Fire Safety Regulations Guide

Fire Safety Training

You must provide adequate fire safety training for your staff. The type of training should be based on the particular features of your premises and should:

• take account of the findings of the fire risk assessment;
• explain your emergency procedures;
• take account of the work activity and explain the duties and responsibilities of staff;
• take place during normal working hours and be repeated periodically whereappropriate;
• be easily understandable by your staff and other people who may be present; and
• be tested by fire drills.

In small premises this may be no more than showing new staff the fire exits and giving basic training on what to do if there is a fire. In larger premises, such as a supermarket with a high staff turnover and many shift patterns, the organization of fire safety training will need to be planned.

Your staff training should include the following:

• what to do on discovering a fire;
• how to raise the alarm and what happens then;
• what to do upon hearing the fire alarm;
• the procedures for alerting members of the public and visitors including, where appropriate, directing them to exits;
• the arrangements for calling the fire and rescue service;
• the evacuation procedures for everyone in your office or shop to reach an assembly point at a place of total safety;
• the location and, when appropriate, the use of firefighting equipment;
• the location of escape routes, especially those not in regular use;
• how to open all emergency exit doors;
• the importance of keeping fire doors closed to prevent the spread of fire, heat and smoke;
• where appropriate, how to stop machines and processes and isolate power supplies in the event of a fire;
• the reason for not using lifts (except those specifically installed or nominated, following a suitable fire risk assessment, for the evacuation of people with a disability);
• the safe use of and risks from storing or working with highly flammable and explosive substances; and
• the importance of general fire safety, which includes good housekeeping.

All the staff identified in your emergency plan that have a supervisory role if there is a fire (e.g. heads of department, fire marshals or wardens and, in larger offices and shops, fire parties or teams), should be given details of your fire risk assessment and receive additional training.

Checklist

• Have your staff received fire safety training?
• Have you carried out a fire drill recently?
• Are employees aware of specific tasks if there is a fire?
• Are you maintaining a record of training sessions?
• Do you carry out joint training and fire drills in multi-occupied buildings?
• If you use or store hazardous or explosive substances have your staff received appropriate training?