Warden roles and responsiblities

Warden

Wardens are responsible for enacting emergency procedures.

During an emergency, wardens will wear a yellow cap with 'FLOOR WARDEN' embroidered on the front and a yellow safety vest with 'FLOOR WARDEN' embroidered on the back.

On sounding of the building evacuation alarm, the warden will:

  1. wear the yellow warden cap and vest
  2. enter each accessible room, including toilets, and direct occupants to leave the building. Do not open doors which have hot handles or smoke coming from under door
  3. direct the special duties officers to start their prescribed duties
  4. report to the Chief Warden on the state of evacuation of their floor
  5. take direction from the Chief Warden
  6. prevent re-entry to building

Responsibilities at other times

Wardens are responsible for reporting safety hazards or other related matters to the Chief Warden, including:

  • any obstructions to egress routes within building
  • local changes in the use of the building, hazardous goods or equipment, or members of the emergency evacuation team
  • fire isolating doors which are prevented from closing unaided, and
  • faulty or missing fire extinguishers
  • staff or students who may require a Personal Evacuation Plan

Staff undertaking duties as emergency personnel may be exposed to human products where there is a risk of transmission of disease. Staff volunteering for these duties may be required to receive vaccinations.

Chief Warden

Chief Wardens are responsible for:

  • developing and maintaining appropriate building evacuation procedures
  • appointing, in conjunction with management, members of the emergency control organisation for the building
  • maintaining a register of current members of the building ECO
  • ensuring that such persons receive training in emergency procedures undertaking control of all emergency situations until relieved of duty by the emergency services such as the Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) or Country Fire Authority (CFA).
  • maintaining and updating the building emergency information book (dangerous goods buildings only)

In the absence of the Chief Warden, the Deputy Chief Warden will take over these functions.

During an emergency, the Chief Warden will wear a white cap with 'CHIEF WARDEN' embroidered on the front and a white safety vest with 'CHIEF WARDEN' on the back.

On sounding of the building evacuation alarm, the chief warden will:

  1. Wear the white Chief Warden hat and vest
  2. Proceed to the building emergency control station (usually at the Fire Indicator Panel).
  3. Check the Fire Indicator Panel (FIP) and take reasonable steps to ascertain the cause of the alarm. (eg: send a runner to the location)
  4. Ensure that Security has been contacted on +61 3 8344 6666 or via SafeZone
  5. Receive reports from floor wardens or area wardens on the state of evacuation of their areas of responsibility, and record this on an evacuation checklist
  6. Direct the floor wardens to:
    • remain at the control point, or
    • proceed to the assembly point
  7. Maintain control over the evacuation procedures until relieved by the emergency services
  8. Advise the emergency services of the state of evacuation of the building, and liaise with them until the termination of the emergency

When the emergency is terminated, the Chief Warden will:

  1. Inform the building occupants at the assembly point to return to the building.
  2. Prepare a building evacuation report via here (Qualtrics form).
  3. Convene a debriefing meeting of the emergency evacuation team and relevant personnel to assess and improve procedure.
  4. Inform Campus Management of any problems that may be maintenance related (eg: failure of systems, unsafe conditions, etc). Raise a ticket here.
  5. Implement recommendations from the meeting.

    6. Responsibilities at other times

    Non-emergency responsibilities include:

    • modifying the University model emergency evacuation procedures for the building, and document the procedures in the building emergency information book. They must update this book annually.
    • determining the appropriate structure for the building ECO
    • appointing all members of the building ECO and arrange replacements as occupancy of the building changes, in consultation with the appropriate dean, head of department or senior staff within the building
    • maintaining a register of current members of the building ECO
    • coordinating the training for new members of the Building ECO as they are appointed, in cooperation with the Emergency and Business Resilience Team.
    • reporting obstructions to aisles, passageways, stairways and fire exits, and taking such action as they are able to correct the problem
    • nominating times and dates of at least one emergency evacuation drill per year for each building
    • preparing and mounting notices regarding evacuation procedures and the duties of occupants in the event of an emergency, in consultation with the Emergency and Business Resilience Team
    • determining the most appropriate evacuation routes for the building and ensuring that floor wardens advise occupants accordingly
    • reporting overcrowding of rooms to the person with management and control
    • maintaining the building emergency information book in buildings with a Risk Rating 1 (ie: those that have dangerous goods or large numbers of staff or students) developed withthe Emergency and Business Resilience Team, including a record of dangerous goods and equipment in the building
    • sending copies of all building emergency information book amendments to the Security Office
    • determine the assembly point location in consultation with the Emergency and Business Resilience Team, and taking steps to make occupants aware of the location
    • constructing a plan of action to deter persons from entering the building after the alarm has sounded (eg: delegate staff to stand at entrances to prevent entry)
    • preparing an evacuation plan for the lecture theatres, class rooms and teaching laboratories and implement action items (eg: evacuation of lecture theatres, classrooms, and teaching laboratories)