WAKING WATCH SERVICE

On the wake of Grenfell Towers Fire Disaster,  Golden Crown Security has increased its Fire Marshal training to its staff and now provide extra service called Waking Watch service to many clients across the country.

Working closely with the Fire Brigades Inspectors,  The main duty of the waking watch staff to look for any sign of fire and ensure safety of the residents 24 hours seven days a week.

Fire wardens (or fire marshals as they are sometimes called) must have a structure or frame work to follow within the organisation to allow their role to work in preventing fires.

This structure has to be regularly audited and managed to ensure it works and protects staff. Failure to take it serious could result in a significant fire incident.

A Fire Wardens roles and responsibilities fall broadly into 2 categories:

  • Proactive day to day duties
  • Reactive emergency duties

Proactive and day to day duties of a Fire Warden

While a workplace fire warden must not put themselves at risk while carrying out their duties, they are essentially there to carry out many elements of a fire risk assessment, to increase the chances of preventing a fire in the first place.

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Actual finalised tasks will change from organisation to organisation, depending on number of staff, size of building, contents of building and so on but, as an example, Fire Warden duties in the work place might include:

  • All fire exits and routes must remain free from obstruction and available at all times. It is crucial that final exits are opened to check they are not blocked from the outside.
  •  Break glass call points are visible and have a break glass point sign and emergency fire action notice adjacent to them.
  •  Ensuring Fire extinguishers are in their correct place, serviced, signed and stowed above floor level.
  •  General house-keeping is in good order i.e paper storage and waste controlled. No room with a fixed source of ignition or heat is to be used for the storage of combustible materials.
  •  Smoking areas are controlled i.e kept clean regularly and smoking receptacles emptied on a regular basis.
  •  Control of flammable liquids and hazardous materials.
  •  Electrical safety checks / pat testing.
  •  Rubbish and external security monitored.
  •  Emergency lighting tested monthly.
  •  Hot works mana

    Waking Watch

    gement / issuing hot works permits and control of contractors.

  •  Fire alarm checks tested weekly.
  •  Staff fire inductions.
  •  Arranging fire drills at least once a year.
  •  Exit sign surveys.
  •  Fire door checks on a weekly basis.
  • Working with the fire risk assessment.
  • Managing all checks / paperwork / compliance documentation