Six kinds of premises, one method.
The visit changes with the building, and so does what we look for.
Offices
Open floors, stairs and the things that pile up in both.
1
Lead across the aisle
Within a month
Run the lead under a cover or move the desks to the socket.
2
Exit door part blocked
Act now
Move the boxes and the printer trolley so the door opens fully.
What we look at here
The stairs, landings and the routes to them
Doors between the open floor and the stair
Archive boxes, print areas and anything stored near an exit
Kitchenettes and equipment left switched on
Cabling, extension leads and server cupboards
Typical visit
Two to three hours
Shops
Stockrooms, back doors and what customers cannot see.
1
Stockroom door propped
Within a month
Take the crates away and fit a closer so the door shuts when nobody is there.
2
Exit route clear
Next review
Keep the aisle clear at sale time too.
What we look at here
The route from the sales floor to the back door
Stockroom doors and how the stock is stacked
Fire exits that are bolted or locked during opening hours
Display lighting, window displays and electrical load
Any flat or office above and the shared stair up to it
Typical visit
One to two hours
Blocks of flats and HMOs
Shared landings, front doors and who looks after them.
1
Bicycle on the landing
Within a month
Ask residents to store bikes elsewhere and give them somewhere to do it.
2
Flat door, no closer
Within three months
Fit a closer and check the door shuts into its frame.
What we look at here
Shared landings, stairs and whatever is stored on them
Flat front doors, closers and the gaps round them
Meter cupboards, bin stores and plant rooms
Alarms in shared areas and in each unit where one is fitted
Notices on the wall and who residents call
Typical visit
Two to four hours
Schools
Corridors, halls and a building that empties all at once.
1
Classroom door propped
Within a month
Remove the bin and use a hold-open that releases on the alarm.
2
Artwork covers the wall
Within three months
Limit displays to a set of boards and keep them off the escape route.
What we look at here
Corridors, cloakrooms and the way out of each classroom
The hall, the kitchen and the doors that serve them
Wall displays and how much of the wall they cover
Where each class meets outside, and how the roll is checked
Mobile classrooms, outbuildings and use of the site outside school hours
Typical visit
Three to five hours
Care homes
Routes for people who cannot walk out unaided.
1
Bedroom door held open
Act now
Take the chair away and talk to us about a hold-open that releases on the alarm.
2
Trolley in the corridor
Within a month
Park trolleys in a bay off the route.
What we look at here
Routes that suit wheelchairs, hoists and two-person assists
Bedroom doors and how they are held open or shut
Laundry, linen and sluice rooms
A plan for each resident who needs help to leave
Night staffing and who responds when the alarm sounds
Typical visit
Four to six hours
Hotels and hospitality
Bedroom corridors, kitchens and guests who do not know the building.
1
Closer arm missing
Within a month
Fit a closer and check the door shuts fully on its latch.
2
Linen stacked in corridor
Within a month
Store linen in the linen room, not on the route.
What we look at here
Bedroom corridors, stairs and the doors across them
Kitchens, extraction and the stores beside them
Function rooms and how many people they hold
What a guest who has never been here would see on the way out
Plans for the night shift and for events
Typical visit
Four to six hours
Not sure which kind you are?
Describe the building and we will say what the visit would involve.