Emergency Procedures
Safety Policy Arrangement 4-2002 (rev.2011)
Policy Statement
The University of Dundee recognises the need to have effective arrangements in place to minimise the risk of injury to staff, students and visitors in a wide range of foreseeable emergency situations. In all these emergency procedures the safeguarding of life takes precedence over any other considerations.
The safeguarding of life is always the priority in our arrangements therefore safe evacuation of all affected premises is a primary feature of procedures. All staff are encouraged to familiarise themselves with emergency procedures both at their usual work location and at any University location they visit. Staff should bear in mind that they have responsibilities for the safety of students, visitors and contractors at the University and instruct such people in our emergency procedures.
Arrangements
Deans/Directors must ensure that plans to deal with foreseeable emergencies are prepared, tested and communicated to staff. They should be reviewed at least annually.
Foreseeable emergencies that have occurred in the previous seven years include:
- complete power failures
- natural gas leaks
- phone failures
- floods
- damage to buildings caused by extreme weather
- large chemical spills
- uncontrolled release of flammable gas
- fire
- lift failures
- students with urgent and/or severe mental health problems
Other foreseeable emergencies include:
- phone threats, including bomb threats
- suspicious parcels/letters
- terrorism threats
Staff should familiarize themselves with emergency procedures, and especially the number to dial in an emergency:
Emergency Numbers:
City Campus, Taypark and Botanic Gardens (4141)
Wilson House (4141)
Taymills (999)
Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, and Dental School (2222)
Kirkcaldy Campus (9-999)
Riverside Playing Fields (999)
Frankland Building (77-4141)
Guidance Notes on Emergency Procedures
Complete power failuresDuring daylight hours for many buildings there should be sufficient light for staff to see where they are going. Therefore, there is no immediate need to leave the building. If the power is unlikely to be restored within two hours then staff should go home.
If there is no, or insufficient daylight for staff to see where they are going then they should go home.
All buildings have a back up electrical supply that provides emergency lighting and supports fire alarms for at least two hours.
Emergency telephones will remain functional for 1-2 hours.
Phone failuresEmergency phones are located in buildings, and many people have mobile phones. These can be used to contact Emergency Services so there is no need to evacuate the building.
Phone ThreatsListen carefully to the caller and try to identify the voice type and accent, and background noises. Try to get and record as much information as possible by asking:
- What is the threat?
- Where is it?
- When will it happen?
- What is your name, address and telephone number
- Why are you making this threat?
- Are you part of an organisation
PHONE emergency number.
Suspect letters and packages-Bomb threats
Before opening look for:
- Excessive postage, or no postage or non-cancelled postage
- No return address
- Unexpected or unknown sender
- Handwritten or poorly typed addresses
- Address has been printed unevenly or in an unusual way
- Incorrect spelling of name
- Incorrect address
- Incorrect title
- Postmark does not match return address
- Unusual post mark or postage paid marks
- A jiffy bag or similar padded envelope has been used
- Envelope flap is stuck down completely (usually a letter has 3-5mm ungummed gap at corners)
- Oily stains, discolouration or strange odour ( eg almonds, marzipan)
- Excessive weight
- Lopsided or uneven envelope
- Protruding wires or aluminium foil
- Excessive tape or string
- Ticking sound
When opening letters and packages:
- Use a letter opener, not hands to open
- Open with minimum of movement to avoid spilling contents
- Be wary of letters with an additional inner envelope, that is tightly taped or tied
If you find a suspicious object:
- Do not touch the object in any way
- Clear the immediate area surrounding the object
- Open doors and windows
- Instruct other people to move away from the object
- Prevent other people from entering the area eg warning sign
- Dial emergency number on land-line phone and report the nature and location of the suspicious object. Do not use a mobile phone or hand held radio in the vicinity of the suspicious object.
- Remain on hand to brief the Police
In some instances it may be safer to keep people inside buildings than to evacuate them, but this will depend on the information received about the alleged bomb and Police advice.
Keep your workplace tidy. This will make it easier for you to identify suspicious objects. Have a quick look around when you arrive at work.
Suspect letters and packages Bio-terrorism threatsFor UNOPENED suspect letters and packages:
- Do not open
- Place in a plastic bag or some other type of container
- If a suitable container is not available, cover with anything eg paper, clothing
- Do not touch face with hands
- Ask everyone to leave the room, closing doors and windows, but to remain in vicinity ie empty adjacent room, in corridor outside room
- Prevent people from entering eg ask colleague to stand guard, put up notice
- Wash your hands with soap and water
- Dial emergency number to report immediately to police
- List all people who were in the room
For OPENED letters and packages that contain or spill a suspicious powder:
- Cover immediately with anything eg paper, clothing
- Do not try to clean up powder
- Do not touch face or other part of body with hands
- Remove contaminated clothing, if possible place in plastic bag or other sealed container
- Ask everyone to leave the room, closing doors and windows, but to remain in vicinity ie empty adjacent room, in corridor outside room
- Prevent people from entering room eg ask colleague to stand guard, put up notice
- Dial emergency number to report immediately to police
- List all people who were in the room
If gas is smelt contact E&B immediately.
If you are in no doubt that there is a major leak of gas (eg obvious damage to pipework, over powering smell) then evacuate the building immediately. Do not activate the fire alarm, but ask occupants to leave. Do not switch off lights or other electrical equipment. Contact E&B immediately.
Major chemical spill or leakEvacuate the immediate area, and the surrounding areas as required. If necessary, activate the fire alarm to evacuate the building.
Take whatever steps are possible without putting staff at risk to contain the chemical (eg treat with sand or other absorbent) or dilute as much as possible (eg open all windows to increase ventilation, or treat with large amounts of water).
Use emergency number to contact Fire Service, and provide them with as much information as possible regarding the incident (eg name of chemical, hazard it presents, amount, are people in danger)
Students with urgent and/or severe mental health problemsGuidance can be found at http://www.dundee.ac.uk/studentservices/incidents.htm
Out of hours procedure for E&B maintenance staffE&B staff should phone Tower Reception Ext 88188 and give:
- their name
- where they are going to work
- the current time
- the time they expect to leave
Security staff note down this information in an ‘out of hours record book’.
E&B staff should phone Tower Reception when they finish work.
Security staff should note down that the E&B staff member has left. If they do not receive a phone call at the expected time they should send someone to the place of work to locate the E&B staff member.
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