Instructor Colin Manning, second right, puts course participants through their paces with a carbon dioxide extinguisher.
13 June 2008
Employers are being urged to think about the fire safety arrangements in their workplaces - by the people who have to rush to their help when things go wrong!
Fully qualified fire officers from Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service offer a range of fire safety training courses designed to make sure that local firms protect their employers and businesses and meet their legal obligations.
Colin Manning, an instructor at the organisation’s Industrial & Commercial Training Unit in Aylesbury, said: “Fire safety training is both an essential requirement and a legal obligation for every organisation in order to protect employees, visitors or residents and to ensure the integrity of the workplace.
“Around 37,000 workplaces in the UK suffer the consequences of a fire in a normal year, and the costs cause serious disruption to business, which many businesses do not survive.
“Many employers are still not fully aware of what they have to do to comply with fire safety law. They must conduct a risk assessment to minimise the possibility of a fire occurring within the workplace, and make sure all employees are aware of what action should be taken in the event of a fire occurring.
Colin and his colleagues can provide everything from a 90-minute course on basic fire awareness to a two-day course for organisations who want to train their own fire safety instructors. They can also provide refresher courses and tailor-made courses to suit clients’ needs.
Courses can be delivered at the employer’s site or at centres in Aylesbury, Haddenham and Milton Keynes. Most courses include practical use of fire extinguishers.
The five main courses are:
Basic Fire Awareness: A basic understanding of fire and fire procedures to help the organisation to meet its legal obligations. A cost effective way of training staff with the minimum disruption to their work.
Fire Awareness: A half-day course to provide staff with an understanding of how to reduce the risk of fire in the workplace and how to respond in the event of a fire. Includes training in the use of fire extinguishers on live fire.
Fire Warden: A one-day course for staff with a designated responsibility as a fire warden or fire marshall. It provides the skills and confidence that will allow them to carry out their duties relating to fire safety and emergency procedures.
Managing Fire Safety: A one-day course for management personnel who have a responsibility for Health and Safety and for implementing fire safety policy. It provides the knowledge to enable them to carry out their designated duties in relation to fire safety risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Fire Safety Instructors: A two-day course for organisations wishing to train their own safety officers to be able to give fire awareness courses. Designed to provide safety officers with a sound knowledge of training techniques and the practical skills necessary for delivering effective training to company staff in fire awareness. Certificated for three years.
The venues are:
Aylesbury - Sivatech Ltd, Gatehouse Close, Aylesbury, HP19 8DJ
Haddenham - Haddenham Fire Station, Stanbridge Road, Haddenham, HP17 8JX
Milton Keynes - The Safety Centre, 18 Carters Lane, Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes, MK11 3ES
For further information or to book your course, contact the Industrial & Commercial Training Unit on 01296 717441 or by email at ictu@bucksfire.gov.uk