Fire safety and emergency evacuation

Policy statement

We ensure the highest possible standard of fire precautions are in place. The manager and our staff are familiar with the current legal requirements. Where necessary we seek the advice of a competent person, such as a Fire Officer or Fire Safety Consultant.

Designated Fire Marshall is: Melissa Thomas

Procedures

Fire safety risk assessment

• The basis of fire safety is risk assessment, carried out by a ‘competent person’.
• Most staff receive training in fire safety sufficient to be competent to carry out the risk assessment; this will be written where there are more than five staff and will follow the Government guidance Fire Safety Risk Assessment – Educational Premises (HMG 2006).
• Our fire safety risk assessment focuses on the following for each area of the setting:
• Electrical plugs, wires and sockets.
• Electrical items.
• Gas boilers.
• Flammable materials – including furniture, furnishings, paper etc.
• Flammable chemicals.
• Means of escape.
• Anything else identified.

Fire safety precautions taken

• We ensure that fire doors are clearly marked, never obstructed and easily opened from the inside.
• We ensure that smoke detectors/alarms and fire fighting appliances conform to BS EN standards, are fitted in appropriate high risk areas of the building and are checked as specified by the manufacturer.
• We have all electrical equipment checked annually by a qualified electrician. Any faulty electrical equipment is taken out of use and either repaired or replaced.
• Our emergency evacuation procedures are approved by the Fire Safety Officer and are:
• clearly displayed in the premises;
• explained to new members of staff, volunteers and parents; and
• practised regularly, during various sessions
• Records are kept of fire drills and of the servicing of fire safety equipment.

Fire safety risk assessment

Fire safety risk assessment form is carried out in each area of the setting by a competent person using the five steps to fire safety risk assessment as follows:

1. Identify fire hazards

• Sources of ignition.
• Sources of fuel.
• Sources of oxygen (including oxygen tanks for disabled children).

2. Identify people at risk

• People in and around the premises.
• People especially at risk including very young babies, less ambulant disabled children or those using specialised equipment, such as splints, standing frames.

3. Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect from the risk

• Evaluate the risk of the fire occurring.
• Evaluate the risk to people from a fire starting on the premises.
• Remove and reduce the hazards that may cause a fire.
• Remove and reduce the risks to people from a fire.

4. Record, plan, inform, instruct, train

• Record significant findings and action taken.
• Prepare an emergency plan.
• Inform and instruct relevant people; inform and co-operate with others.
• Provide training.

5. Review

• Keep assessment under review and revise when necessary.

Emergency evacuation preparation

• No child should be left in our care without the parent/carer providing the following information so that they can be contacted in the event of an emergency:

– Place of work, address and telephone number (if applicable);

– Mobile telephone number (if applicable);

– Names, addresses and telephone numbers of adults who are authorised by the parents/carers to collect their child, for example a child minder or grandparent;

– Information about any person who does not have legal access to the child;

– Who has parental responsibility for the child.

• Anyone entering our setting must register in the visitor’s book as being on site.
• All staff should sign in and out on the time sheet and remember to sign out and back in again when leaving for breaks.
• Key details and contact numbers for children and parents are easily accessible. The Office Manager is responsible for making sure all records are kept up to date.
• All staff should take part in drills and practices which are held regularly. All those with specific roles should practise these roles when drills are carried out.

Emergency evacuation procedure

Emergency evacuation can be due to the fire alarm sounding, or staff identifying a reason to evacuate (e.g bomb threat)

• Fire exits are clearly marked
• When the alarm sounds, children are calmly led from the building by the staff. This is usually through the double doors into the preschool playground, but staff will exit through their closest door if there are any obstructions/fires hindering exit. One member of staff checks the toilets and any sleeping children are woken.
• A member of staff will pick up a phone, register and the emergency contact cards.
• All staff, children, parents and visitors are to make their way to the assembly point.
• Our assembly point is in front of the blue sheds in the outside play area.
• Once outside, a senior member of staff will take the register to ensure all children are out of the building. They will also check all adults are outside.
• Children are usually out of the building in around one minute.
• In the event of a fire, a senior member of staff calls the fire brigade. Staff are not expected to try and extinguish the fire and must not return to the building.
• If children need to be collected, this information is put onto the preschool Facebook page, messages sent via the email contact system and also phoned.
• Creative use of accommodation to keep children comfortable in the interim will be needed. For example, the main school building may be usable (with their toilets). If this is not the case, the preschool will use another building as an emergency evacuation centre. Parents will be informed of this safe place when contacted by a member of staff.

Fire drills

We hold fire drills termly and record the following information about each fire drill:

• The date and time of the drill.
• Number of adults and children involved.
• How long it took to evacuate.
• Whether there were any problems that delayed evacuation.
• Any further action taken to improve the drill procedure.

Lockdown procedure

There may be occasions when it is safer for everyone to remain inside due to a threat outside, for example if there is a violent or armed person, a dangerous animal, or if there are dangerous fumes outside etc. In line with schools, early years settings should follow a ‘lockdown’ procedure where the building is sealed off and people are not allowed to enter (and are discouraged from leaving) until the situation is resolved. Please note, staff have no legal authority to prevent people who wish to from leaving the building; they can only make people aware of the dangers and encourage them to stay inside and wait for the danger to pass.

In the event of a significant danger being present outside, the following procedure should be followed:

• Where possible, continuously blow the whistle alarm to alert all staff; in other cases, a message to be passed around staff as quickly as possible without causing panic to parents/carers and children.
• Staff immediately lock external doors and close all blinds.
• Staff will lead the children in to a saft space (sensory area and under tables) and keep out of view of any windows.
• Staff will encourage the children to stay calm and quiet.
• If the danger relates to a violent / armed / threatening stranger outside, a member of staff will call the Police immediately.
• Another member of staff will also contact the main school and update them with the lockdown situation.
• No-one will leave the building to challenge the person.
• We will give the Police as much information as we can about the person (Description, name if known, behaviour, whether armed)
• If the danger relates to a situation that is being managed by emergency services outside, (e.g. gas leak, fire) staff should tune in to local radio and await an all-clear from emergency services before unlocking doors.

Legal references

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005)

Electricity at Work Regulations (1989)

Further guidance

Fire Safety Record (Early Years Alliance 2019)

Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Educational Premises www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/firesafetyrisk6