The Duties of a Fire Marshal
No matter what environment you are in, whether you are in small office space or a large warehouse facility, it is vital that you have a designated fire marshal or fire marshals that are fully aware of their duties to ensure the safe evacuation of everyone in your building.
The duties of a fire marshal are outlined as follows:
- Assess fire risks
- Spot and report hazards
- Take appropriate action in the event of a fire
- Administer first aid
- Fight fire where necessary
- Ensure a safe, efficient evacuation
When it comes to the fire-fighting aspect of their duties, it is important that marshals only attempt to tackle a fire in its early stages – if there is a doubt that the fire can be extinguished, evacuate as quickly as possible.
Visitors
It is the fire marshal’s responsibility to ensure that all visitors are aware of escape routes and evacuation procedures, and that all contractors have the relevant work permits and knowledge of the aforementioned procedures.
Fire Safety Checks
Escape routes must never be obstructed – they must be completely clear at all times, even when nobody is in the building. In addition to this, they must always be kept in a condition that makes them easy to use for everyone, including those with disabilities. This includes checking daily that all self-closing fire doors are working, all fire signs are clearly visible and all valuable paperwork and documentation is secure, as well as checking that machines that can be switched off are switched off, and all waste is in the appropriate waste containers.
Weekly checks include…
Alarms and Evacuation Tests
It is the duty of the fire marshal to carry out regular checks on all fire alarms in the building to ensure that they are in safe working order, by testing one fire alarm call point per week. In addition to this, a minimum of one fire drill per year should be carried out to make sure all individuals in the building are aware of the correct evacuation procedure.
As a fire marshal, there is a responsibility to be aware and knowledgeable of several key pieces of information. They are:
- Their duties (as given by the company)
- The procedure to be followed in the event of a fire
- The location of the building’s entrances and exits
- The location of all fire extinguishers, hose reels, blankets and alarm call points
- The different types of fire extinguisher and their uses
Here at City Fire Protection, we are proud to offer Fire Warden Training courses as part of our comprehensive fire safety services. We will make sure all those who take part in the course are fully aware of their duties and responsibilities, tailoring our training to suit the needs and situation of your business.
For more information about our courses, or for any of the other services we offer, get in touch with us today. Call us on 0800 9981 908.
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