FIRE SAFETY TRAINING QUESTIONS

By answering the questions below, you will know if your organisation is operating a risk assessment approach to Fire Safety in line with fire legislation, and which courses would be most appropriate for you.

Do you have a nominated person(s) responsible for fire safety?
If yes - are they competent and qualified?
Courses available:
Fire Risk Assessor Course (5 day)
Fire Manager Course (9 day)
Conversion to Fire Manager Course (5 day)
Fire Manager Advanced Course (5 day & project)
Fire Risk Assessor Mentoring

If no - nominate and train a responsible person.
Courses available:
Fire Risk Assessor 
Fire Manager
Fire Manager Advanced Course (5 day & project)

Have you appointed fire wardens and deputies, and are they trained?
If yes - suggest refresher training every 1-3 years.
Fire Warden

If no - nominate wardens and deputies.
Courses available:
Fire Warden

Have your workforce received fire training and are they competent to use fire extinguishers?
If yes - repeat training every 1-2 years.
Fire Extinguisher & Awareness

If no - course available:
Fire Extinguisher & Awareness

Do you need more information on particular courses outlined?
Please call us on 01925 211488 or email: info@vulcanfiretraining.co.uk

Do you need advice or guidance on your obligations as an employer regarding fire legislation?
Please call us on 01925 211488 or email: info@vulcanfiretraining.co.uk

The next step is the Conversion to Fire Manager Course (5 day) which enables delegates to apply for Fire Associate grade with the Institute of Fire Safety Managers or Fire Technician with the Institution of Fire Engineers, and ultimately would allow attendance on the Fire Manager Advanced Course (5 day & project) at a later date if required.

Delegates who have been successful on the Fire Manager Course (9 day) course are eligible to attend, and it is recommended that they gain at least 6 months experience in carrying out fire risk assessments before taking this course.

Candidates without the Fire Manager Course (9 day) will need to show a level of knowledge and training equivalent to the Fire Manager Certificate, and CV’s are required in order to make a judgement as to suitability to enrol on this course.

Holders of the NEBOSH Fire Safety & Risk Management Certificate must take the Conversion to Fire Manager Course (5 day) to be eligible to enrol.

Normally delegates are health and safety professionals but the course is designed for those to whom the subject is new, as well as those with knowledge of fire risk assessments.

Delegates always comment on the knowledge gained, even if they are already carrying out fire risk assessments, and the courses are kept to a maximum of 12 attendees so that the trainer has time for individual support where required.

The next course, if a professional fire safety qualification is required, would be the Managing Fire Safety Course (4 day) which would then mean that you would also be awarded the prestigious Vulcan Fire Manager Course certificate.

Normally delegates are health and safety professionals but the course is designed for those to whom the subject is new, as well as those with knowledge of fire risk assessments.

Delegates always comment on the knowledge gained, even if they are already carrying out fire risk assessments, and the courses are kept to a maximum of 12 attendees so that the trainer has time for individual support where required.

The Fire Manager Course (9 day) course will enable you to apply to the Institute of Fire Safety Managers for Fire Associate grade or the Institution of Fire Engineers for Fire Technician grade, subject to meeting enrolment criteria for the course and the Institute’s validation procedures. You will receive the Vulcan Fire Risk Assessor Course (5 day) certificate and a Vulcan Managing Fire Safety Course (4 day) certificate, and a prestigious Vulcan Fire Manager Course certificate.

The Fire Manager Advanced Course (5 day & project) will enable you to apply to the above Institutes for up to Member grade, subject to meeting enrolment criteria for the course and the Institute’s validation procedures.

This course is approved by the Institute of Fire Safety Managers and will provide you with the confidence and competence to carry out fire risk assessments for small to medium size premises, and provide software and templates so that you can use the knowledge gained as soon as the course is finished to start building your expertise. To gain letters after you name you would need to take the Fire Manager course instead.

Click here to see details of the 5 Day Fire Risk Assessor course.

Our fire safety training courses are held in Central London, Northampton, Warrington and Glasgow.

A fire emergency plan should be reviewed at regular intervals usually following initial or subsequent fire risk assessments, or when changes take place in the premises. Most enforcing authorities expect an annual revision of the initial fire emergency plan in normal risk premises.

Not unless it covers the questions to be addressed and the methodology recommended in fire guides and BS PAS 79.

Yes UK fire law requires that persons are appointed to assist in fire duties. It is wise to have trained nominated staff to ensure a safe evacuation takes place. A general rule of thumb is that a Warden and a Deputy are appointed for each storey exit of a building.

All staff. Fire awareness training is essential for all members of staff to make them aware of the causes of fire and how they can minimise the potential risk of fire occurring, as well as act in the appropriate fashion should fire break out.

Fire Wardens should be appointed to ensure that employees are evacuated and to ensure that fire safety procedures and safety measures are observed.

A Fire Manager should be appointed to oversee fire safety management within an organisation.

The terms ‘hazard’ and ‘risk’ are used in risk assessments:

• Hazard: anything that has the potential to cause harm.
• Risk: the chance of that harm occurring.
• A significant risks means there is a strong probability that someone may be harmed.

