London Fire Brigade : Industrial action imminent

Following isa letter to London based trade associations, businesses and service providers.
Dear Sir/Madam,

DISRUPTION OF SERVICE DUE TO INDUSTRIAL ACTION

I refer to my letter dated 28 September 2010 that advised of potential disruption to the Authority’s services. This letter is to confirm that industrial action will go ahead and the Fire Brigade’s Union has advised that the first proposed dates for action are 23 October and 1 November 2010. Any further proposed dates for industrial action will be reported in the press.
We will put in place alternative arrangements to ensure an emergency attendance in response to 999 calls although there may be a delayed attendance. We will not however be able to take calls from alarm receiving centres on the normal numbers and in the event of a fire alarm, you are advised to contact the Brigade on the 999 emergency number so that an attendance may be mobilised to the premises concerned.
During the period of industrial action there are a number of things you can do to reduce calls to the fire service and the risk of fire occurring which are outlined below. Taking these measures will also ensure you are protecting your business and staff.
If your fire alarm operates during any period of industrial action please react as follows:
Immediately the fire alarm sounds, put into action your normal evacuation routine.
Unless it is obvious that there is a fire, investigate the source of the alarm to establish if it is a fire or a false alarm.
If you are certain that there is no fire and no suspicion of a fire then the building should be reoccupied. Under these circumstances, do not call the fire brigade. If, during the investigation, a fire is discovered or there is a smell of burning or smoke that cannot be accounted for then dial 999 and ask for the fire brigade.
To prevent any unnecessary disruption, please ensure that any known problems resulting in false fire alarms are corrected so that there is a high degree of confidence that fire alarms that do occur are genuine.

If you have lifts in your building you should ensure that, in the event of a lift becoming stuck, clear advice is available on how to contact the responsible maintenance company. Details should be made available in the lift and where alarm calls are received in the building.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places a legal requirement upon employers and persons with responsibility for premises. These responsibilities and safety measures are designed to protect life regardless of fire service intervention. It is, therefore, essential to ensure that all existing fire safety provisions are in place and effective. Directors, Senior Managers and Health & Safety Managers will want to ensure the following are being considered:
Check business continuity plans;
Check the effectiveness of existing fire precautions;
Check staff are fully aware of fire and evacuation procedures;
Take appropriate steps to enhance staff vigilance;
Review arrangements for calling the emergency services;
The need for additional staffing or patrols.

During the period of industrial action it should be noted that we may not be able to respond to any fire safety enquiries within our normal time-scales. I would, however, highlight the fact that it remains the responsibility of employers and other premises occupiers to comply with fire safety law; information on how to achieve this, and more general fire safety advice, is available on our website at:
www.london-fire.gov.uk
I apologise for any inconvenience this temporary disruption may cause and can assure you that we will be taking all necessary action to minimise its effects.

Yours faithfully,

STEVE TUREK
Assistant Commissioner
Fire Safety Regulation