Fire can ravage a workplace, causing destruction to the business’ property and risking the lives of the employees.
fire safety training
With this in mind, having appropriate fire safety procedures in place is vital to keep people and property protected. This includes fire safety training, which gives people within the organization the skills needed to be a designated fire warden, implement the relevant fire safety processes, and keep people safe.
In this article, the KW Fire Protection team will look closer at who needs fire safety training in the workplace, providing users with all the information needed to keep businesses safe and compliant with the necessary legal requirements.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that employees are provided with adequate fire safety training
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 outlines a whole host of legal requirements that businesses and organizations must have in place when it comes to commercial fire safety.
It states that it is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that employees are provided with adequate fire safety training. The form this fire training takes varies from business to business, however, it will always include fire warden training.
The role of a fire warden
A fire warden is a designated person within a business who is responsible for fire safety procedures. They play a vital role in the workplace regarding fire safety, and in the event of a real emergency, they will oversee a swift and safe evacuation of the premises.
Who in the workplace takes on the role of a fire warden is up to the user. Usually, it will be someone who is deemed responsible and competent by the organization’s owner or manager.
Fire safety training course
The designated fire warden will then be required to embark on a fire safety training course to provide them with the necessary skills to do the job effectively.
The training itself will only take a few hours but the qualification lasts for three years before it needs to be renewed.
High-risk business
The number of fire warden users needed within an organization depends on the number of people employed
The number of fire warden users needed within an organization depends on the number of people employed, as well as whether the day-to-day activities are considered high-risk.
A high-risk business has a significant amount of potentially flammable or combustible materials on-site if a fire is easily spreadable (for example if it has wooden or carpeted floors) and if there are vulnerable employees or customers on the premises. This could be elderly or disabled people.
Low-risk business
On the other hand, a low-risk workplace has very few flammable or combustible substances in place and is ideally not built from flammable materials such as wood. These days, it’s rare for a business to be considered low-risk.
However, a low-risk business only needs one fire warden for every 50 people, whereas it is one fire warden for every 15 people in a high-risk environment.
What happens if there is no fire warden?
First and foremost, it’s important to remember that fire wardens, just like alarms
First and foremost, it’s important to remember that fire wardens, just like alarms and extinguishers, are there to keep users and employees safe. A fire can be deadly and destroy the premises, so having the correct commercial fire safety measures in place is vital to prevent this from happening.
However, it’s also a legal requirement. In the event, that a fire does occur and it is discovered user have not been following fire safety regulations, including fire wardens, the user could face a hefty fine and even prison time depending on the severity of the incident.
Fire warden training with KW Fire
KW Fire Protection provides customers across Manchester, Bolton, Oldham, and the surrounding areas with a wide range of leading commercial fire safety services.
This includes fire safety training where we’ll train the staff to be fire wardens, giving them the skills they need to take the lead in the event of an emergency. They’ll also learn how to maintain the organization’s emergency procedures, spot hazards, conduct fire drills, and more.