Fire Safety Checklist(FSC1) - University of Ulster

Fire Safety Checklist (FSC1)
The purpose of the inspection is to ensure that the area is free of fire hazards and has proper and sufficient
fire prevention equipment, evacuation plans and escape routes. See overleaf for Guidance Notes.
AREA CHECKED:
1. Are the emergency exits and escape routes clearly
marked?
YES NO ACTION
2. Are the emergency exits unlocked ?
3. Are escape routes unobstructed and full width ?
4. Are wedges promptly removed from fire doors ?
5. Is emergency procedure information clearly displayed ?
6. Is there unobstructed access to hose reels, extinguishers
and fire alarm call points (break glasses) ?
7. Are appropriate fire extinguishers in place and wall
mounted ?
8. Have all fire extinguishers been tested during the last 12
months ?
9. Is rubbish and waste material cleared promptly ?
10. Has all electrical equipment been PAT tested in line with
the University's Health and Safety Policy ?
11. Are there adequate numbers of electrical sockets to avoid
overloading ?
12. If portable heaters are in use, are they in a safe position
and have they been authorised ?
13. Are flammable liquids in use kept to minimum quantities
and are they stored in a flammable liquids store ?
14. Is the University Smoking Policy enforced ?
15. Have emergency evacuation drills been carried out in all
areas under your control during the last 12 months ?
Signed: Date:
FIRELIST.NTE 26 May 1998

1. Emergency exits should be clearly marked with a pictogram of a white running man on a green background with a representation of a
fire and with or without the words "Emergency exit". If such signs are not clearly marked along the length of the emergency escape route and on
the final exit door please contact Physical Resources. If the signs are obstructed please take steps to have the obstruction cleared.
2. In general emergency exists should open quickly and easily in the direction of escape. Push bars and turn knobs are standard for doors
which are not openable from the outside. In very exceptional circumstances keys may be placed in break glass boxes beside the doors but this is
generally unacceptable unless there is an overwhelming need for such a system. Please contact Health and Safety Services if such a system exists
in your area. In all cases there must never be a locked door on an escape route unless there is some quick and easy means of opening it. If this is
not the case please contact Physical Resources or Health and Safety Services.
3. The width of escape routes is designed to allow specified numbers of people to pass along in a given time and to provide a fire resistant
route to the outside of the building. Placing cupboards, equipment, chairs, etc along escape routes is unacceptable as it reduces the ability of
people to exit along such routes and can lead to delays in evacuating buildings in an emergency. This can be particularly important in thick smoke
or in darkness. In addition flammable items such as chairs can themselves catch fire and block emergency escape routes. If the escape routes are
partially or wholly blocked please take steps to have the obstruction removed as soon as possible.
4. Self-closing fire doors are an important means of controlling the spread of fire and smoke and are an integral part of the designed fire
precautions. Fire doors which are clearly marked, should therefore not be wedged open routinely. In exceptional circumstances, such as when
moving furniture etc the University does permit wedges to be used to keep fire doors open since it reduces the risk of injury to those moving the
items but these MUST BE REMOVED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after it is no longer required for the door to be open. If fire doors have been left
wedged open it is everyone's responsibility to remove the wedge and allow the doors to close. If fire doors are regularly wedged open please
report this to Physical Resources or Health and Safety Services.
5. Blue and white posters detailing the emergency procedures are displayed throughout the University. These should be displayed beside
each fire alarm call point. If this is not the case then contact Physical Resources. If the view of these posters has been obstructed then whatever is
causing the obstruction should be removed as soon as possible.
6. Should a small fire be discovered it may be possible to extinguish such a fire before it becomes too large. It is therefore important that
fire fighting equipment can be easily reached to enable such action to be taken . If obstructed then take steps to remove the obstruction as soon as
possible.
7. Removal of fire extinguishers to other positions may mean that small fires cannot be tackled, allowing the fire to spread and thus
endangering life and property. Use of the wrong type of extinguisher can endanger life by being ineffective (thus delaying escape) or present other
hazards, eg. water on electrical fires. Wall mounting of fire extinguishers ensures that they are more visible and less likely to be damaged and are
therefore more likely to function correctly in an emergency. Please ensure that all extinguishers within your section are in the correct place and of
the correct type and are placed in their mount at all times. If an extinguisher is missing or inappropriate or if a wall mount is not available then
report this to Physical Resources as soon as possible.
8. Regular testing of fire extinguishers helps to ensure that they function correctly in an emergency. The University therefore requires that
all fire extinguishers are tested every 6 months. This testing is normally carried out by a contractor. Verification that the test has been carried out
can be obtained by checking the label on each extinguisher. If this indicates that the extinguisher has not been tested during the last 12 months
then please report this to Physical Resources.
9. Many fires are caused because flammable material in the form of rubbish and waste is allowed to collect unnecessarily. Prompt removal
of all such material removes the fuel and thus prevents such fires. If rubbish has been allowed to accumulate please take steps to have it removed
as soon as possible.
10. Faulty electrical equipment is a major cause of all fires in the workplace. The University's health and safety policy with regard to
electrical testing must therefore be enforced. All equipment which has failed a PAT test or has not been tested in accordance with the University's
policy should be removed from use.
11. Overloading of electrical sockets is another major cause of fires. You should therefore ensure that there are sufficient sockets to prevent
overloading occurring. If additional electrical sockets are required please contact Physical Resources.
12. In general portable heaters should not be used. In very exceptional circumstances, such as breakdown of mains heating they may be
authorised by Physical Resources for use. In this case it must be ensured that they are not left unattended, are placed well away from any material
which they could set alight and have sufficient air space around them to avoid the heater itself overheating.
13. The amount of flammable liquids in use at any one time should always be kept to a minimum (at most 50 litres of flammable liquid
should be kept in any laboratory). Quantities of less than highly flammable liquids may be stored in any suitable small closed vessel. Any larger
quantities must be kept in a suitably placed fire-resisting cupboard or bin. The aggregate quantity of highly flammable liquids stored in a
workroom or laboratory must not exceed 50 litres.
14. Discarded cigarettes and matches are another major cause of fires in general. It is therefore important that the University's smoking
policy is enforced to reduce the risk of such fires starting. If the policy is not enforced please take steps to ensure that it is.
15. Emergency evacuation drills are an important method of testing alarms, escape routes and ensuring that all are aware of the emergency
procedures. If an emergency evacuation drill has not been carried out for all your areas within the last 12 months please contact Health and Safety
Services.