In most cases, the cause of injury during fire incidents is due to failure of taking correct action when an alarm is raised. Fire safety training is a legal requirement for members of staff to be trained for.
What is Fire safety training and why is it important?
Fire safety training is an important thing to understand. Nobody knows when something may happen, so therefore everyone in a business should be prepared for any situations that may happen. Training allows employees to gain the skills and knowledge of dealing with fire hazards, how to deal with them and implement policies.
Is fire safety training a legal requirement?
Yes, it is a required procedure for businesses of 1 or more people. It is a legal obligation to provide fire safety training, this means everyone should be given basic training and learn all emergency procedures in their inductions. As a business, one person must be trained to direct employees out of the building in the event of an emergency, the number of trained people depends on the size of the company, but there must be at least one.
How long does the fire safety training certificate last?
Fie safety training certificates should be renewed every 12 months from the date issued. Businesses must train their employees to regain the certificate.
Discovering alarm and assembly points
Once a fire has been discovered, the most important thing to do is to raise the fire alarm to alert everyone in the building that there is a live fire. You must make sure everyone exists the building safely and make their way to the correct assembly point.
What extinguisher do I use?
Depending on what type of fire it is, its crucial that you use the correct extinguisher, as you could make the fire worse.
Water Fire Extinguishers: Use for Class A fires and in environments like shops, schools and offices.
CO2 Fire Extinguishers: Use for Class B fires, fires caused by electricals or flammable substances.
Foam Fire Extinguishers: Use for Class A or B fires on material or electrical caused fires.
Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers: Use for Class A fires caused by textiles or flammable objects.
Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers: Use for kitchen fires where cooking oils are involved.