Training For The Nominated Fire Warden
General training might be as simple as showing new staff the fire exits and giving basic training on what to do in the event of a fire but nominated individuals with specific responsibilities regarding fire safety must be provided with the relevant training. The most common and perhaps best recognised fire safety ‘official’ is the Fire Warden, who must be provided with training that is relevant to their responsibilities and duties.
Typical training content should include:
· What to do on discovering a fire
· How to raise the alarm
· What to do upon hearing the fire alarm
· The evacuation procedures for everyone in your organisation
· What not to do in the event of a fire
· Assembly point duties
· Fire Extinguishers (theory and practical)
· The location of escape routes (especially those not in regular use)
· The importance of fire doors
· The importance of general fire safety
All training should be tailored to the individual workplace. All organisations will be different from one another and training should be relevant to particular features, contents, procedures and occupancy profile, which will all be based on the outcome of your fire risk assessment.
The Fire Safety (Employees’ Capabilities) (England) Regulations 2010
These Regulations apply to England only and require employers to take into consideration their employees capabilities when entrusting them with tasks related to fire safety. This is as regards to health and safety. It came about since the RRO came into force, which created a small gap in relation to this, so was filled in to ensure it was clearly understood. It basically reinforces what the RRO meant to say. ‘Every employer must, in entrusting tasks to employees take into account their capabilities as regards health and safety, so far as those responsibilities relate to fire.’
Other Responsibilities and Duties
The role of the Responsible Person is not meant to be tackled in isolation. The RRO makes provision for the delegation of duties and responsibilities to the Fire Warden. It not only makes sense in terms of efficiency to broaden the responsibility across the organisation but also in terms of widening the fire safety message and organisational commitment and participation. Good housekeeping and attention to detail reinforces the importance of fire safety. Fire Safety should be an ongoing and recognisable on a day to day basis.
Why Training?
So why should the responsible person and/or the organisation undertake Fire Warden training for their key personnel? Fire Wardens need to have a basic understanding of what causes a fire, how it spreads and how it can be controlled. In addition, they need to understand their role and be competent to use fire fighting equipments if procedures and policies state to do so. Fire Wardens are an aiding help regarding fire safety and it should come naturally, everyday.
Fire Wardens are a fundamental element of fire safety in the workplace, especially in the event of a fire, where evacuations procedures must be acted upon. For further information on fire warden training please do not hesitate to contact us at Solutions Fire Safety on 0845 601 2632 or alternatively email service@solutionsfire.co.uk
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