All staff should receive induction training upon commencement of a new job placement to include basic fire safety training and to subsequently attend refresher sessions at regular intervals. Fire safety training should cover everything from preventing fires and implementing best practice, to how to stay safe and escape in the event of a fire, regardless of its size. All staff and contractors should know about the various escape routes to a place of safety, the company’s emergency plan and procedures, the importance of closing doors, keeping emergency routes clear, how to assist disabled persons where necessary and the location of the assembly point.

More specific training is required for those people taking on the role as Fire Marshalls. They require a more detailed knowledge of the fire safety strategy of the premises, perhaps knowing where the gas, electric and water intakes are. Additionally they should show their understanding of how to encourage people to leave their desks and to cut short those oh-so-important meetings or phone calls. The premises should be checked to ensure that everybody has left, directing them to the exits if necessary in a calm and collected manner, perhaps taking on the role of shutting down vital or dangerous equipment, perhaps using an extinguisher if they are not putting themselves at risk and then finally liaising with the fire and rescue service upon arrival to update them of where the fire is, where it may have been contained, what measures have been taken to reduce it and any other useful information as requested. 

Fire Marshall training is important and should be implemented to protect all staff personnel. We, at Smart Health and Safety, have been providing high quality fire and safety services to businesses for the past 20 years and have seen many companies with varying amounts of fire training. Some staff had never walked the escape routes, others only ever used one route, even if it was at the furthest end of the premises, whilst a 3rd company did not have enough Fire Marshalls to cover sickness or holidays. We continue to help them stay safe.

We deliver our services in an effective, efficient and economic way. We are not a consultancy that bases itself on tick box compliance or constant client billing but one that prides itself on developing a partnership through collaboration.

If you require Fire Marshall training for your staff, then please get in touch and we can help you with your requirements.

The requirement to train staff in how to evacuate in a safe and efficient manner has been the bedrock of all fire safety legislation for many years. It is not complex nor time consuming and if carried out correctly will enhance confidence in team members. In our next blog on we shall have a light touch look at the current legislation that sits behind the requirements to have trained staff and will be especially beneficial for Managers and HR staff.

Smart Health and Safety will be publishing a series of these light touch and light hearted blogs to help inform and educate individuals who may have responsibility for fire safety in their day to day activities, as mentioned earlier fire safety need not be expensive in fact good fire safety makes for good business. We believe that a positive attitude towards fire safety from management leads to a culture of fire awareness and understanding. We see our role as assisting in developing that culture. In the near future we shall look at basic fire awareness training for employees, how to safely use portable fire extinguishers, the importance of simple premises layout plans to name a few.

Stay safe, remember fire safety starts in the home… have you got a working smoke alarm?