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Fire Safety Training - What You Should Know

Australian Workplace OHS Laws specifies that all owners of commercial properties are required to protect every individual who attends your building from the risk of fire as best they can. This can be a laborious exercise considering there is much involved in typical fire safety training, including evaluating all the risks and hazards specific to your building and fitting the relevant fire safety equipment such as fire extinguishers and fire detectors. Having said that, the cost of human life is nothing in comparison. If your landlord hasn't given a sufficient quantity of resources to manage your staff in fire safety procedures, then you should get in touch as soon as possible to discuss appropriate fire prevention plans.

A few years ago, I was working in a typical office job and fire safety was drilled into all employees every few months. Whilst it was a bit of an inconvenience to stop work instantly and follow the relevant protocols, I'm lucky that my employer supplied the time and money to thoroughly train their staff in all factors of fire safety. It seemed as if we performed test evacuations every month and fire equipment training was provided at least every six months, including which fire extinguishers are appropriate for certain types of fires. After a couple of years, I could have followed fire safety protocols unconsciously. So with a solid understanding of fire safety in the office, I'd like to shed some light into what everyone should understand about fire safety training and procedures.

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What Is Fire Safety Training?

Fire safety training entails all components of dealing with a fire in your building. From which evacuation path is most suitable, including assisting the elderly and impaired, to extinguishing small fires with fire extinguishers or fire blankets. Obviously, each building will have different fire threats and hazards, so it’s paramount that each building has tailored fire safety training and procedures.

Evacuation

When you are alerted to a fire in your office, the highest priority is to evacuate every individual as swiftly and effectively as possible. Even though this may sound straightforward, the deafening sound of fire detectors can cause fear and turmoil which can lead to individuals to forget sense of logic and reasoning. While these emotions can be caused by traumatic scenarios, fire safety experts believe that proper fire safety knowledge, frequent training, and practical experience can shift the behaviour of people in these circumstances, enabling them to be more calm and prepared in the face of a workplace fire. With this being said, fire safety training courses are without a doubt the most effective way to ensure your everyone can calmly and safely evacuate your building with the best likelihood of success.

Fire Safety Equipment

Fire safety equipment is also an integral aspect of fire safety training. Having an understanding of the causes of a range of fires and which fire extinguishers are appropriate to control them can prevent a large amount of damage to property and valuable equipment. During fire safety courses, employees will be shown which fire extinguishers are appropriate for specific fires, and how to effectively use fire extinguishers and fire blankets in the event of a fire. The latest technology in fire extinguisher training is all digital, so employees can actually use fire extinguishers in a virtual environment which has proved to be very effective.

Fire Equipment Maintenance

Being able to contain small fires with fire equipment is very important, so long as the equipment is up to date and working adequately. It's critical that the manufacturer's guidelines are followed in relation to testing and maintenance to make sure they will in fact work should they be needed. Additionally, other fire safety equipment like fire detectors should be tested frequently to ensure the batteries are still working, and fire prevention technology in commercial kitchens should also be regularly tested and maintained.

The most effective way to ensure the safety of your employees in the event of a fire is to utilise the services of a professional fire protection company. If you're searching for fire safety experts to carry out training for your staff, or you need to replace any fire safety equipment, talk to the specialists at King Fire Protection Solutions who can provide you with the necessary information: http://www.kingfire.com.au