Fire Authorities expect that a competent person carries out the fire risk assessment in more complex premises. Simple premises may be risk assessed using the guidance set out in fire guides. You also have the option to be trained in how to carry out fire risk assessments.

Click here to find out more about our fire risk assessor training.

A fire risk assessment should be carried out at regular intervals usually specified in the previous fire risk assessment or when changes take place in the premises. Most enforcing authorities expect an annual revision of the initial fire risk assessment in normal risk premises.

The aims of the fire risk assessment are:

• To identify the fire hazards
• To reduce the risk of those hazards causing harm to as low as reasonably practicable
• To decide what physical fire precautions and management arrangements are necessary to ensure the safety of people in your premises if a fire does start.

A fire risk assessment is an organised and methodical look at your premises, the activities carried on there and the likelihood that a fire could start and cause harm to those in and around the premises.

Appoint a competent fire risk assessor to carry out the risk assessment on your behalf.

The person who has control of the premises. In Scotland they are referred to as “The Duty Holder”, in England and Wales they are referred to as “The Responsible Person” and in Northern Ireland they are referred to as “The Person with Responsibility”.

Yes unless you are self-employed and do not have any employees working for you.

Many training organisations have their courses approved/accredited by a recognised fire institute who scrutinise the course content and delivery to ensure that it meets the required standard of training and content.

Fire Safety Managers duties include:

• Carrying out, or arranging to be carried out, a fire risk assessment before making any material alteration to the premises/building
• Ensuring that any specific requirement of the Fire Emergency Plan is not contravened
• Co-operating with any enforcement officer who wishes to inspect the premises/building, by giving them any information or assistance which they need in order to complete the inspection. Note that the premises/building may be inspected at any reasonable time without prior notice being given
• Give genuine information in compliance with obligations under fire law
• Make genuine and accurate entries in the fire precautions log book or any other fire safety documentation required to be kept
• Compile and keep up to date a bona fide Fire Emergency Plan
• Comply with any relevant sections made under UK fire law.

The tasks of the fire safety manager to seek to prevent a fire occurring include:

• Monitoring the behaviour of occupants
• Monitoring any policy on smoking
• Housekeeping
• Routines for the disposal of waste 
• Minimising hazards of combustible contents, furnishings and surface finishes 
• Minimising hazards of materials, components and elements of construction 
• Establishing purchasing standards for furniture, furnishings and fittings 
• Seeking to avoid conditions leading to gas and dust explosion hazards
• Maintenance of furniture, furnishings, decor and equipment 
• Reviewing and appraising the means by which a fire might start and spread, and the potential consequences
• Maintaining integration with other systems (e.g. ventilation, communications) 
• Assessing the risks from new equipment, new business processes or changing or new technologies
• Issue and control of work permits and associated procedures
• Training and education
• Establishing and maintaining out of hours inspection and security procedures, including means of preventing arson
• Supervising and instructing contractors and subcontractors 
• Routine checks, inspections, tests and monitoring the maintenance of equipment that could cause fires (especially heat generating equipment), chafing of cables, self-heating and fuel supplies.

Click here to see details of our Fire Manager course.

A fire risk assessment is an organised and methodical look at your premises, the activities carried on there, and the likelihood that a fire could start and cause harm to those in and around the premises.

UK Fire Law requires fire precautions to be put in place ‘where necessary’ and to the extent that it is reasonable and practicable in the circumstances of the case. The responsible person must arrange for a fire risk assessment to be carried out and it must focus on the safety in case of fire of all ‘relevant persons’.

Your fire risk assessment should detail the frequency of training for fire wardens as this can depend upon the level of risk at the premises, staff turnover and changes to the business. Usually training is held between 1-3 yrs maximum and should be detailed in company fire safety procedures.

Click here to see our Fire Warden training course.

It is a mandatory requirement to train staff as detailed in the appropriate DCLG/Home Office and Scottish Ministers fire guides.

Staff training is required on induction, fire awareness for the workforce, fire wardens and fire managers in organisations.

Fire guides state that fire wardens' duties include:

• Helping those on the premises to leave
• Checking the premises to ensure everyone has left
• Using fire-fighting equipment if safe to do so
• Liaising with the fire and rescue service on arrival
• Shutting down vital or dangerous equipment
• Performing a supervisory/managing role in any fire situation

Training for this role may include:

• Detailed knowledge of the fire safety strategy of the premises
• Awareness of human behaviour in fires
• How to encourage others to use the most appropriate escape route
• How to search safely and recognise areas that are unsafe to enter
• The difficulties that some people, particularly if disabled, may have in escaping and any special evacuation arrangements that have been pre-planned
• Additional training in the use of fire-fighting equipment
• An understanding of the purpose of any fixed fire-fighting equipment such as sprinklers or gas flooding systems
• Reporting of faults, incidents and near misses.

Click here to see our Fire Warden training course.

Yes. UK fire law requires that persons are appointed to assist in fire duties. It is recommended that a fire warden and deputy be appointed for each storey exit of a premises.

Click here to see our Fire Warden training course.