A common cause of injuries sustained in fire incidents, is the failure of the occupants of a building, whether staff or members of the public, to take the appropriate action when fire is discovered or a fire alarm is raised.
A legal and essential part of the management’s duties in respect of fire safety is the training of staff. All employees, including part time members, cleaning staff and contractors etc, should be familiar with the actions to be taken in the event of any fire or fire alarm, how to call the fire and rescue service, simple fire prevention and the exit routes provided.
Fire safety training should be a continuous aspect of their employment, commencing on the first day of appointment of any new staff and continuing in the form of regular refresher training. The training should based on written instructions appropriate to their specific responsibilities in the event of emergency and should be delivered by a competent person, with any course material and topics recorded as relevant in the fire safety log book. The Government website (Opens in a new window) has further guidance on the type of training required.
Staff with specific duties in the event of fire, such as fire marshal or fire evacuation coordinator, should receive further detailed training suitable for their additional duties.
Fire instruction should be given to staff in respect of the following:
- Actions on discovering a fire
- Hearing the fire alarm
- Assembly points
- Calling the Fire and Rescue Service
- Awareness of portable fire equipment
- If suitably trained the use of fire extinguishers
There are different types of training, which varies depending on the role of the individual within a business.
To discuss this more please call Fire and Light on 01246 211302