Civil servants have been warned that vaping inside the Government’s Union Street headquarters could result in “disciplinary action” – after smoke detectors in the toilets triggered seven evacuations since the building opened in December, Express has learned.
A request for information made by Express under the Freedom of Information Law revealed there have been nine evacuations at the building in total, including one mandatory fire drill and eight false alarms.
Seven of those were caused by smoke detectors in the toilets – which were tested and confirmed to be working correctly – and one by a faulty detector head in the parking area.
After each evacuation, an email is circulated to all staff outlining the outcome of the investigation and, where possible, the cause or location of the triggered alarm.
An internal email sent to all staff on 10 September following one of the incidents read: “Initial indications suggest the activation may have been caused by vaping.
“We would like to remind all staff that smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited on Government premises.
“Engaging in these activities constitutes misconduct and may lead to disciplinary action.”
The Union Street headquarters, which houses staff from multiple Government departments, opened last year on the corner of The Parade.