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]]>Fire safety training covers elements of both of these things. After all, nobody wants a fire to break out in their workplace, but everyone needs to know exactly what to do in the event of an emergency.
For this reason, it’s essential that everyone in your workplace has at least a basic level of fire safety training (achieved by completing a course such as our online Fire Safety Training), with larger teams needing to appoint a fire warden or fire marshal who will take a lead responsibility for fire safety in your workplace (after completing a course such as our online Fire Warden/Marshal Training).
What is fire safety training?
So, now we’re all clear on our responsibility to complete fire safety training. But what exactly is a fire safety training course? Surely, we all have enough common sense already to know how to stop a fire from breaking out, and we all know to run away from fire in the event of an emergency… Right?
Well, actually, there’s quite a lot of important life-saving information you can learn from a fire safety training course that probably didn’t cross your mind before. The simplest of mistakes can lead to the most serious of consequences in a real-life emergency, which is why it’s essential for you to understand the theory behind fire safety and have a practical knowledge of how to get yourself and your colleagues safely out of a life-threatening situation with as little damage as possible.
Below are just some of the essential topics a fire safety training course will cover:
The different types of fire
All fire is big, orange, scary-looking, and can be put out by using the extinguisher in your office corridor, right?
Actually, wrong. There are different types of fire, with different causes and colours, and attempting to put a fire out with the wrong extinguisher could actually result in you losing your life.
A good fire safety training course will teach you the different types of fire, including electrical fires, fires caused by oils and fats, fires caused by flammable liquids, and many more. A fire safety training course will also teach you the different means of combustion for each of these fires, and why different extinguishers must be used to safely put each fire out.
The different types of fire extinguisher
Following on from your knowledge of the different types of fire, a good fire safety training course will teach you the different types of fire extinguisher and how to choose which one to use in the event of an emergency.
You might have already noticed that many buildings have multiple fire extinguishers, often hanging all together and looking slightly different. The coloured labels on a fire extinguisher coordinate with their type and what they are used for.
A good example of this is that not all fire extinguishers contain water, as many people tend to believe. Other extinguishing substances, such as powder and foam, are used to put out a fire, but it’s important to know that you can actually make a fire worse or risk your life if you try to extinguish a fire with the wrong type of extinguisher.
Understanding what a fire actually is
The best way to know how to deal with a fire is to understand exactly what a fire is. Yes, we all know fires can be scary, destructive, and dangerous, but could you honestly explain how a fire starts and what chemical processes happen in order to extinguish a flame?
A good fire safety training course such as our online Fire Safety Training or Fire Warden/Marshal Training will teach you to “know your enemy” and will give you a deeper understanding of how fires begin, how they continue to burn, and how you can fully (and safely) extinguish a fire.
This is important stuff to know if you ever find yourself in a burning building, because this depth of knowledge will help you to understand exactly how fires spread, and how they can so easily and quickly transform from a tiny ember, to an easily controlled fire, to a deadly blaze.
The fire triangle
If you haven’t heard of the fire triangle before, a good fire safety training course will teach you exactly what it is and how you can break it.
The fire triangle is made up of the three elements that start a fire. In order to fully extinguish a fire, one of these elements needs to be taken away. Fire safety training will teach you the three different elements and how to safely break the fire triangle to put out a flame and reduce the risk to life in an emergency.
Risk assessments and the law surrounding fire safety
Every business owner in the United Kingdom has a responsibility to provide fire safety training if they have more than one employee. This is just one step in the fire safety process, however, as almost every business will be required to complete fire risk assessments, install the appropriate fire safety equipment, and appoint at least one member of staff to take lead responsibility for fire safety on the property.
A good fire training course will teach you about fire risk assessments and how to create one that is unique to your business. You will also learn about the laws surrounding fire safety and how they relate to you, as well as the role all of this plays in relation to keeping you, your staff, and customers safe at work.
Want more information about fire safety training?
Give our friendly customer support team a call on 01327 552160 if you’d like more information about fire safety training, or to receive a tailor-made quote for your team. Alternatively, you can use the live chat feature available on this website to chat to us, or drop us an email at hello@smarthorizons.co.uk today.
