Fire safety and emergency evacuation

8.5 Fire safety and emergency evacuation

Policy statement

LGMS ensure the highest possible standard of fire precautions are in place. [The person in charge and our staff are/I am] familiar with the current legal requirements. Where necessary LGMS seek the advice of a competent person, such as [our/my] Fire Officer or Fire Safety Consultant. A Fire Safety Log Book is used to record the findings of risk assessment, any actions taken or incidents that have occurred and our fire drills. Downloadable Fire Safety Log Books are widely available free of charge on line.  We ensure our policy is in line with the procedures specific to our building, making reasonable adjustments as required.

Procedures

Fire safety risk assessment

• The basis of fire safety is risk assessment, carried out by a ‘competent person’ who holds the fire marshal qualification.

• The manager has received 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.

• Cookers.

• Matches.

• Flammable materials – including furniture, furnishings, paper etc.

• Flammable chemicals.

• Means of escape.

• Anything else identified.

• Where LGMS rent premises, LGMS will ensure that LGMS have a copy of the fire safety risk assessment that applies to the building and that LGMS contribute to regular reviews.

Fire safety precautions taken

• LGMS ensure that fire doors are clearly marked, never obstructed and easily opened from the inside.

• LGMS 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.

• LGMS 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, at least once every term.

• Records are kept of fire drills and of the servicing of fire safety equipment.

Emergency evacuation procedure

Each of our settings is different and the evacuation procedure will be suitable for each setting. It must cover procedures for practice drills including:

• How children are familiar with the sound of the fire alarm.
• How the children, staff and parents know where the fire exits are.
• How children are led from the building to the assembly point.
• How children will be accounted for and who by.
• How long it takes to get the children out safely.
• Who calls the emergency services, and when, in the event of a real fire.
• How parents are contacted.

Fire drills

LGMS hold fire drills termly and record the following information about each fire drill in the Fire Safety Log folder.

• 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.

Legal framework

• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Further guidance 

• Fire Safety Risk Assessment – Educational Premises (HMG 2006)

Other useful Pre-school Learning Alliance publications

• Fire Safety Record (2015)