Keeping the workplace safe from fire is critical and employers are legally obliged to ensure staff have fire training. This isnt simply a matter of learning how to use fire extinguishers and practising evacuations, although these are, of course, really important elements of any fire training, but its also important to include background information about fire and fire behaviour - a little bit of science.
So, to help understand fire and fire behaviour a good
Fire training programme will include some basic science - the science of fire.
All fires require the presence of fuel, oxygen and heat, and removing one or more of these elements extinguishes the fire.This is why smothering a fire puts it out - it removes the oxygen. Understanding the logical reasons why to take steps such as these make fire safety easier to understand and therefore more memorable. Fire training should cover these points.
When a fire is doused with water the water takes out the heat and this puts the fire out. However, if hot oil catches fire and you douse it with water the water will sink to the bottom of the pan (because water is heavier than oil), and the water becomes incredibly hot. The steam produced then forces the burning oil to burst upwards and outwards - making matters much worse - so NEVER try to put out this type of fire with water.
If the fire has enough fuel and heat it can spread throughout the workplace via conduction, convection and radiation. Conduction is the movement of heat through a material, and metals are great conductors. For example, if a metal door handle is hot then there is heat on the other side of the door, and it should not be opened. Convection is the movement of heat through air currents. Smoke rises until it hits an obstruction, such as the ceiling, so the air near the floor is cooler and clearer, meaning it makes sense to keep low in smoky conditions. Radiation is heat spreading from one object to another through an empty space. Smoke can spread very quickly through a building, usually ahead of a fire, so keeping fire doors closed also helps to stop smoke quickly spreading to escape routes.
Employees need to understand the importance of not tackling a fire unless it is safe to to so. A fire should only be tackled if one person can put it out with one fire extinguisher and if that person is confident that they are capable of doing so. If a person realises that they cant extinguish a fire they must leave, after all, safety comes first. An employee should never try to put a fire out with a fire extinguisher unless they know how to use it.
Fire training will cover which types of fire extinguishers are for which types of fire, as using the wrong one can be worse than doing nothing at all.
An understanding of what to do if the worst does happen is also a vital element of good fire training: fire training must increase the chance of keeping staff safe. Understanding the raising the alarm and evacuation procedures must be included in a good fire training programme.
So before choosing fire training for staff, make sure it contains all the important fire safety information, is clear, easy to understand and engaging. Holding attention is important because the information must be digested and retained. Interactivity ensures participation and a careful mix of video, graphics, animations, diagrams and text keeps interest high. The fire training you choose has to make you feel staff will be safer, so your company will be safer too.