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]]>Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
In every workplace across the United Kingdom, fire safety training is a good idea. In an ideal world, everyone would take a fire safety course. After all, it’s such an important topic to have a good knowledge of, and it can quite literally save lives. However, if you’re focused more on what training you absolutely need to complete rather than the training you should ideally complete, you’ll want to know: is fire safety training mandatory?
Who needs fire safety training?
First of all, let’s take a look at who in your team absolutely needs to complete fire safety training.
Generally speaking, if you have one or more employees or volunteers working in your business, you have a legal duty as an employer to provide fire safety training. So, this means that everyone on your team should take a fire safety training course. Moreover, they should be familiarised with your company’s fire safety process and escape routes during their induction.
In larger teams, you are required by law to have at least one person designated as the fire warden or fire marshal. This is someone who takes responsibility for fire safety within your team and has a greater depth of training in order to carry out their duties. You may ask yourself; is fire safety training mandatory if my business has a small team of 1-3 people? Well, ideally, for maximum safety, every business should have one of these regardless of size.
As always, when it comes to fire safety training, it is better to be safe than sorry. Instead of asking yourself who needs fire safety training, you should be questioning why an individual on your team shouldn’t be trained. At the end of the day, we are all equal in an emergency situation, and everyone needs to know what to do to save their life and the lives of others, and how to prevent the risk of fire in the first place.
Is fire safety training mandatory if I work alone?
If you are self-employed or otherwise work alone, fire safety training should be just as important to you as it would be if you were employed in a larger team. In many roles, fire safety training will still be a legal requirement, particularly if your work involves spending time on other companies’ premises or in buildings such as schools and hospitals.
What can happen if I don’t take a fire safety training course?
Of course, the first and most important risk to you if you fail to complete a fire safety training course is that a fire could break out on your premises. If you’re lucky, this will mean you escape with serious damage to a room or two on your property, but in the worst-case scenario, a fire can kill you and your staff and literally burn your business to ash.
Let’s make no mistake here: Fire is deadly. At best, it is destructive. Thousands of businesses across the United Kingdom learn this lesson the hard way every single year.
However, the damage and loss caused by fire shouldn’t be your only concern. Even if you get away with a lucky escape, serious legal action could be taken against you if you are found to be neglecting your duty to keep up to date with fire safety training, especially in the event of a fire breaking out on your property.
This could mean prosecution or facing severe fines. You could lose your business, your job, and your reputation—and these losses would only be the least of your worries if a fire took hold and caused injuries or death.
How do I take fire safety training?
It’s really simple nowadays to complete fire safety training. Fully verifiable fire safety training courses are available to complete entirely online with accredited training providers such as us at the Fire Training Company.
Many businesses prefer to take fire safety training online for ease of access. For example, our accredited online courses can be taken 24/7, with the option to pause and restart exactly where you left off as many times as you need to. Fully verifiable fire safety training certificates are available to download instantly upon successful completion of the course.
What’s more, our unique online learning management system is great for individuals or for teams who want to keep track of all staff training in one central online location. With detailed records available at the touch of a button, we make it really easy to stay on top of your essential training, with the ability to schedule automatic reminders whenever a certificate is due to expire.
Can I take fire safety training in-person?
If you’re not much of a tech person, or if you’d rather get hands-on with your fire safety training, we have a dedicated team of experienced fire safety trainers based all across the country. These individuals are ex-emergency services personnel and they’re all highly knowledgeable about fire safety.
In addition, our fire safety trainers can visit you on-site, or you can book onto a course at one of our training centres, subject to availability. From fire extinguisher training to fire marshal training, or our regular fire safety training courses, we can deliver the training that’s best for your needs.
For more information about fire safety training, or to find out our trainers’ availability, please get in touch with our friendly customer support team by calling us on 01327 552160 or drop us an email at hello@smarthorizons.co.uk today.
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]]>We say “additional responsibility” because everyone in your workplace should have a basic understanding of fire safety and should know what to do to prevent a fire from breaking out. But what does a fire warden do? A fire warden is someone who oversees this activity and maintains accurate fire safety records, as well as being trained to take a lead role in getting everyone to safety in the event of an emergency. Your fire warden might also be the person responsible for arranging fire safety training for all staff including themselves.
What does a fire warden do?
When it comes to fire safety, there are lots of additional tasks and responsibilities that need to be carried out by a designated person such as your fire warden in order to keep your premises safe from the risks associated with fire. In fact, larger buildings or schools may need more than one fire warden to carry out such tasks.
