Implementing a system of high-quality and professional fire fighting training in the workplace is not a luxury, it is a life-saving necessity and one which legally mandated for almost every business no matter the industry or size of the operation.
Fortunately, EMCARE offers a comprehensive fire-fighting training which extends from general staff to more specialised fire marshals and fire fighters who will be equipped with the vital practical skills needed to prevent, contain and respond to fire related emergencies.
If your business neglects to take this crucial aspect of occupational health and safety seriously, you may risk the well-being of your employees and property which can lead to serious legal liabilities, financial loss and most significantly, loss of life.
Foundations Of Fire Fighting Training: Safety And Legislation
Any legal entity or organisation is required to operate under the legal and moral obligation to protect its personnel from safety hazards. As a result, fire is viewed as one of the most immediate and destructive hazards which employees could face in the workplace. This is supported by fire safety legislation such as the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) which operates in various jurisdictions and places full responsibility on the employer or responsible person for risk assessments and mitigation strategies to implement protective measures.
Safety and compliance experts place a significant emphasis on the preventability of workplace fires which are often a result of common errors such as the installation of faulty electrical appliances, overloaded sockets or poor storage practices of combustible materials kept near heat sources.
To directly combat this, comprehensive fire fighting training is advisable to avoid these risks through the education of staff on fire prevention alongside best practices to mitigate possible fire hazards.
If there is proven non-compliance with the mandated safety legislation, severe consequences could follow. This may include things like hefty fines and prosecution. Of course, the greatest risk however is that to human life and safety. Ensuring adequate emergency training and fire safety awareness is a key means to ensure compliance with the legal mandate.
For a more detailed outline of the legal obligations involved in fire safety and preparedness in the workplace in a South African context, please see this resource on Why Your Employees Need Fire Fighting Training.
The Fire Tetrahedron
For truly effective fire fighting techniques it is important to understand how the chemistry of fire operates. This is understood and conceptualised primarily through the “fire triangle”. This model outlines three essential elements which need to be present for a fire to both ignite and be able to sustain itself. The first is heat which requires an ignition source, the second is fuel which relies on any kind of combustible material and the last is oxygen which is requires for a fire to sustain itself (roughly 16%). If fire-fighting efforts are to be effective it is important for at least one side of this triangle to be removed.
This concept has thus been dubbed the “fire tetrahedron” and relies on a critical fourth element which is a “chemical chain reaction”. For fire to successfully sustain itself it needs an exothermic reaction which fuels the combustion process. Through various kinds of fire fighting training courses, trainees are taught specialised firefighting techniques to best mitigate these elements.
For example, this includes water-based methods which rely on removing the heat element by cooling the ignition temperature below combustion. The second intervention relies on CO2 or another inert gas being used to extinguish/remove oxygen and in doing so smothers the fire. Finally, foam of dry chemical agents is particularly useful in separating the fuel from the oxygen, and, in the case of a chemical tetrahedron will interrupt the chemical chain reaction from occurring in the first place.
Thus, a better understanding of the fire tetrahedron can be an essential component in effective fire fighting techniques and will best prepare you to know which class of fire extinguisher is needed for the specific kind of fire. For examples, water should never be used on an oil or electrical fire.
Throwing water on these types of fires will exacerbate them and make it far worse.
By adding water to an oil fire for example means that the water will sink beneath the oil (oil is heavier than water) this will then in turn boil and turn to steam which violently expels the burning oil into the air. This can cause it to spread further.
Conversely, when throwing water onto an electrical fire you create a conduit for the electricity through the wat. This can fatally electrocute anyone near it or fry the appliance it is conducted through which could further spread the fire. For a more in-depth explanation of the fire tetrahedron head over to this article: What is the Fire Triangle?
The Tiers Of Specialised Fire Fighting Training Courses
The kind of level and specialisation of the fire fighting training will vary significantly depending on an individual or group’s role within the organisation. Whether it’s a general staff member or a dedicated emergency responder, EMCARE offers structures training programmes for all levels and developmental aims in the field. This ensures that the relevant personnel are trained appropriately, but more importantly correctly so that they can uphold a high standard of fire safety procedures.
At EMCARE we have a range of fire fighting courses for both entry level to advanced training.
For the former, there is a choice of a half day basic awareness course focused on fire prevention and emergency procedures and safe evacuation. This levels upwards all the way through to a professional, specialist fire fighting training course which is 7 – 9 weeks long which teaches specialist rescue and hazardous material training. This is important in handling more complex emergency situations in high-risk areas. This may include chemical spills and other non-standard fire hazards which need specialised knowledge and competent emergency response training.
Investing in certified fire fighting training courses is an important step towards creating a workplace environment which is truly safety compliant. Each level of instruction from half-day courses to multi-day or week-long certifications ensure that your workforce will be equipped with the relevant knowledge to identify fire hazards and implement safety measures.
This allows to act decisively and effectively in the face an emergency for protect human life and safeguards organisational assets. For further information on workplace safety and the duties involved for fire wardens, take a look at this informational video Fire marshals warden duties #workplacesafety.
