How to improve fire safety in the workplace

Posted 2 years ago

Without proper training, equipment, and procedures in place, fires can pose a serious threat to your business and staff. So, it’s important for you and your staff to be equipped with the knowledge needed to protect yourself.

Whilst we cover this information in various areas of our website and our Fire Safety Training courses, we wanted to help clear up some frequently asked questions we’ve been getting surrounding fire safety in the workplace.

How many fire drills should be held annually?

According to GOV.uk, you should carry out at least one fire drill per year and record the results. These results must be kept as part of your fire safety and evacuation plan. Despite these recommendations, it’s always advisable that you carry out more frequent checks if possible, so the procedure flows more smoothly should a real situation arise.

When might it be appropriate to raise a fire alarm?

If a person discovers or even suspects a fire, it’s crucial that they raise the fire alarm immediately! The alarm can help everyone to get to safety before the fire escalates, and allows the business to take register before the fire authorities arrive.

Where should fire alarms be placed?

London Fire Brigade advise that fire alarms are placed either high up on a wall or on a ceiling in any room that a fire risk might be present. The reason for this is so that smoke can reach the smoke detector as quickly as possible as the smoke rises.

What types of fire extinguishers do I need?

Fire extinguishers are categorised in classes to determine what types of fires they are suitable for, they are:

Class A – Suitable for paper, wood and textiles.

Class B – Suitable for flammable liquids.

Class C – Suitable for flammable gasses.

Class F – Suitable for cooking oil and fat.

Electrical Risk – Suitable for electrical equipment

Depending on the risks found in your fire risk assessment, you might need any of the five types of fire extinguishers, which are:

Wet Chemical Extinguisher – Class F, but can be used on Class A.

Water Extinguisher – Class A.

Foam Spray Extinguisher – Class A & Class B.

Carbon Dioxide Extinguisher – Class B and safe to use on electrical fires.

Dry Powder Extinguisher – Best on Class B but can be used on Class A, Class C and electrical fires.

Learn more from our blog about the different types of fire extinguishers!

Online Fire Safety Training

You already know the danger of fires in the workplace. So, you want your staff to be equipped with the best knowledge and skills to be able to mitigate fires and be safe in the event of a fire. We’ve got you covered.

iHasco offer a range of online Fire Safety Training courses that are designed for all levels of staff across all industry sectors. These courses will equip them with the knowledge they need to keep themselves and others safe from fires at work.

Each of the courses can be completed in under an hour and provide a printable certificate upon completion of the end-of-training test.

For more information on fire safety, take a look at our free FAQ & resources section on our website. There are plenty of supporting documents and videos that could be useful, as well as our most common FAQs.

Why not get started with a free trial today? Or if you already like what you see, you can request a bespoke quote and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss your training needs.