Every year, services are interrupted, property and equipment damaged, injuries sustained, and lives lost as a result of fires in the workplace.

People caught in a fire are at risk of burns and smoke inhalation.

Fire safety training , including understanding and practising fire prevention and knowing what action to take in the event of a fire, is essential for all workers as it helps to prevent injury or death from fire, and protects individuals, colleagues, service users, and members of the public.

Fire Fighting Equipment

Organisations are responsible for providing appropriate fire fighting equipment, ensuring that it is correctly placed and in satisfactory condition, and ensuring that appropriate staff are trained in the use of the available equipment.

All staff should be familiar with the location of fire fighting equipment in their workplace and should know the basic operating procedures for the equipment.

If an organisation’s fire strategy states that certain people (such as fire wardens) are expected to take a more active role should a fire break out, they should be provided with more comprehensive training in the use of fire fighting equipment.

When to use equipment

After the fire alarm has been raised and evacuation has commenced.
If the fire is in its very early stages, is small in size, is contained, and only requires one fire extinguisher to put it out.
If the fire does not involve electrics or is not near live electrical equipment - unless you are using an extinguisher specifically designed for electrical fires.
If the room is not full of smoke.
If you have the correct extinguisher for the type of fire.
If you are at least two metres from the fire (but always check the fire extinguisher label for specific guidance).
If emergency services have been called.

When NOT to use a fire extinguisher

If the fire is too big or would require more than one fire extinguisher.
On fires involving escaping gases or high voltage electrics.
You feel that you are at risk from any smoke or heat present.

What Are The Different Types of Fire?

Class A Fire - Combustible materials such as paper and wood. Suitable fire extinguishers for extinguishing class A fires - red - water extinguisher, cream - foam extinguisher, blue - dry powder extinguisher, and yellow - wet chemical extinguishers.

Class B Fire - Flammable liquids such as paint and petrol. Suitable fire extinguishers for extinguishing class B fires - cream - foam extinguisher, blue - dry powder extinguisher, and black - CO2 extinguishers.

Class C Fire - Flammable gasses such as butane and methane. A suitable fire extinguisher is a blue - dry powder extinguisher.

Class D Fire - Flammable metals such as lithium and potassium. A suitable fire extinguisher is a blue - dry powder extinguisher.

Electrical Fire - Such as fires caused by electrical equipment like computers and heaters. Suitable fire extinguishers for extinguishing electrical fires - blue - dry powder extinguisher and black - CO2 extinguishers.

Class F Fire - Caused by deep fat fryers. A suitable fire extinguisher is a yellow - wet chemical fire extinguisher.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

Red, water based extinguishers cannot be used on liquid or electrical fires.
Cream, foam fire extinguishers are not suited to domestic use.
Blue, dry powder fire extinguishers can be used safely on electrical items up to 1000 volts.
Black carbon dioxide CO2 fire extinguishers are safe for use on both high and low electrical voltage.
Yellow wet chemical fire extinguishers are suitable on extremely high temperatures.

Fire Safety Responsibilities

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, requires that fire safety training is provided to staff when they commence employment, and if they are exposed to new risks because of new duties, new equipment, new technologies or new systems of work. The training must be repeated periodically, where appropriate.

Employers must:

carry out a fire safety risk assessment and keep it up to date, and inform employees of significant findings from the risk assessment
ensure that adequate fire safety measures are in place in order to minimise the risk of injury or loss of life if there is a fire
ensure that workers receive appropriate training, including practical training such as fire drills (and use of fire extinguishers where required by the risk assessment)
ensure staff are trained in service user evacuation methods appropriate to the dependency of those service users.

Employees must:

familiarise themselves with the content of any documentation relating to fire procedures their organisation provides them with
ensure they are familiar with their organisation’s fire safety policy and any significant findings from relevant fire risk assessments
contact their fire safety lead or fire warden if they are not sure where to find the above information
co-operate with their employer to ensure the workplace is safe from fire and its effects.

Fire Safety Training for Healthcare Professionals

For comprehensive and specialised training in fire safety, especially tailored for healthcare professionals, consider registering for Blue Stream Academy's fire safety training, available with any of our individual or organisational subscriptions. Our courses are designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect yourself, your colleagues, and your patients.

Contact the Blue Stream Academy team to learn more about our fire safety training for healthcare professionals and take the first step towards a safer workplace.

When Should You Tackle a Fire in The Workplace?