Building Shutdown Procedures

Building Shutdown Procedures

Introduction 

As part of the routine program a Scout Hall may at times be left unattended for an extended period. This document is an outline for Formation Leaders to follow when performing non-emergency, planned shutdowns of a Scout Facility. The procedures may apply at times such as extended school holidays, or if a formation has been put into recess or essentially any time that the facility will be left unattended for more than two consecutive weeks.  
Note that even in a time of shutdown the Formation Leaders (or delegate) remains responsible for the security, compliance and maintenance of their assigned facility.

 Shutdown Procedures  

Please consider the following when making arrangement to shutdown a facility 
  1. Throw out any perishable food 
  2. Clean toilets and showers 
  3. Turn off power to electrical equipment 
  4. Unplug the refrigerator and leave the door open.
  5. Ensure external areas are free from combustible material, such as pallets, unsecured pioneering poles, full rubbish bins, cardboard and waste paper. 
  6. Check for leaking taps and repair or turn off water to building 
  7. It may also be beneficial to turn off the water supply at the water meter   
  8. Make sure all buildings are locked securely 
  9. Have a roster to check the building for damage on a regular basis 
It is also important to continue any basic maintenance and compliance inspection. Things such as such as grounds maintenance, fire services inspections, pest inspections and gutter cleaning are still required even if the building is not in use. 

Reopening 

Prior to reopening a facility, a formation leader should perform the following checks  

Exterior 

Inspect buildings for damage, such as broken windows, graffiti etc. make arranges for repairs fix 
  1. Grass mowed and paths clean 
  2. Lighting working 
  3. Doors and locks working properly 
  4. Area free from rubbish 
  5. Fences in good order and safe 

Interior 

Inspect for damage and make arrangement or schedule repairs  
  1. Check for vermin, alive or dead, remove and clean area 
  2. Push button test all electrical RCDs 
  3. Check lights are working 
  4. Check equipment is stored properly and safe 
  5. Dust and disinfect all internal surfaces 
  6. Check all food products are in date and safe 
  7. Check all camping food utensils are clean before use 
  8. Clean all bathrooms/toilets thoroughly and disinfect 
  9. Check and clean refrigerators 
  10. Check and clean all kitchen equipment and utensils 
  11. Kitchen/food preparation areas thoroughly cleaned 
  12. Hand washing signs at all sinks 
  13. Clean all floor surfaces (vacuum and or mop) 
  14. Check fire extinguisher and fire blanket compliance dates 
  15. Check electrical compliance dates (test and tag) 
  16. Run water through all internal taps to displace stale water 

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