Fire Safety Training

Fire safety training

Employee training

The actions of employees if there is a fire are likely to be crucial to their safety and that of other people in the premises. All employees should receive basic fire safety induction training and attend refresher sessions at pre-determined intervals.

You should ensure that all employee and contractors are told about the Fire Emergency Plan and are shown the escape routes.

The training should take account of the findings of the fire risk assessment and be easily understood by all those attending. It should include the role that employees will be expected to carry out if a fire occurs. This may vary in large premises, with some employees being appointed as fire marshals or being given some other particular role for which additional training will be required.

As a minimum all employees should receive training about:

the items listed in your Fire Emergency Plan;
the importance of fire doors and other basic fire-prevention measures;
where relevant, the appropriate use of firefighting equipment;
the importance of reporting to the assembly area;
exit routes and the operation of exit devices, including physically walking these routes;
general matters such as permitted smoking areas or restrictions on cooking other than in designated areas; and
assisting disabled persons where necessary.

Training is necessary:

when employees start employment or are transferred into the premises;
when changes have been made to the Fire Emergency Plan and the preventive and protective measures;
where working practices and processes or people’s responsibilities change;
to take account of any changed risks to the safety of employees or other relevant persons;
to ensure that employees know what they have to do to safeguard themselves and others on the premises;
where employees are expected to assist disabled persons; and
if employees may take on the role of duty manager.

Training should be repeated as often as necessary and should take place during working hours.

Whatever training you decide is necessary to support your fire safety strategy and Fire Emergency Plan, it should be verifiable.

Enforcing authorities may want to examine records as evidence that adequate training has been given.

Fire marshals

employees expected to undertake the role of fire marshals (often called fire wardens) would require more comprehensive training. Their role may include:

helping those on the premises to leave;
checking the premises to ensure everyone has left;
using firefighting equipment if safe to do so;
liaising with the fire and rescue service on arrival;
shutting down vital or dangerous equipment; and
performing a supervisory/managing role in any fire situation.

Training for this role may include:

detailed knowledge of the fire safety strategy of the premises;
awareness of human behaviour in fires;
how to encourage others to use the most appropriate escape route;
how to search safely and recognise areas that are unsafe to enter;
the difficulties that some people, particularly if disabled, may have in escaping and any special evacuation arrangements that have been pre-planned;
additional training in the use of firefighting equipment;
an understanding of the purpose of any fixed firefighting equipment such as sprinklers or gas flooding systems; and
reporting of faults, incidents and near misses.

HELP: Contact Force Fire Consultants on 0800 1692 490. We have the ex fire officers who are competent having trained as operational fire fighters and as fire safety officers in a fire authority, many in the London Fire Brigade.

We can give you the help that you need at less cost than you will spend in time trying to understand what you have to do for compliance. Talk to us with no obligation and no hard sales tactics from us.

Capabilities

Training Courses
How to carry out a fire risk assessment
Fire safety awareness for all employees
Fire safety training for fire wardens
Fire warden responsibilities
Fire evacuation procedure
Type & use of fire fighting equipment
Practical use of fire extinguishers
Additional training bespoke to your particular needs

Information Request Form

Please complete your details and submit your request to Force Fire Consultancy.