Fire Safety Training Programmes Should Be Refreshed

Fire Safety Training Programmes Should Be Refreshed

When it comes to the workplace, staff should receive fire safety training in order to know how to deal with a blaze. The training might take the form of learning about different signs, what to do in case of a fire, or how to use an extinguisher. Not only does fire safety training prepare staff for the worst case scenario, it enables them to become accustomed to the layout of a building.

The person trained should have a clear understanding of the overall duties and responsibilities. This will include: what action they should take on the discovery of a fire, know the difference between different fire classes, which extinguisher to use for which fire and what the evacuation procedure is. The person should be at-list 5yr in FSAI under valid individual membership or NFPA member. If person is ex service men of fire brigade or Fire protection officer that may consider extra.

But there comes a time when the fire safety training policy needs to be refreshed.

What is fire safety training?

If a fire breaks out in your workplace, the highest priority is to get everybody out of the building as quickly, efficiently and carefully as possible. However, no matter how many times people have been informed of the evacuation procedures and methods of fire protection and combat, the sound of a fire alarm can cause chaos and all sense of cognitive, reasonable action can be forgotten.

This is usually put down to the fact that an emergency situation unknown feelings and reactions that are stressful, intense and require an immediate response. However, fire safety experts believe that training, knowledge and practical experience can cause behaviour to be modified, preparing people for how to deal with a fire, and they suggest that this will lead to the best chance of a safe and methodical evacuation being conducted.

Understanding the Fire Triangle

A fire needs 3 elements in order for it to ignite – oxygen, fuel and heat – and a fire can be extinguished by removing one of these elements. For instance, covering a fire with a fire blanket removes the oxygen supply, therefore putting the fire out.

Discovering a fire (alarm and assembly points)

On discovering a fire, the first thing you should do is raise the fire alarm so everybody on the premises is aware there is a fire in the building. You should then ensure everyone safely exits the building and gathers at the appropriate assembly point.

Types of fires

Being a fire trainer / warden also entails having a basic understanding of the types of fires there are:

1)      Class A fires involve solid materials such as wood, paper, rubber, plastic and cloth.
2)      Class B fires involve flammable or combustible liquids, such as petrol, oil and paint.
3)      Class C fires involve flammable gases, such as propane, butane and methane.
4)      Class D fires involve flammable metals, such as potassium, aluminium and titanium.
5)      Class F fires involve cooking oils and fats.

Types of extinguishing agents

1)       Water (Red): Suitable for wood, fabric and paper.
2)       Foam (Cream) : Suitable for flammable liquids, wood and paper.
3)       Powder (Blue): Suitable for flammable liquids, gas, electrical hazards, oil and chemicals.
4)       CO2 (Black): Suitable for flammable liquids and electricals.
5)       Wet chemical (Yellow) : Suitable for cooking fat and oils.

Identification of which fire extinguisher to use for which fire

1)      Water: Ideal for class A fires and office, shop or warehouse environments.
2)      Foam:  Use on class A or B fires on electrical or material based fires.
3)      CO2: Perfect for Class B fires like those caused by flammable liquids or electrical appliances.
4)      Wet Chemical: Ideal for kitchen related fires with cooking oils and fats involved.

How to use a fire extinguisher

1)       Pull the pin out.
2)       Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire.
3)       Squeeze the lever slowly.
4)       Keep at a distance and sweep the nozzle from side to side, moving closer as the flames decrease un till the fire is completely out.

People with disabilities

The Disability Equality Duty highlights that disabled people should not be discriminated against under any circumstance. Therefore, they should still be given an evacuation plan despite any differences in mobility. As such, the fire warden should be aware of those who may need extra assistance when evacuating and allow extra time for this so they are not exposed to any discrimination.

These steps outline some simple stages to training your staff in fire safety; however official training is required in order to guarantee a legitimate qualified fire warden will be on hand in the case of an emergency. The courses are available on-site or off-site, dependent on location, and the names of those who attended the course should be kept in a log book. It’s also recommended that you go on a refresher training course a year later to remind yourself of the procedures to ensure absolute safety to your fellow staff members.

We’ve listed five reasons why this should happen.

New staff

When you hire someone new, don’t assume that they understand basic fire safety. This should be included in the induction process, so it may be necessary to carry out a new training programme.

Fire safety training certificate expiration

Fire safety training certificates don’t last forever, so there will come a time when they’ll need to be updated. Refreshing the training programme will keep your staff up to date with the latest policies.

Building change

If you’ve moved to a new premises then it may have a different layout to the previous building. This will require you to carry out a new safety plan, safety assessment and training. The new building may also come with a different set of hazards, so knowing where the exits are should be included in the training.

New equipment

If new equipment has been installed then it’s recommended you re-train employees in how to use it, especially if the equipment differs from the previous technology.

Industry incidents

If an incident happened within the industry that applies to your business, then refreshing the fire safety programme may be relevant. Extra training could be provided to ensure that staff is up to date. As a general rule, fire safety training programmes should be refreshed every 12 months. We provide a range of fire safety services designed to help businesses.

Example Fire Safety Training Programme

All employees will receive adequate fire safety training and all fire safety training sessions will be delivered by a competent person.

There will one fire drills per year to test the fire safety training.

Fire Safety Training Sessions

New Employees:               Induction Programme

Current Employees:          One training session per year

Managers:                      One training session per year specific to their duties and including fire safety risk assessment, responding to fire hazards, fault reporting procedures, liaising with the fire service, record keeping, induction of new staff, fire safety policies and procedures.

Fire Safety Training Topics

-               The significant findings from the fire risk assessment and fire safety policies;

-               What to do on discovering a fire;

-        How to raising the alarm, including the locations of fire alarm call points (break glass points);

-               The action to take upon hearing the fire alarm;

-               The evacuation procedure for alerting guests, residents and visitors including, where

-               appropriate, directing them to exits and assembly points at a place of total safety;

-               The arrangements for calling the fire and rescue service;

-            The location and , where appropriate,  the correct use of portable fire extinguishers and fire-fighting equipment;

-               Knowledge of escape routes including stairways and especially those not in regular use;

-               How to open all emergency exit doors;

-            The appreciation of the importance of fire doors, keeping them closed and not wedged open to prevent the spread of smoke and heat, keeping escape routes unobstructed;

-               Where appropriate, isolating electrical power and gas supplies and stopping machines and processes;

-               The reasons for not using lifts (except those  specifically constructed as evacuation lifts);

-               The safe use of and risks from storing and working with highly flammable and explosive substances;

-               General fire precautions, fire awareness and good housekeeping practices;

-               The no smoking policy (where applicable);

-               Special provisions for assisting disabled people and any training needed;

-               Identifying fire hazards and fire incidents reporting procedures; and

-               Equipment fault reporting procedures.

Fire Safety Training Records

All fire safety training will recorded to include the date of instruction; the duration, name of the person giving the instruction, names of persons receiving the instruction; and the nature of the instruction and / or, drill.