Like attending a first aid course, fire extinguisher training is high on the list of useful practical skills to have under your belt. Understanding how to react at the scene of a fire and how to use a fire extinguisher to dispose of the flames is not an easy task and requires specific training. Taking on a live fire is a terrifying prospect and unless you are a qualified fire-fighter, hopefully not one you will ever have to experience. However being prepared is the key. Enrol yourself on a fire extinguisher training course and learn to beat the fire before it beats you.
Within the workplace, staff members need to undergo some form of basic fire safety training when they join a company, from learning where the emergency fire exits are and where to find fire extinguishers to full fire safety training. Ensuring staff are prepared in the event of fire, means they can maintain their own safety and the safety of other people on the premises.
Larger companies may allocate a specific number of team members to act as fire safety officers. This will require receiving fire safety training and most importantly, how to use a fire extinguisher in the event of a fire. The members of staff who are put through the training are then able to advise the rest of the staff members of the basic emergency plans of actions.
Training will be necessary, for example when alterations are made to the emergency plan or to ascertain the effects of any changes in the risks to staff or other persons. Similarly if staffs are expected to assist disabled persons on the premises or if a member of staff is to become a duty manager, then training will be also be required.
There are a variety of different training options available however one of the most popular is fire extinguisher training. What is involved varies from course to course but generally trainees will focus on identifying situations in which you need to use an extinguisher and learning to select the correct extinguisher, from class A through to class F, for different types of fire.
Throughout the course, trainees will also learn to locate key areas on their business premises that require extinguishers, fire drill policies, recognising fire risks in the workplace as well as the role of staff members in the event of a fire.
Understanding the science of fire is crucial, focussing on its chemistry and the 'triangle of fire'. The hypothetical triangle, (which is in fact tetrahedron, with four elements) explains the different elements that combine together to create fire.
There must be oxygen to sustain combustion, heat to raise the material to its ignition temperature, fuel to support the combustion and a chemical reaction between these three elements. To extinguish a fire, you need to remove one of these elements. Fire prevention is all based upon keeping these four elements separate.
Training will also focus on the different theories behind combustion, what causes fire to spread, the different types of fire and common causes. Learning how to use a fire extinguisher (in controlled environments) is a key part of the training on all courses. This is essential for building confidence in the presence of a fire, whether assisting the professionals or flying solo, extinguishing a fire yourself. Upon completion of the course, trainees will be supplied with a certificate, officially recognising their skills.
Fire Extinguisher training is suitable for any members of staff responsible for fire safety. It's a low cost form of training and only takes a few hours to complete however will be absolutely invaluable to members of staff in charge of fire safety in the workplace.
Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the Company Training
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Fire Extinguisher Training and why it's important for staff to learn how to tackle a fire in the work place.
