Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) Building Warden, Alarm Investigation Team (AIT) and Emergency Controller Duties

Building Warden’s have a duty, on hearing the fire alarm at any time other than the advertised test, to encourage staff, contractors tenants and visitors to leave the building immediately and to check that their designated area has been vacated. Building Wardens must report to the AIT Member at the Assembly Point as soon as possible.

It is recommended that Building Wardens construct a list of people normally in their building /area

Building Wardens should ensure they are familiar with all escape routes and exits from their search area, including disabled refuges.

Building Warden ​duties in the event of fire

DO

• Ensure that the AIT (Security) has been called on ext. 2222.
• Ensure that the alarm is raised, if a fire is discovered in their area.
• Actively encourage everyone to leave the building using the nearest available exit.
• Check all accessible areas in his/her designated area (including labs, offices, meeting rooms toilets and refuges) whilst leaving the building.
• Close doors whilst leaving the building.
• Go to the Fire Assembly Point, assess whether anyone is unaccounted for and report this to the AIT Member as soon as possible.

DON’T

• Put him/herself at risk – a quick check of the designated area on your way out is all that is required.
• Re-enter buildings or go upstairs if the alarm sounds – report to the AIT Member as soon as possible, if all areas were not searched.
• Enter the building in which your search area lies if he/she is outside the building when the alarm sounds – report to the AIT Member as soon as possible that it was not possible to search their areas.
• Try to enter locked or obstructed areas – report them to the AIT Member as soon as possible.
• Argue with people who refuse to leave – report them to the AIT Member as soon as possible.
• Use lifts for any reason.
• Try to fight the fire, unless trained and it is safe to do so
• Attempt to rescue disabled people from refuges

Fire Assembly Points

Fire Assembly Points for each building should be shown on Fire Action Notices. Building Wardens should make sure that they know where the Assembly Point is and should direct staff, visitors and contractors to go to the Fire Assembly Point when they evacuate the building.

People with disabilities

Some areas are provided with refuges for people who are unable to use the stairs in an emergency. If necessary Building Wardens should direct disabled or sensory impaired people to the nearest refuge and report to the AIT Member, as soon as possible, that someone is waiting in a refuge.

Fire Alarm Testing​

The fire alarm system in each building will be tested weekly on Wednesday or Thursday. Inaudible/barely audible alarms should be reported to RAL Estates Helpdesk via Email. A test is an intermittent signal as opposed to a continuous sound for a real event.

​RAL - AIT Duties - Fire Alarms only

In the event of a fire alarm call on 2222, or BMS signal to the R75 monitoring station, the AIT will:

• make the initial assessment / check on the Fire Alarm Panel
• attempt to locate the source of the activation – Manual Call Point or Detector
• summon the Fire Brigade if required.
• receive reports from building wardens and pass these on to SHE Group and Fire Brigade officers; and
• determine whether or not a building may be re-entered after a drill or false alarm.

RAL - Emergency Controller Duties

In the event of an Incident or Emergency at RAL, an Emergency Controller (EC) will assess the situation and decide whether to declare a RAL Emergency. They then take control of the site and take whatever measures are required to deal with the situation. The EC has the authority to issue instructions to all staff and visitors and to obtain their assistance where needed.

More details of the roles and responsibilities of ECs and others are given in the RAL Emergency Plan.