Every business must prepare for a fire because any flame can kill someone and damage a building. The best way to prepare for the worst is to appoint a fire warden (also known as a fire marshal).
Fire Warden Regulations
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 provides the regulations for fire safety in offices. The order applies to all offices, places of business, and facilities like warehouses.
Under the order, each office must conduct a fire risk assessment that lays out every risk it faces. Anyone with control over the office is a “responsible person” who must take measures to reduce risks. But a fire warden or marshal has the authority to make decisions on fire prevention.
Every office with fewer than 50 employees must have one warden. An office with 50 to 100 employees must have two. For every additional 100 employees, the office must add one more fire warden.
If an office covers multiple floors, there must be one warden on each floor. Each shift must also have a martial on duty, and any martial on a leave of absence must be covered.
Keep in mind that fire regulations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different from the regulations in England. If you have multiple offices throughout the United Kingdom, you need to familiarize yourself with each code of rules.
The government strictly enforces all fire safety regulations. A fire warden who fails to follow through on their responsibility can receive a fine or a prison sentence.
How to Train as a Fire Warden
The best warden to appoint is someone who has served as a firefighter or a first responder. But a company can select anyone, provided they can fulfil all responsibilities of a warden.
A warden should learn how to help determine the cause and spread of a fire. A knowledge of how to care for people who suffered from burns and smoke inhalation is also a very useful skill to have.
In addition to official courses, wardens should study literature about fire safety. They should be familiar with how the technology their office uses can spark or spread flames. They should have a complete understanding of all aspects of fire awareness, such as the hazards associated with a fire.
The warden must achieve adequate training and gain official certification. They then must apply for recertification every three years.
We offer a selection of Fire Safety Awareness courses, to ensure your staff are adequately trained to meet your obligations:
· Level 1 Award – ideal to raise awareness of fire safety in the workplace and what to do in an emergency – 3.5 hours training
· Level 2 Award – ideal for staff who want to become fire wardens / fire marshal’s – 6 hours training
· Level 1 & 2 Combined Award – combined course offering fully comprehensive fire warden / fire marshal training – 7.5 hours training. Please contact us on 01793 975353 or david.gearon@keyperformancetraining.co.uk for more information.
