What training do you need to be a fire warden?
Having one or more designated Fire Wardens in your workplace is an important part of fire safety. In the event of a fire you, your staff and any visitors need to be kept safe. Led by someone with specialist knowledge and skills will help to keep the situation under control, and ensure all appropriate actions are carried out.
So for them to be able to carry out this important and highly responsible role properly, they need to have professionally-qualified training on the following:
- Understanding fire safety law and legislation, which in Scotland is the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the associated Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. These lay out their responsibilities before and during any fire.
- The duties of a Fire Warden and how to exercise them.
- The impact a fire can have on a business – the damage goes beyond the physical and can be psychological for those involved, particularly if someone is injured, as well as financial – usually involving some disruption to business.
- Fire precaution measures in the workplace – there are lots of fire prevention and precautionary measures, such as extinguishers, which need to be in place. The Scottish Government has sets of guidance documents for different types of business premises, split into four categories:
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- Existing Non-residential premises without accommodation;
- Existing Non-residential premises with accommodation;
- Healthcare premises, and
- Care homes.
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Your fire warden needs to understand how to implement and check them for your premises, so your business is compliant. This includes spotting and correctly reporting any fire hazards or escape route obstructions to top management and anyone else deemed the Duty Holder under the law.
- Becoming familiar with all exit routes from the building in which they normally work and being able to advise others on exit routes.
- The Chemistry of combustion – the last thing you need is the wrong kind of extinguisher being used on a fire because of a lack of understanding about the chemistry involved. Your fire warden also needs to understand the life-threatening gases which fires involving different type of materials can produce when burned and how to effectively protect people from them.
- Causes of fire spread – if a fire does start, you want to nip it in the bud as soon as it’s discovered – to avoid it spreading, so understanding what things cause it to spread can help your Fore Warden take actions beforehand and on the day.
- Playing a lead role in fire drills – fire drills are often seen as a boring annual chore, but they play an important in role in protecting everyone should a fire break out – through teaching the behaviours required if the worst should occur. So your fire warden needs to understand what they’re expected to do in a drill – to ensure it plays its role effectively in training all staff and identifying any issues to be tackled – and give them the tools and confidence to fulfil the role effectively.
- Action to be taken in the event of fire – as they’re leading the response, your fire warden needs to understand the detail of what to do, in general, but also for any specifics which relate to your premises i.e. if certain machines or processes need to be stopped.
Fire Wardens should keep up to date with changes in legislation and should undertake Fire Warden Training every 3 years.
Get in touch
Fraser Fire & Security provides fire training services across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Inverness. Details of our Fire Warden training, delivered by Fire Safety Specialists, are here.
For more information get in touch.
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