Are your employees going to use a portable fire extinguisher?

Are your employees going to use a portable fire extinguisher?

I have been in the fire service for over 30 years and have conducted hundreds of live fire extinguisher trainings for all different types of companies. One common theme throughout all these trainings is that not every employee was willing to risk (as they perceive it) their lives to save your property/business by using a portable fire extinguisher.

With that said, I have witnessed many instances where employees were unwilling or hesitant for any number of reasons about using a portable fire extinguisher during a controlled live fire extinguisher training.

As this was a passion of mine, I ultimately started a business that addressed the need for employees to learn how to use and feel comfortable with portable fire extinguishers. I was contracted by many different type companies to conduct live fire training. The trainings that were conducted had safety as the number one priority. There was a 2:1 safety ratio, 2 instructors to every 1 participant. How this worked was there was always 1 instructor controlling the fuel source and 1 instructor with each student to guide and assist the employee on how to properly use the extinguisher.

Since OSHA has omitted or deleted the requirement for Live Fire Training, my side business disappeared and so did live fire training’s.

Some businesses within my fire department district still utilize the live fire training programs, but they are becoming fewer and fewer every year.

While OSHA still acknowledges live fire training as going above and beyond the minimum training, OSHA has  a published flow chart for employers who may choose to have their employees use a portable fire extinguisher in the workplace.

So what does that mean for industry and your business? You cannot expect that your employees will use the fire extinguisher you have made available.

OSHA gives business a great deal of latitude in my opinion for what the minimum standard business can establish. Fire extinguisher training can be anything from this is the extinguisher, this is how it works, and these are the types of fires it will extinguish. Does this alone make the employee feel safe in how to use it and that their safety needs are met?

We all can watch videos, listen, and even be attentive on every word an instructor is telling us, but without the hands-on, we are lacking a critical point and that is fire extinguishment and life safety.

What else should the employee know?

What are you teaching in your pre-employment and annual fire extinguisher trainings? Or, is your business even conducting this necessary, but often overlooked training? I challenge you to sit through one and ask yourself this question, if I had no other knowledge of this device would I be able to use it and feel my safety wouldn’t be compromised? If you can answer YES then you have a good fire extinguisher training program. But if you answer NO, then it is time to reevaluate your program.

Ok, so what goes into a good program? Glad you asked.

Risk Assessment Question

Characteristics of incipient stage fires or fires that can be extinguished with portable fire extinguishers

Characteristics of fires that SHOULD NOT be fought with a portable fire extinguisher (beyond incipient stage) - evacuate immediately

Is the fire too big?

The fire is limited to the original material ignited, it is contained (such as in a waste basket) and has not spread to other materials. The flames are no higher than the firefighter's head.

The fire involves flammable solvents, has spread over more than 60 square feet, is partially hidden behind a wall or ceiling, or can not be reached from a standing position.

Is the air safe to breathe?

The fire has not depleted the oxygen in the room and is producing only small quantities of toxic gases. No respiratory protection equipment is required.

Due to smoke and products of combustion, the fire can not be fought without respiratory protection.

Is the environment too hot or smoky?

Heat is being generated, but the room temperature is only slightly increased. Smoke may be accumulating on the ceiling, but visibility is good. No special personal protective equipment is required.

The radiated heat is easily felt on exposed skin making it difficult to approach within 10-15 feet of the fire (or the effective range of the extinguisher). One must crawl on the floor due to heat or smoke. Smoke is quickly filling the room, decreasing visibility.

Is there a safe evacuation path?

There is a clear evacuation path that is behind you as you fight the fire.

The fire is not contained, and fire, heat, or smoke may block the evacuation path.

As I stated earlier, not all employees are willing to use a portable fire extinguisher to protect your property for a myriad of reasons. Don’t let your fire extinguisher training be the deciding factor.

If you are still not convinced there is one thing that employees have in common, which is saving themselves and their coworkers.

So to protect myself and my employees what can I do?

1) Teach all employees how to use a pull station.

2) Know their exit routes, have them clearly marked and unobstructed

3) Have a pre designated rally point with a team/group leader

4) Conduct spot drills and see if it really works or just looks good on paper

Having a sound executable evacuation plan will do wonders when working with your local fire department. Since the first arriving fire fighter will ask immediately “Iis everyone out of the building?” If the answer is YES, then the fire department will concentrate their efforts on property conservation. If the answer in NO or I DON’T KNOW then the fire department is going to utilize a great deal of resources to make sure no one is in there and the fire gets put on the back burner (so to speak).

Having a solid exit plan, rally point, and team leader goes a long way and will save time and energy that the fire service will place on search and rescue and place its emphasis on property conservation.

Remember if you don’t have a good portable fire extinguisher training program where your employees feel safe and confident and if a fire is not suppressed in its incipient phase (beginning stage) then the fire will grow exponentially at a rate of twice its size every 1 minute. Having a good portable fire extinguisher training program is well worth the expense of down time or overtime, to have a solid work force that knows what to do, how to do it, and how to get the fire out and then for them to stay out. Remember if someone is going to use a a portable fire extinguisher there is a “one extinguisher rule”: if you can’t put it out with one then GET OUT!