With the exception of family homes and duplexes, all commercial, residential and industrial buildings are required to be equipped with a fire extinguisher. After all, fires can happen anywhere. Having a fire extinguisher on hand can help prevent injury and death, as well as massive amounts of property damage. But a fire extinguisher doesn’t do any good in the hands of someone who isn’t trained to use it.

What should be included in fire extinguisher training?

OSHA standards dictate that any workspace that has a fire extinguisher on hand must also provide training on its proper use. While your needs may vary depending on your workspace, there are four things that your fire extinguisher training should include:

Fire prevention — Knowing how and why fires can start is the best way to prevent loss of life or property from a fire. It’s also a way your employees can potentially avoid having to use a fire extinguisher. The “fire triangle” is a common method of illustrating how fires start, and it includes: 

The presence of fuel or other combustible material.

Enough heat to ignite the material.

Enough oxygen to sustain combustion.

Identifying types of fire extinguishers — There are several classes of fire extinguishers available. Each type is specially designed to combat different sources of fires. A training program should equip employees with the ability to identify which kind of extinguisher is needed in the event of a fire.

Fire extinguisher use — While the mechanisms to use a fire extinguisher may seem simple, employees need hands-on training to be prepared in the event of a real fire. The correct way to access and use the fire extinguisher should be covered in your training program.

Evacuation procedures — In the event of a fire, all employees need to be trained on how and where to evacuate the workspace. They should also be trained to assist customers, inspectors or other non-employee persons when evacuating. 

What is the most effective method of fire extinguisher training?

Instructional materials may be helpful in preparing employees for the possibility of a fire. However, hands-on training is the best way to ensure workplace safety.

Let Basin Safety provide your employees with the hands-on fire extinguisher training that they need to stay safe. Our training program is compliant with all federal and local standards and can instruct your employees in fire prevention, evacuation and suppression. We offer fire extinguisher training both in our facilities or at your workspace.

Contact Basin Safety today for more information on how our OSHA-compliant workplace training programs can help keep your employees safe.