should we still train staff in fire extinguisher use?

[Guest darrenkre]

hi,
I am about to refresh training for all our fire marshals. I sat the Nebosh certificate last year and it was suggested that we dont training staff in the use of fire extinguishers any more, due to possible wrong selection of appliance etc. where as the main objective is to aid the safe escape of staff members. cam you confirm? Darren

[Safelincs]

Hi Darren

It appears strange to me that your company should have installed extinguishers and then runs the risk of staff not knowing how to handle the extinguishers. That would surely open you to a liability claim if a member of staff should come to harm when using an extinguisher incorrectly.

Extinguishers really help to stop fires in the initial stages. The FIA published a study in 2010 where they found that extinguishers were successful in between 86% and 91% of incidents where a fire was tackled with an extinguisher! Why would you risk not being able to tackle small fires? A fire that is not extinguished quickly not only threatens the safety of your staff but also the continuation of your business.

If the multitude of different extinguishers causes you problems, you could consider a broad spectrum extinguisher like the dry water mist extinguishers (E-Series) from Jewel. These can be used on A, B, C and F class fires and are safe on electrical fires, as long as a safety distance of 1 metre is adhered to. They have the added advantage that they create a cooler mist layer between user and the flames.

Harry

[Tom Sutton]

There are arguments on both sides and it usually depends on your fire evacuation procedure, fire strategy, number of employees and costs should be considered. If your fire marshals are able to deal with fires in their initial stages quickly and sufficient deputies are available then it could be a satisfactory solution. The final decision belongs to the Responsible Person and the RP needs to consider it carefully.