Fire Alarm Protocol

As of September 1st, 2022, the coordination, training, and deployment of building and floor wardens at buildings managed by the University have ended.

What does this mean?
The University’s Fire Warden system prior to September 1 asked occupants to appoint staff to perform the Supervisory Personnel duties of the Alberta Fire Code (AFC), and they were usually selected based on their geographical office locations and their hours of work. This resulted in, typically, selecting staff who are not supervisors as defined in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Codes and Regulations or the U of A’s Health, Safety, and Environment Management System (HSEMS). The duties of the Fire Wardens, prior to September 1, were to sweep a geographic area and determine who has not evacuated and report that information to the municipal emergency responders. This is not the duties of Supervisory Personnel as defined in the AFC.

Supervisors identified under the Code and the HSEMS are tracked by HR and HSE, already possess the authority and responsibility to direct workers and occupants of their space, and are clearly responsible for safety even when they are not present. As supervisors are already training workers in their specific workplace requirements, under the HSEMS, existing supervisors are given the responsibilities of Supervisory Personnel as defined under the AFC.

This will require a brief orientation for supervisors on how to determine their safe evacuation procedures, based on the U of A’s standard procedures, how to train their staff and notify their occupants, and the annual routine of fire safety events. Guidelines to follow for different areas of work can be found here:

Guideline for Instructors
Guideline for Frontline Staff

Guideline for Supervisors
Guideline for Working Alone (Students and Staff)
Guideline for Supervisors of Public Spaces/Events

There are two broad responsibilities for supervisors (A supervisor is defined as those who directs the work of others.  This also applies to professors who hire RAs and TAs).  

1. If you have not already done so, complete a Unit Action Plan for your area, and
2. During staff orientation and onboarding, emphasize to all students, staff, and workers in your area that when the building alarms go off they must immediately evacuate to the building's muster point (Business's muster point is on the east end of Business Quad, away from the building - during construction, please proceed closer to the Rutherford Library, on the south end of Business Quad) and remain there until they are told by the Fire Department or UAPS to re-enter.