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Fire Safety Policy

Statement of Intent

This policy outlines Street Vibes Academy (SV) responsibility and commitment to comply with its legal obligations to staff, students and other associates and visitors under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (The Order). SV is committed to taking all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of staff, students and other persons who may be affected by its activities. The policy is reviewed annually.

Aims

It is the overall aim of SV to minimise the risks to staff and employees that may arise from fire. This will be achieved by ensuring precautions are taken to avoid fires occurring and by ensuring that procedures for minimising the effects of an outbreak of fire and evacuating the premises are in place.

Overall Responsibility for Fire Safety Matters

Bobby Smith is appointed as the Fire Safety Officer and will have overall responsibility for fire safety matters at SV. She will coordinate the implementation of fire safety measures, ensure that staff and pupil training takes place and monitor the standard of fire precautions maintained. She will also ensure that a fire evacuation drill is undertaken early in each term, that fire action notices are kept up-to-date and that fire safety equipment is being maintained.

The School Fire Procedure

Notices displaying SV’s fire procedure will be displayed at each fire alarm call point and will be of the standard form.

Responsibilities of all Staff

All SV staff are responsible for maintaining a high standard of fire precautions in areas under their control or influence. In particular, staff should ensure that they are fully aware of the fire procedure. They should ensure that door vision panels and fire exits are kept clear and fire doors are kept shut. They should also ensure that pupils for whom they are responsible are informed of the fire procedure.

Fire Training and Evacuation Drills

Training will be provided at least every two years for all permanent full-time staff in fire safety and the school fire procedure, including training in the practical use of fire extinguishers.

All staff, whether temporary or permanent, will have the fire procedure explained to them, together with information on the location of the fire alarm call points, the sound of the fire alarm and the location of the escape routes, exits and assembly points. It is the responsibility of the Fire Safety Officer to ensure this instruction is given in accordance with the Checklist in appendix B.

The Fire Safety Officer will also ensure that all fire safety records are maintained and are available for inspection by any enforcement authority.

The Fire Safety Officer will provide a written report to the head-teacher each term, which he will include in his termly report to the Governing Body.

Maintenance of Fire Doors, Fire Exit Doors, Fire Equipment and Systems

Fire extinguishers, fire alarm systems and emergency lighting are maintained under a central contract administered by professional consultants. However, the school will carry out the following tests on the systems and precautions between maintenance visits:

System

Frequency

Method of Test

Fire Alarm

Weekly

Test key operation of different call point each week in rotation.

Fire Alarm

Daily

Visual check of panel for fault indications.

Automatic gates connected to the fire alarm

Weekly with the fire alarm

Confirmation that gates release and close with the operation of the fire alarm.

Emergency Lighting

Monthly

Operation of test switch or circuit breaker and check that light illuminates.

Fire extinguishers, hose reels, fire blankets etc.

Weekly

Check that seals are intact, equipment has not been removed or tampered with and annual inspection and maintenance is in date.

Fire Doors

Weekly

Check that doors are closing fully and, where fitted, latches are operating.

Stairwells and Stairwell Enclosures

Daily

Check that combustible material and storage has not been placed inside protected stairwell enclosures.

Corridors, Escape Routes and Fire Exit Doors

Daily

Check exit doors are unlocked and that escape routes are free of obstruction.

Fire Exit Doors

Weekly

Check that doors are opening freely and that emergency exit fittings are operating correctly.

Appointment and Duties of Fire Marshals

SV will appoint a number of teaching or administrative staff as fire marshals one of which will be appointed as senior fire marshal. These staff will have responsibility for ensuring that all areas of the school have been evacuated and that this is reported to the senior fire marshal in charge of the evacuation (see appendix A).

Raising The Alarm

Upon discovering a fire, the alarm shall be raised by immediate activation of the closest fire alarm call point. In the event of failure of the fire alarm, the electric school bell shall be rung continuously. If the electric school bell should also fail, the school hand bell shall be rung continuously, ensuring all areas of the building can hear it.