These routine tasks can include any of the following and more, depending on your workplace:
- Conducting fire risk assessments
- Maintaining an accurate record of when fire safety equipment was last tested
- Arranging or carrying out tests of fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers and smoke alarms
- Testing the fire alarms on a frequent basis
- Being the responsible person for all fire-related concerns
- Checking all fire doors, emergency exits, and escape routes are free of blockage or debris and are safe to use
- Keeping the property clear of litter, waste, debris, and any other combustible materials
- Creating or knowing the whereabouts of PEEPs (personal emergency evacuation plans) for any vulnerable persons in your workplace
- Arranging verifiable fire safety training for your team
What responsibilities does a fire warden have in the event of an emergency?
While all of the above responsibilities are preventative measures, there is always going to be some level of risk that a fire might break out in your workplace. Because of this, a fire warden has extra responsibility for ensuring the safety of all staff, the building, and their own life.
Therefore, in the event of a real-life emergency, a fire warden’s duties might include any of the following:
- Helping vulnerable people in your workplace to safety according to their PEEPs
- Informing the emergency services of any PEEPs upon their arrival at the scene
- Raising the alarm for a fire
- Contacting the emergency services
- Doing a “sweep” of the building to ensure everyone is safe and/or able to evacuate (though it’s important to remember that a fire warden should never put their own life at risk in order to this—the emergency services will take over if there’s an immediate danger standing in the way of this duty)
- Closing all fire doors to keep the fire at bay and help to reduce the risk of damage
- Taking the register at the emergency assembly point
What training does a fire warden need?
To suit the needs of their role, a fire warden will need a different level of fire safety training than the rest of the staff in your business.
Everyone in your workplace should have at least a basic level of fire safety training, which can be achieved by completing an online fire safety course such as our Online Fire Safety Training. In many workplaces and settings, this is required by law, so your business might face high fines or serious legal consequences if any of your staff is found to be without a valid fire safety training certificate.
However, a fire warden will need to complete a course specifically developed for fire wardens or marshals, such as our Online Fire Warden/Marshal Training. These courses are designed to teach fire wardens all the basics of fire training that would typically be found in a basic fire safety training course, as well as the additional information they will need in order to carry out their role effectively. Fire warden training will include advice on how to conduct fire risk assessments and check on fire escape routes and exits, plus life-saving advice for how to react in the event of a real fire in your workplace.
Does a fire warden not have to be trained in person?
Because modern online fire safety training courses are so advanced, it’s no longer necessary for fire wardens to be trained in a face-to-face setting as long as they are taking a verifiable online fire warden training course with a reputable training provider. Our online courses are all accredited, fully verifiable, and developed by a dedicated team of fire safety experts, many of whom also have direct experience of teaching face-to-face fire safety courses.
Click here now to view our available suite of accredited online fire safety training courses.
Online fire warden training is by far the most convenient, time- and money-saving option, but we know there are also benefits to training in a face-to-face setting too. That’s why we have a team of trainers based around the country to deliver in-person fire warden training to groups of up to 20 trainees.
Our trainers are all experienced ex-emergency services personnel who can teach you everything you need to know about fire safety and even give you hands-on experience with using a fire extinguisher, location and weather conditions permitting.
Where can I take fire warden training?
If you’d like to start a fire warden training course today, simply click here now to browse our available online or face-to-face training options. All of our online courses are available 24/7 and can be started immediately after purchase. You can download a verifiable fire training certificate straight away upon successful completion too.
Alternatively, you can give our friendly customer support team a call on 01327 552160 or email us at hello@smarthorizons.co.uk to discuss your training needs and to receive a personalised quote for your training.
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]]>Fire safety training for employees explained
With so many options to choose from, it can get confusing to figure out which course is best for you and your team. Indeed, certain individuals in your workplace may need to take a different level of training than other staff if they have an added responsibility for fire safety.
It’s important to ensure that your training is accredited and that it comes from a reputable training provider. Some certificates aren’t accepted as suitable evidence during inspection by the local authority. Moreover, in the event of an emergency, it’s best to have your staff properly trained, for their safety, and your training requirements covered in case of investigation.
So, what should fire safety training at work cover?
