Complaints about the Service
Yes. It is University procedure, and required that you leave the building when the fire alarm is ringing. The only exception to this is during a scheduled test, in which case, notices are spread at least 24 hours in advance. Always assume an alarm is the real thing and you’ll greatly increase your chances in the event of an actual fire. Remember, fire alarm systems exist for your protection.
No. Storage in corridors is not permitted under any circumstances. Storage within the corridor and exiting system is strictly prohibited by the Guyana Fire Code, and any such storage reported will result in a Violation Notice being issued.
If you wish to report an offense of this nature, please contact Campus Police at 222-7630 or extension 2236.
Laboratory doors are generally self-closing. This serves to protect all the occupants of the building, in that fire, smoke, and toxic gases from an incident within a lab cannot enter freely into the corridor system, provided that the door is closed. This keeps the means of egress safe and passable for all other occupants, allowing them to escape unharmed. By propping a lab door open, this safety feature is effectively defeated, and all occupants are put at risk. It is unrealistic to assume that in the event of a fire, you will have time to ‘unprop’ the door. Don’t put your own convenience ahead of the safety of your colleagues. Don’t prop that door.
As stated in the first answer, unless you have seen a posted testing notice, treat all fire alarms as if they are real. Drills are carried out as part of a legislative requirement, and evacuation times are kept on record. As with any other fire alarm, you are required to leave the building for a drill.
If you discover a fire, your first action should be to pull the alarm to alert others of the fire. Whereas if you dial 911 the other occupants of the building will not be aware of the fire until it’s too late.
Fire alarm systems are installed according to the requirements of the current Building Code at the time of construction. The Building Code takes a number of factors into consideration when determining the need for automatic fire detection. Smoke detectors are not required in office areas, since people in this type of occupancy are assumed to be alert and awake, and would therefore be able to actually smell smoke before it would be detected automatically. Based on this reasoning, smoke detection in offices would be redundant, and would merely add to maintenance requirements, while offering no benefit to life safety.
No. The Guyana Fire Code determines the requirements for the installation of fire extinguishers based on hazard. Computer equipment is not recognized as a significant hazard under this Code, and as such, no fire extinguishers are required. As a rule, computer equipment failure generates an acrid brown smoke, which is easily detected by people in the area, long before any flame is visible. Rather than using an extinguisher on this type of equipment (which could very well damage adjacent components), unplugging it will remove the source of ignition.
Remember, if you smell smoke from your computer, the safest thing to do is simply unplug it!
Contact your contact your Security department for a replacement battery and install it as soon as possible. Remember, if the battery is removed from your smoke alarm, you’re not protected.
- Technology buildings
- Health Science building
- Vice Chancellery building
- Natural Science buildings