Calling the Fire Brigade

It is the school policy that the fire brigade will be called on any confirmed outbreak of fire. The school receptionist/office is responsible for calling the fire brigade when the alarm is sounded. Where the alarm is raised by the school’s automatic smoke detection the school receptionist/ secretary will call the fire brigade if a fire is confirmed, or within 60 seconds of the alarm being raised if a false alarm is not confirmed.

Meeting the Fire Brigade

The Fire Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring that one member of staff is available to meet the fire brigade on arrival and in their absence there is a member of staff to deputise for them.

Events Taking Place Out of School Hours Such as School Plays or External Lettings

Where events are organised outside normal school hours, or by outside organisations, it is the responsibility of the member of staff organising the event or arranging the letting to ensure that the Fire Safety Officer is consulted and appropriate precautions including arrangements for evacuation and calling the fire brigade are put in place. The Fire Safety Officer may impose specific restrictions on the type of letting or activity the number of persons involved and the number and layout of any seating (appendix C).

Notices

All fire exit routes will be signed by clear signs with directional arrows.

Records

The Fire Safety Officer will keep the following records:

Record Type

Information to be Recorded

Fire Alarm Test

Date of test, number of call points tested and whether test was satisfactory, including whether automatic door releases operated.

Emergency Lights

Date of test, numbers or locations of lights tested and whether test was satisfactory.

Free operation of fire exit doors

List of all exit doors checked, date of check and results.

Correct operation of self closing fire doors

List of all doors checked, date of check and results.

Practice fire evacuation drill

Date of drill, details of exits obstructed and time taken to evacuate.

Fire safety training

Nature of training, names of those who attended, name of instructor and duration of training.

Appendix A

Roles and Responsibilities

Role

Person Responsible

In case of absence

Fire Safety Officer

Orlando Clement

Karen Chambers

Fire Marshals

Orlando Clement – Senior

Richard Cowie

Corina Nasser

Claire Watkinson

Sonia Ramanah

Lewis Marsh

Mark Slyfield

Susan Naylor

Calling the fire brigade

Molly Mccrossen

Karen Chambers

Meeting the fire brigade

Molly Mccrossen

Orlando Clement

Appendix B

Checklist for First Day Fire Safety Instruction for visitors and new staff

Take the new starter through the fire safety procedure as displayed at the fire alarm call points`, in particular:

• Show them the location of the fire alarm call point and describe the way it operates. Emphasise that the first action on discovering a fire is to raise the alarm even if the fire is small.

• Describe the sound of the fire alarm and the action to be taken in when it sounds, in particular leaving the building with any pupils for which the staff member is responsible and going to the assembly point.

• Describe and walk the escape routes and alternative escape routes that the member of staff is likely to need to use and show the operation of any push bars or exit fittings.

• Show the new member of staff/visitor the location of the fire extinguishers, but emphasise they should only be used if the staff member has been previously trained, if it is safe to do so and the alarm has been raised first and after an evacuation has been started.

Appendix C

Checklist for Persons Hiring the School Premises

Take the new hirer through the fire safety procedure as displayed at the fire alarm call points, in particular:

• Show them the location of the fire alarm call point and describe the way it operates. Emphasise that the first action on discovering a fire is to raise the alarm even if the fire is small.

• Describe the sound of the fire alarm and the action to be taken in when it sounds, in particular leaving the building with any persons for whom the hirer is responsible and going to the assembly point.

• Describe and walk the escape routes and alternative escape routes that the hirer is likely to need to use and show the operation of any push bars or exit fittings.

• Show the new hirer the location of the fire extinguishers, but emphasise they should only be used if he/she has been previously trained, if it is safe to do so and the alarm has been raised first and after an evacuation has been started.

· Explain how to contact the fire brigade and where the nearest telephone point can be found. Give clear instructions of location of school.

Application

The Governing Committee adopted this fire safety policy in January 2010 and have renewed it annually.

This policy will be reviewed annually. This policy was last revised 3rd September 2022.