With the proper training and certification a fire marshal can eliminate fire hazards from the office and respond quickly during emergency situations. This ensures the safety of the occupants of the building if something goes wrong. Whether residential or commercial, fires destroy property, cause injuries and take lives. A fire in the workplace can also mean the loss of jobs if buildings are not rebuilt. One of the best ways to ensure these horrible effects don’t impact you is to ensure your workplace has a trained and certified fire marshal to oversee emergencies.

Fire Safety Training

Most people aren’t familiar with the procedure during a fire. Some newer employees might not be familiar with the office layout. A fire marshal can conduct operations throughout the emergency and direct people to fire exits they can use to safely exit the building. Fire safety training teaches marshals how to recognise fire hazards, conduct a risk assessment, prevent a fire and respond in an emergency. Without a fire marshal to check every room in an office for occupants, people might be liable to ignore a fire warning and continue working and this is unsafe. Similarly, without someone to coordinate a meeting point in the event of a fire, employees might wander off and get lost. This can cause downturns to productivity and is unsafe in circumstances where everyone must be accounted for.

Fire Safety Risk Assessment

A fire safety risk assessment is the first step in preventing fires. It identifies people at risk, state of emergency preparedness and effectiveness of fire controls in the workplace. An assessment identifies:

1. Emergency exits
2. Fire detection and warning systems
3. Fire fighting equipment
4. Removal or safe storage of dangerous substances
5. The emergency fire evacuation plan
6. The needs of vulnerable people
7. Communication with employees during an emergency
8. Staff fire safety training.

Duties of a Fire Marshal

It’s important that all employees in a workplace are prepared for the event of a fire. A fire marshal is able to help with this by providing directions prior to an event; in a scheduled meeting or during a fire drill. During training, a fire marshal will instruct their colleagues about the company’s emergency plan, how to activate the fire alarm, how to exit the building in the case of fire, where designated meeting areas area and how to fight fire with a fire extinguisher. Every employee is responsible for preventing fires in the workplace. It is possible to reduce the threat of fire in the workplace by appointing a fire marshal to undergo training and, in turn, teach employees what to do in case of an emergency.

Checkpoint Group – Fire Safety Solutions for the Workplace

If you work in construction and are looking to enhance your site safety, Checkpoint Group welcome you to browse the range of fire protection equipment. By ensuring easy access to fire extinguishers and equipping your employees with the knowledge to deal with emergency situations, you can improve crisis outcomes and demonstrate a commitment to health and safety in the workplace.