An understanding of why fire safety is so important
In order for fire safety training to have an impact on your staff, it’s important to choose a course that explains why fire safety is so important. This will help you to place your training into the context of a real-life situation or working environment. This training isn’t just another box checked on some paperwork but a serious, potentially life-saving part of your professional development.
The different types of fire extinguisher
There are many different types of fire, categorised by their causes and how to extinguish them. Inadequate knowledge in this regard could actually make the fire worse; you should know which fire extinguisher to use, for example.
The fire triangle
Part of understanding each different type of fire is the understanding of how a fire starts. A good fire training course will go into detail about the ways in which a fire breaks out, what fire actually is, what makes a fire continue to burn, and how to break the fire triangle.
Understanding how to break the fire triangle is vital here; removing one of heat, fuel and oxygen will collapse the fire. Whilst this sounds relatively simple, knowing how to do it in practice is far more complicated.
How to apply your knowledge to a real-life emergency in the workplace
It’s crucial to understand what starts a fire and how to extinguish one. However, it’s perhaps even more important to know how to prevent a fire in the first place.
A proper fire training course should cover the basics of fire prevention. This should include necessary procedures, identification of potential fires and methods of escape, as some examples. You might also be surprised to learn about some of the laws and legislation surrounding fire doors. In particular, how much you could be fined for blocking or propping a fire door open!
How to use fire extinguishers
Your workplace should be stocked with plenty of fire extinguishers at various locations around the site. However, in the event of an emergency, would you know how to use one? You’ve probably already noticed that there is more than one type of fire extinguisher. In a good fire safety training course, you’ll be taught about the different types of fire extinguisher, how to activate it and how to use it to fight fires.
The laws regarding fire safety for employees
When it comes to fire safety, the law is very clear, and the consequences of making a mistake can be life-changing. Needless to say, you need to have an awareness of the legislation surrounding fire safety and how it relates to you and your business.
Can I arrange online training for my employees?
If your team is smaller, or if you would rather train in such a way that allows you to keep your business running as usual without the need to pull staff from their duties, we also offer a selection of accredited online fire safety training courses.
Our online fire safety training courses teach you everything you need to know about fire safety to fall in line with the current government legislation and legal guidance. Within just 1 to 2 hours of learning time, upon successful completion of the final assessment, you can download your fully verifiable fire safety training certificate.
Online fire safety training is great for busy teams, saving you the administrative headache of keeping up to date with all staff training records. Our unique online learning management system allows your administrator(s) to see who has or hasn’t completed their fire safety training as well as whose certificates are getting close to their expiry date. What’s more, our system will automatically send reminders to staff when it’s getting close to the time of needing to renew their fire safety training.
Speak to our friendly customer support team, contact us by calling 01327 552160 or email hello@smarthorizons.co.uk today.
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]]>So, who can give fire safety training? In the workplace, those who have adequate knowledge of fire prevention and/or the designated fire warden can give others fire safety training. However, it is more important that there is good evidence of this training for the fire inspector.
Where can I take a fire safety course?
The most convenient place to take fire safety training is online.
We also offer group training in face-to-face settings under the supervision of a qualified fire trainer (one of our team of ex-firefighters!).
Some face-to-face fire safety training courses are also delivered in a central location and allow learners from all sorts of backgrounds to participate in the group. Subsequently, this option is most popular with individuals.
Who are our fire safety trainers?
Our team of fire safety trainers travel across the country to deliver face-to-face fire training courses. Our trainers are all experienced ex-emergency services personnel. Consequently, they are well-equipped to contextualise your training within a real-life emergency.
Do I need to be trained by an experienced fire safety trainer?
If you’ve already decided against online fire safety training and would prefer to learn face-to-face, we highly recommend you receive your education from an experienced trainer.
There are many reasons to learn with an experienced trainer. Firstly, their extensive knowledge and experience will help iron out the small details and questions your team may have. Moreover, they can direct you in the way of resources, tools and further learning.
Additionally, taking a course with one of our educators means you’ll receive a verifiable certificate upon completion. This certificate is the best form of training evidence to provide to a fire inspector.
Is it essential to have a fire safety training certificate?
So, whilst a certificate itself is not essential, proper fire safety training is a legal requirement.
