stubs
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 02
Location: Bolton
User status: Offline
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I currently work in an office in a 8 storey building just outside of Manchester..
I heard this week that the building's fire alarm is broken beyond repair and in need of complete replacment. Something that is going to take upto about 6 weeks 
In the meantime, they've armed a number of fire marshells on each floor with a fog-horn to alert of any fire.. aswell as sending a security guard on regular patrol.
Now, is this allowable? Or should they not have the building closed until the fire alarm is working again? I'm not too well up on the legislation surrounding it, but I would have thought they shouldn't be allowed to make us work in here at the moment.
I'm not trying to get out of coming into work because that wouldn't happen.. we have other offices we could move to in a couple of hours... I'm just concerned about the safety of myself. I've already had a battery explode next to me whilst in our data centre, and I'm worried something like that could happen again and cause a fire that may not get noticed till it's too late.
Do you think I should call my local fire dept and inform them?
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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They have to have a system in place to deal with a fire; the system does not have to be an electrical monitoring system. It all comes down to what the Fire Inspector locally will approve and in reality, they're accomodating people. The system they've set up in the mean time sounds fine tbh; in the event of a fire, you would be notified and you can't expect 6 weeks off work for the want of a Fire Alarm
[Edited on 12-03-2010 by LiVe LeE]
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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A restaurant/pub of the size I used to run with several separate areas/rooms and over two floors initially required a fitted electrical fire alarm system; In the end they allowed us to fit just a hand operated siren/bell arrangement on each floor
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AndyKent
Member
Registered: 3rd Sep 05
User status: Offline
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Sounds like they organised it as a 'reasonable' solution to their problem.
If they'd just turned the system off and said if you spot a fire shout I might be complaining, but if they've armed people with horns and regular patrols I'd say they're doing enough to not be liable.
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DaveyLC
Member
Registered: 8th Oct 08
Location: Berkshire
User status: Offline
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Does the alarm really make a difference? The alarms detect smoke, the detectors will all be in open places.. Unless you work with complete and utter fucking muppets who can't smell or see you'll be fine 
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stubs
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 02
Location: Bolton
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by LiVe LeE
They have to have a system in place to deal with a fire; the system does not have to be an electrical monitoring system. It all comes down to what the Fire Inspector locally will approve and in reality, they're accomodating people. The system they've set up in the mean time sounds fine tbh; in the event of a fire, you would be notified and you can't expect 6 weeks off work for the want of a Fire Alarm
[Edited on 12-03-2010 by LiVe LeE]
I didn't say I wanted 6 weeks of work!!
The problem I've got is that I spend my time either in a closed office at the end of the floor (furthest away from the exits).. or in the data centre, which is controlled access and very noisy. When they tested the horns the other day, someone in the DC didn't hear it at all.
I understand they're making attempts at solving the problem, but I don't trust the muppets that work here, and I just hoped they'd do more to hurry the work along to get the regular system back working.
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stubs
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 02
Location: Bolton
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by DaveyLC
Does the alarm really make a difference? The alarms detect smoke, the detectors will all be in open places.. Unless you work with complete and utter fucking muppets who can't smell or see you'll be fine
We have many parts of the building that are isolate and often very noisy.. It's likely that a fire could start in one of these places, and I could be in a noisy room that others can't access (and often don't even know are there)... it does make some difference.. possibly a few minutes difference in terms of warning of danger.
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DaveyLC
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Registered: 8th Oct 08
Location: Berkshire
User status: Offline
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I'm sure you'll be fine!
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j10E W
Member
Registered: 30th Sep 04
Location: maidstone
User status: Offline
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the arrangements that have been made are perfectly fine and within regulations as mentioned, but 6 weeks for a fresh install is quite a while!
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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In that case, make the Fire Wardens/seniors aware by email that you are concerned about the DC or closed off offices and that in the event of a fire these need to be checked and i'm sure you'll be fine
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stubs
Member
Registered: 30th Jun 02
Location: Bolton
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by LiVe LeE
In that case, make the Fire Wardens/seniors aware by email that you are concerned about the DC or closed off offices and that in the event of a fire these need to be checked and i'm sure you'll be fine
They are already aware... the guards patrolling have been granted access to the secured area's, but it's come to light that they've been skipping them out.
My manager reported it this morning to the facilities dept but it just made me wonder what else the lazy bastards have / are missing whilst "patrolling"
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