A Brief Safety Guide to Attending Intruder Alarms
This guide is intended to offer advice to persons attending intruder alarms, on site, in order that they may formulate their own policy in relation to health & safety. It is recommended in the first instance that attendance is outsourced to a specialist Key-holder organisation, to avoid the necessity for school staff members to attend. Schools still have a legal responsibility to employ contractors with suitable experience in this field, who can supply evidence of this and relevant documentation regarding policy, practice, risk assessment and insurances. This Guide is not intended to address all situations but is based on sound principles and good practise. It may need to be reviewed and adapted to suit individual circumstances, particularly when unforeseen circumstances arise that dictate standard procedures cannot be followed.
In the event of an intruder alarm activation requiring your attendance you should consider the following;
1. Always assume that there has been an intrusion and that there may be one or more intruders on the premises when you arrive. 2. AT NO POINT should an intruder be approached and or tackled. Upon discovery the attendee/s should withdraw to a discreet place of safety (out of sight and hearing). The Police should then be alerted, by either the attendee or the designated person. 3. Advise a designated person (who is not attending) that you are attending the alarm giving as much detail as to the alarm location as possible. This is so that they know where you are expected to be found. 4. Ensure that there is a second or even a third designated person available for you to contact, should the first designated person NOT be available. 5. Where possible, you should attend with another capable person. You should stay together.
e8f8930c-ea9f-4b43-bf7b-ce1e77763b9c.doc Page 1 of 2
Revision 1
6. Upon reaching the venue, the designated person should be notified that you are now going in and that you will call them back, within an agreed time-limit, once “all-clear” can be given. In larger venues this process may take longer, it may be appropriate in such venues to call at regular intervals. A mobile phone/2-way radio is useful for this purpose. 7. An established and agreed password should be considered between parties (see below) and should be given at each communication. 8. If the communication for “all-clear” is not received within the agreed time limit then the designated person should attempt to make contact with the attendee/s. To verify that they are not under duress, the designated person should ask the attendee/s for the agreed password. 9. It should not be made neither obvious nor explicit that a password is being sought from the attendee/s by the designated person 10. If the agreed password is not forthcoming or there is no response, the Police should be called and the circumstances explained. 11. Upon leaving the venue, the designated person should be informed once you are in a position of safety, and the password given again.
Thanks to:
Leigh Marsden PC234GD Hackney Borough Police Crime Prevention Design Advisor
for his advice in compiling this Guide
Mark Gater Health, Safety & Environment Manager The Learning Trust 10th May 2006
e8f8930c-ea9f-4b43-bf7b-ce1e77763b9c.doc Page 2 of 2
Revision 1