What’s more, in many workplaces, you will be inspected on your fire safety training and procedures. Having a valid fire safety training certificate for each member of staff is easy, verifiable proof of proper fire education.
Can one member of staff complete fire safety training and then teach it to everyone else in their workplace?
Cascade training is when one member of staff completes a course, before returning to the workplace to pass that information onto everyone else. For the reasons mentioned above, cascade training is not a responsible way of educating your staff in proper fire safety.
Moreover, if you place the responsibility of training everybody in the workplace onto one member of staff, the level of training everyone else receives will likely be subpar. It certainly won’t be verifiable; your staff will not receive a certificate from a reputable training provider upon completion of the course.
Find out more
If you’d like to learn more about verifiable fire safety training, or to arrange immediate training for yourself and your team, please get in touch with our friendly customer support team today. You can call us on 01327 552160 or email us at hello@smarthorizons.co.uk. Alternatively, use the live chat feature available on this website to chat to us during office hours.
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]]>However, if you make fire safety a priority in your workplace, a real-life emergency shouldn’t have to end in disaster. In fact, regular fire safety training can help you to react to a real fire with an educated response, giving you and your colleagues a greater chance of making it to safety faster, and even lowering your building’s chances of being seriously damaged in a fire.
Here are our top fire evacuation procedures do’s and don’ts to help you know what to do when a fire alarm goes off in your workplace.
DO: React quickly
There’s no time to waste when it comes to a real-life fire. This is an emergency situation, so as soon as you hear a fire alarm, get yourself out of your seat and exit the building via the fire exits as quickly as possible. Fire spreads fast, and you don’t always know how long you’ve got before your means of escape are blocked. This means there’s no time to go back for any personal items or to grab your lunch out of the fridge—grab whatever you need that is within reach and evacuate the building immediately.
DON’T: Ignore a fire alarm
No matter if you’re used to hearing the fire alarms being tested or getting set off by someone in the kitchen burning their toast—if you hear a fire alarm, you should never ignore it. Treat every alarm as a real fire evacuation procedure and vacate immediately. Ignoring a fire alarm could quite seriously cost you your life.
Did you know that based on a workplace experiment, 13% of people ignored a fire alarm and carried on working, around a quarter would look to others to see their reaction before acting out, and only 4% would attempt to find the fire?
DO: Practice fire evacuation procedures regularly
It isn’t enough to simply test your fire alarms regularly. You also need to make sure that everyone in your workplace is familiar with the evacuation process in the event of a fire, so practice evacuating regularly too. Every time you hear the fire alarm go off, your immediate response should be to evacuate to safety without stopping to wonder if today’s alarm is a fire drill or the real thing.
DON’T: Leave fire doors open
This advice should be taken at all times, not only in the event of an evacuation. Do not leave fire doors open for any length of time. They must always be kept closed. Most fire doors can hold a fire back for around 30 minutes, buying you valuable time during a real-life evacuation. This is why you should close every fire door you walk through at all times, but especially so in the event of a fire.
DO: Have a designated fire warden or marshal to enact fire evacuation procedures
Every workplace should have at least one designated person who is responsible for fire safety, typically referred to as the fire warden or fire marshal. This individual will be the one who takes a register in the event of a fire evacuation and liaises with the emergency services about all necessary fire-related information. Where possible, they will also be responsible for ensuring that everyone evacuates the building safely.
To become a fully qualified fire marshal or fire warden, we recommend taking the face-to-face fire warden training course.
DON’T: Block fire escape routes
Although fire escape routes might not be used often, you should never block a fire escape route or otherwise make it inaccessible in the event of an emergency. At all times, keep fire exits clear of obstacles. This includes any pathway, room, or corridor leading up to the fire exit, both inside and outside the building. You will need clear access in the event of a real fire. If the room was full of thick smoke and there was no light to see, would you be able to get to the fire escape routes quickly, safely, and without obstruction?
DO: Create PEEPs in your fire evacuation procedures for vulnerable individuals
A PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) is a plan designed for individuals with disabilities or vulnerabilities who might not be able to evacuate a building via the regular fire escape routes in the event of an emergency. Everyone this applies to in your building should have a tailor-made PEEP, which the fire warden/marshal and any other responsible persons should be aware of in order to pass the information on to the emergency services when they arrive at the scene.
