Fire and evacuation alarms
The purpose of the fire and evacuation alarms distributed around the areas within LKAB is to detect fires early and to issue an alarm so that evacuation can take place quickly and effectively.
The following applies:
- Before commencing work, check the situation in the work area.
- Are there fire and evacuation alarms?
- Are alarms triggered manually or automatically?
Responsibility:
The works management is responsible for checking the location of any fire alarms and evacuation alarms, as well for ensuring that personnel are aware of how to act in the event of an alarm. Contact the appointed contact person if you have any questions.
Fire extinguishing equipment
Fires that are discovered early can be extinguished easily. An extinguishing effort may only commence if it is sure to succeed, and must never jeopardise the evacuation or the health of individuals.
The following applies:
- All those who carry out work where there is a risk of fire must be able to operate the available fire extinguishing equipment. It must be possible to verify this.
- Before starting work, you must be aware of the location of fire extinguishing equipment and any alarm buttons.
- Checks and inspections of your own fire extinguishing equipment must be carried out in accordance with applicable requirements.
Responsibility:
The works management is responsible for ensuring that their personnel have the expertise to operate fire extinguishing equipment and to ensure that personnel have access to the correct equipment, based on the risks that the work entails. It is extremely important for checks of the work area to be performed in relation to fire before commencing work.
Evacuation and assembly
In order for an evacuation to be able to take place quickly and safely, there are signs indicating evacuation routes, evacuation plans and assembly points. These are marked/posted in all regular facilities and areas within LKAB.
In the case of temporary workplaces, such as construction workplaces, the relevant information must be clear from the applicable workplace outline plan or from the temporary location's evacuation plan, if one has been drawn up.
The following applies:
- Everyone who carries out work within LKAB's operations is obliged to be aware of the relevant workplace's evacuation routes, assembly points and where the fire extinguishing equipment for the relevant workplace is located.
- Evacuation routes and fire extinguishing equipment must not be blocked, for example by vehicles or materials.
For work underground, the following also applies:
- In the event of an emergency/alarm, affected personnel must go to the nearest indicated assembly point in the first instance, for example a rescue room, assembly room, rescue chamber or other fire cell. The level where the fire has occurred must always be evacuated.
- At the assembly point or some other safe location, make contact with mine staff/control centre and wait for a decision from there as to whether evacuation is to take place and which evacuation route is to be used.
- Training regarding rescue chambers and evacuation routes is mandatory for everyone who carries out work in LKAB's underground mines.
Assembly rooms, rescue rooms, rescue chambers and emergency areas
The action time for assembly rooms, rescue rooms and emergency areas is determined by the capacity of the area, which is posted in each area.
The following applies:
- Written instructions are located inside the rescue chamber.
- The locations of the rescue chambers, assembly rooms and emergency areas must be known to those who are working in the area.
- Note that rescue chambers can be moved at short notice, which means that reviews must be conducted on an ongoing basis. Questions relating to rescue chambers will be answered by the appointed contact person within LKAB.
- Vehicles or materials may not under any circumstances be placed in such a way that assembly rooms, rescue rooms, rescue chambers, emergency areas or fire extinguishing equipment are blocked.
Responsibility:
The works management is responsible for ensuring that all personnel are aware of evacuation routes, assembly points and rescue points (e.g. rescue chambers), and that relevant personnel have received training regarding rescue chambers and have reviewed evacuation routes. The works management must also, continually and in conjunction with a change of workplace, notify both its own and any subcontractor's employees about the location of the local workplace's evacuation routes and nearest rescue points.
The works management must continually check that evacuation routes are kept free of materials and other items that could impede an evacuation. In the event that deficiencies are identified regarding evacuation, collection or assembly, this must be reported immediately to the appointed contact person within LKAB.
