Organisation, whether it is in an emergency, or during practice exercises. Tenants must also accept their legal responsibility for training and keeping their staff informed and updated on all matters related to these procedures.
Finally, while all due care and diligence was applied in preparing this manual, the owner and their agents accept no liability for any error or omission contained herein and qualify this by stating that these procedures are guidelines which should be adopted by tenants in an effort to minimise injury through lack of direction in dealing with emergency procedures; and that it is the tenants' legal responsibility to ensure that their staff are fully informed of the proper procedures, and building facilities.
Colliers International.