DON’T: Return to a building that is on fire
Under no circumstances should you ever re-enter a building that is on fire. Doing so could seriously endanger your life, as there is no way of being certain that you will find your way out of the building again. Evacuate to safety and remain out of the building until either the emergency services arrive and declare the building safe to enter, or the evacuation is confirmed as a false alarm.
DO: Have a clear assembly point in you fire evacuation procedures plan
You should have an assembly point for everyone in your building to gather at in the event of a fire. This should be a safe distance from the building and should be clearly signposted to avoid confusion. Make sure that everyone in your building assembles at this point when the fire alarm goes off, at least until a register has been taken, so that there is no confusion over anybody’s whereabouts.
ALWAYS: Take fire safety training
Fire safety training can prepare you with life-saving knowledge about what to do and how to act on you fire evacuation procedures.
Click here now to browse our available online fire safety courses, or if you would like to learn in a face-to-face environment with an experienced ex-emergency services trainer, please click here to learn more about our face-to-face fire safety training courses.
For more information about our accredited fire safety training courses, or to speak to a member of our friendly customer support team, you can get in touch by calling the office on 01327 552160, email us at hello@smarthorizons.co.uk, or use the live chat feature available on this website to chat to us during office hours.
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]]>Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Think for a moment, if you will, about that big clock on Countdown. In the 30 seconds that it takes for that clock to time each round, a potentially disastrous fire could also start in your workplace. Two minutes after that, the fire could have spread enough to do serious damage, resulting in an average cost of over £20,000. In just five minutes, someone could fall victim to a fatal level of smoke inhalation. Preventing these rapid fires, then, is vital; to do so, you must understand the common causes of workplace fire. Here’s the top 5.
Human error
Whilst all mistakes may be created equal, some are deadlier than others.
If you work in a workshop or somewhere with very obviously flammable materials, you likely have many day-to-day microroutines in place to prevent catastrophe. In terms of probability, such measures reduce risk to a minimal level.
However, human error is often more prevalent in workplaces which superficially seem innocuous, with regards to fire. Untested kitchen appliances, overloaded plug sockets and deactivated smoke alarms are just a few of the possible harbingers of fire in your workplace, all caused by human error.
Faulty electrics
In the modern workplace, there is often a plethora of potential sources of electrical fire. Badly wired plugs and broken cables can provide the ignition needed for fire.
Regular PAT testing and some common sense will reduce the danger here. However, note that in some cases, perfectly safe and adequately-tested equipment can still be a danger if neglected.
One equipment problem every firefighter will be familiar with is the danger posed by cheap, imported personal device chargers. A poorly-constructed charger or battery using low-quality components can explode, leak and cause fire.
Negligence
A startling amount of workplace fires are caused by simply not caring about the risk, not recognising negligent behaviour or not following safe practices. Negligence should always be challenged and rectified, regardless of whether the neglected item is a toaster or a forklift.
Flammable materials
There are a wide range of regularly-used materials in almost every workplace that can ignite or even explode. There are both obvious and less-obvious examples; petrol and gasoline can cause fires but so too can paper stationery in the office.
Paper and packaging materials are one of the most common causes of workplace fire. Where items such as flammable liquids are present, your workplace should have CoSHH and other safety controls in place. However, there are no formal controls in place to stop sunlight reflecting through a glass of water and igniting paper on a desk, for example, or a smouldering cigarette from igniting a pile of old cardboard. Be vigilant.
Arson
Sadly, a large percentage of fires are malicious in nature, either as revenge or vandalism. While there is probably little you can do to stop a determined arsonist, never ignore other signs that the workplace is being visited by unwanted guests.
Broken fences, external graffiti and so on can all indicate that you could be at risk. Similarly, never dismiss threats of attacks by disgruntled employees or even customers.
Conclusion
Recognising and reacting to a potential fire hazard is the basis of an effective policy that will have a real impact on your fire safety. Thinking in terms of general areas like the ones above will help define the potential risks in your specific circumstances.
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]]>The importance of fire safety
In any non-domestic premises across the United Kingdom, it is a legal duty for all employees, employers, owners, managers, and any other responsible persons to take accountability for fire safety. This duty even extends to include common areas of houses of multiple occupation and in some cases, self-employed persons’ workspaces within the home.
