Research by law firm Hugh James has revealed that 16% of workers are employed in businesses where they have had no fire drills.
A recent poll of 2,000 employees found that nearly half did not know what to do in the event of a fire. This indicates that many employers are not taking fire safety training seriously.
Lack of fire training could not only put workers’ safety at risk, but could also be costly financially. In 2009, the New Look retail store in London caught fire. A member of staff complained that she had not received appropriate fire training and, after this was investigated, New Look was fined £400,000.
Part of fire training is concerned with ensuring staff close fire doors, follow exit signs to fire assembly points, and know when and when not to use fire extinguishers. Businesses also need to make sure that their fire safety equipment is inspected regularly to confirm that it is working properly. Safety signs need to be clearly visible at times, with exit signs especially important. No equipment should be stored that gets in the way of a clear exit from the building.
Fire safety is a combination of having the right equipment that satisfies fire regulations, and regular training sessions and fire drills for employees. Employees should be encouraged to report any faulty equipment.
Although a workplace may appoint an employee with overall responsibility for fire safety, ideally every employee needs to feel that they have a responsibility too.
