How to provide interesting and engaging fire safety training to employees

For all employees starting a new job, mandatory fire and safety training will be one of the first things on their ‘to do’ list.

Some people may see this as a hindrance or a chore when they’re chomping at the bit to get stuck into a new role, but for a business owner, this is the perfect opportunity to instill the importance of following fire and safety regulations. Sharing this information could not only save lives but also prevent a devastating fire.

Our tried and tested way of delivering fire safety training means you and your colleagues will leave feeling informed about the dangers of fire, respectful of what could cause a fire and confident to tackle an issue.

  • Our awareness training starts with a hard-hitting introduction which explains just how fast moving and devastating a fire can be.
  • We discuss how different fires are classified and how to choose the right fire extinguisher for the job.
  • We review what valuable information firefighters need to help them tackle a fire effectively.
  • We understand the importance of physical practice, so during each course we give every candidate the opportunity to fight a real fire using our fire training rig.
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How To Improve Fire Safety in the Workplace

Now the summer is all but over and September has arrived, there’s the usual sense of renewal in the air alongside the dark nights and hints of festive cheer on the horizon. The autumnal months mark the start of the new school term for some and also a sign we should be getting back into the swing of things at work following our holidays.

It’s the perfect time of year to renew your fire and security safety measures and to review your fire risk assessments. There’s a host of things you can do yourself to check your business premises and staff are as safe and well protected as possible.

You should have dedicated fire wardens in your workplace, or people who are responsible for checking your fire precautions and fire risk assessments are up to date.

fire risk assessment points out many issues that the lay person may not be able to spot, but there are many that can and should be easily identified.

Your fire alarm system

You do test this every week, don’t you!?

If it’s working correctly, you shouldn’t be able to see any fault lights and reassuring green lights will be showing instead. If there are any orange lights, this indicates there is a fault and you should contact your fire alarm company for advice urgently. Getting your fire alarm back up and running should be a priority. It could help save lives.

Test your emergency lighting

Testing your emergency lighting is a simple job and should be carried out regularly – at least every month. To test its working properly, switch off the power and the lights should come on. Your electrician should have installed a slot next to the light which a small key known as a ‘fish key’ can be inserted into to check the lighting is working properly. If you’re unsure, ask your electrician for advice.

Service your fire extinguishers

Fire extinguishers should be serviced every year and colleagues should receive fire extinguisher training to ensure they are able and confident to use them. The main thing to remember is that all fire extinguishers should be located in easily accessible areas to grab if an emergency should occur. This is a good opportunity to check your extinguishers haven’t been hidden away in cupboards or behind stock, rather than somewhere safe but visible.

Check your escape routes and fire exits

We count on fire doors, fire exits and planned escape routes to help us evacuate a building safely and quickly in the event of a fire or emergency. Just like any fire safety equipment you have, your escape routes and fire evacuation plan should be checked regularly to ensure they are in good working order, are not blocked in any way or need updating. Fire doors should be kept closed at all times, unless they are held open with a device which closes them automatically if a fire is detected. Escape routes should be kept clear and uncluttered and fire doors should be tested regularly to check they haven’t become stuck or blocked.

fire-survey

Fire Strategy is Mightier than the Fire Stopper

Over the last year I, along with most other fire risk assessors, fire safety consultants and fire engineers, have added another string to our fire strategy bow: the Type 2 Fire Risk Assessment or, as they are more commonly known, Passive Fire Protection Surveys.

What is it?

The Passive Fire Protection Survey looks for anything that would prevent the containment of a fire or slow the spread of fire.

Type 2 Fire Risk Assessments originate from the building regulation guide for purpose-built flats but has extended into the commercial sector. This predominantly covers hotels, care homes, and other sleeping and high-rise buildings.

Why is it important?

Even modern buildings experience changes over time; extensions added, improvements made, and damages repaired. With budget and time restraints it is easy to focus on the aesthetics and functionality of the solution and let fire safety fall by the wayside. Don’t let this happen.

We cannot stress the importance of the Passive Fire Survey enough. Since delivering the surveys we have seen some shocking issues; broken fire doors, open cabling shafts that would carry fire throughout the building and service penetration from onsite works onto escape routes and stairwells.

What does it mean to you?

Furtively sealing every gap and shutting every door in the building in the name of fire safety when the fire assessors pass by isn’t enough. I’m sure instances of colleagues being batt and mastic-ed in their offices, having left the fire door ajar accidentally, happens more often than not! But as a consultant working on behalf of the client, it is our role to ensure that you do what is needed and not just close what is open.

Our comprehensive fire strategy gives all the details needed to understand the construction of your premises and the fire resistance protection required for each area; escape routes, basements, plant rooms, etc.

How can we help?

To minimise the impact of a Passive Fire Protection Survey it is worth working with your contractors if you are considering any works at your premises. Contractors are legally bound by Regulation 38 to provide fire safety information to your ‘responsible person’ at the completion of a project, or where the building or extension is first occupied. Don’t worry if you forgot to ask, the documentation can be requested for work that has been done years before. We can then use this to support your Passive Fire Protection Survey.

Should the worst happen and a fire breaks out do not let it go from bad to worse. Make sure that the fire cannot go any further with a Passive Fire Protection Survey.

smoke-detector

The Lifespan of a Smoke Detector

The smoke detector is arguably the most important mitigator in fire risk assessment. They are, of course, crucial for giving occupants early warning indication of a fire and are used to mitigate extended travel distances and risks associated with inner rooms. They can also be used in more complex installations to operate smoke ventilation systems, shut fire doors and a myriad of more life safety-critical functions. It is no surprise that it is vital that the smoke detector sounds quickly to alert occupants before a fire is a blazing inferno.

What might surprise you is that smoke detectors have a shelf life due to environmental factors and general deterioration of the component parts.

It is interesting then, as we know smoke detectors deteriorate over time, that there is nothing in place within the current industry standards which gives a replacement schedule. The only existing guidelines are manufacturer recommendations which are often interpreted as a money-making swindle.

Back in the early noughties, I worked for a large national fire and security business which initiated an annual maintenance and replacement program for devices over 10 years old. The detectors were removed and sent away for refurbishment and replaced with refurbished models.  

In 2015 one of the company’s customers had a fire in a storeroom at their multi-story office block. When the smoke got onto the escape route and reached the smoke detector nothing happened. Fortunately, a security guard spotted the smoke on a CCTV and raised the alarm. During the investigation, the CCTV showed that the engineer had tested the device the week before and the smoke detector sounded as expected. On closer inspection, we saw that the smoke spray was “injected” into the chamber whereas, in the real-life fire, the smoke did not behave like that and flowed in naturally.