Fire safety training is an essential component in maintaining a safe working environment and can quite literally save lives. We shouldn’t have to tell you that fire is incredibly dangerous and can get out of control extremely quickly. Every year in the United Kingdom, thousands of individuals are injured by fire, and hundreds of others are killed in fire-related incidents. Fire is a serious risk that you should be doing everything in your power to prevent at all times.
As long as you keep up to date with your expected fire safety training and processes, you minimise the risk of a fire breaking out and causing accident or injury on your premises. Subsequently, you reduce your chances of becoming the victim of a fire-related injury or death.
However, it’s important to understand that fire can still break out even in environments where everybody is trained, and this is exactly why a good knowledge of fire safety is essential for all staff. You need to know what to do in order to protect yourself in the event of an emergency and be aware of the steps you can take to prevent harm from coming to anyone else on your premises too.
Fire safety training
In many workplaces, fire safety training is often part of your staff induction and something that you will be required to refresh on a regular basis (typically, refresher courses are taken annually). Training can be taken on your premises, online, or off-premises, but it should always be taken with a verifiable training provider such as the us, and you should ensure that you receive an evidencable fire safety training certificate at the end of your course.
While there will be certain individuals in your workplace who are responsible for arranging training and implementing fire safety (these are usually the fire wardens, fire marshals, or the responsible persons), you should be aware that when it comes down to legal repercussions, everyone in your workplace is responsible and can be held accountable for fire safety if mistakes are made.
Because of this, employers, business owners, and managers need to bear in mind that the most effective way of ensuring all staff are knowledgeable about fire safety is to provide everyone with access to a verifiable fire safety training course. And yes, it is a criminal offence to overlook fire safety training. If a fire occurs and an investigation then reveals that you did not take appropriate measures to meet the requirements of the Regulatory Reform Act 2005, you could face severe consequences such as large fines, loss of reputation, and even imprisonment.
Who enforces fire safety law?
Failure to adequately train your staff in fire safety is just one of the ways in which you can face prosecution for overlooking your legal duty. It is also possible to face severe consequences for certain workplace mistakes related to fire safety, and you might be surprised to learn how harmless some of these actions appear to be.
For example, did you know that it’s an offence to tamper with fire equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire blankets, and alarms? Yes, that’s right, you can face large fines and legal action if you’re found to be misusing such equipment on your premises. This includes using fire extinguishers to prop doors open and tampering with any signage related to fire safety (including fire exit signs).
Similarly, it can be an offence to make a false mark in any registers, logs, or any other fire-related document (such as your fire risk assessment). This means you cannot simply mark a fire extinguisher as having been inspected unless you have personally inspected it or seen somebody else do so. Assumptions or lies can make way for seriously harmful risks.
You might also be surprised to find out about the fines for such offences. Did you know, if you are found to be propping open a fire door, you will be fined per door that is propped open? This means double the fine for propping open a double fire door. And if you’re found to be propping open a fire door with a fire extinguisher…well, you get the drift!
It is an offence to misuse fire equipment at any time. In the event of a real fire, however, if it’s discovered that you were misusing equipment, this will lead to significant further damage to your property and it will also result in much more severe consequences for you and any staff. Fortunately, a fire safety training course will teach you everything you need to know about the correct use and maintenance of fire equipment on your premises, so it is always best to err on the side of caution and ensure that you and your staff are appropriately trained before any mistakes are made.
What you can do
We deliver face-to-face and online fire safety training to individuals who work in a wide range of sectors, so we know that there’s no excuse for an employer to avoid training their staff with verifiable fire safety training.
With our online fire safety training courses, budget need not be an issue, as our training is convenient and cost-effective, with courses starting from as little as £15.00 plus VAT per person. There’s no need to take time out of work to complete a course either, as our online fire safety training can be taken entirely online in just 1 to 2 hours, with a verifiable fire safety training certificate available to download immediately on successful completion. Click here now to view our available online fire safety training courses.
If you’d rather learn in a face-to-face environment with one of our experienced ex-emergency services personnel trainers, why not click here to learn more about our face-to-face fire safety training courses?
For more information about fire safety training, you can always give our office a call on 01327 552160 or email hello@smarthorizons.co.uk anytime. Alternatively, use the live chat feature on this website to chat to us during office hours.
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