Health and Safety training Archives

Fire Safety and Why is it Important

Research suggests that most fires are preventable and unsafe human behaviour is most often the cause of these fires. This is why employees should be encouraged to take responsibility and adopt practices which help prevent fire in the workplace. Fire safety is also enforced and employers are required to prepare plans and procedures to protect against the associated risks. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is proactive in monitoring how employers manage these risks and what they do to protect the health and safety of the public.

In this article, we provide some general information about fire safety and the practices which help protect against the potential damage caused by fire.

What is Fire Safety?

Fire safety is a set of measures which reduce the potential damage caused by fire. There are four common fire safety principles which are recognised around the world:

Prevention: Avoid Risks and reduce potential fire hazards in the workplace.
Protection: Identifying fire and notifying occupants/authorities.
Containment: Limiting damage and spread of fire as much as possible.
Extinguishment: Putting out the fire and protecting area.

However, there are three key actions which employees should know about that need to be taken in the event of a fire:

Step 1 – Raise the alarm.
Step 2 – Evacuate the building/area.
Step 3 – Go to the assembly point.

Let’s take a look at the key elements which enable a fire to start and spread.

The 3 Key Elements which Enable Fires Start and Spread

Heat, fuel and oxygen complete the fire prevention triangle which explains how fires can start and spread. Fire needs all three of these elements to thrive and this is why removing one of these three can prevent a fire. This is also why a risk assessment needs to report on three different elements and consider how these elements might contribute to potential fire hazards in the workplace.

Heat

Heat is often generated through machines, systems and processes. Cooking is an obvious example in which heat is near constant and needs to be kept away from fuel. Let’s look at some examples of how employers can manage heat:

No smoking signs in certain locations.
Ensure kitchen and cookers etc. are never left unattended.
Make sure work equipment is protected against catching fire.
Service equipment on a regular basis.
Clean ventilation points to ensure they are not blocked.

Oxygen

Oxygen is often used in manufacturing and creative processes. For example, oxygen gas is used for food packaging and food preservation. It is also used in flame cutting and welding and within decompression chambers as part of medical treatment. Pure oxygen can react fiercely with materials including rubber and textiles and then also the likes of grease and oil. In short, the presence of this oxygen makes it easier for a fire to start and grow and spread.

Employees should always open oxygen valves slowly.
No smoking signs where oxygen gas is being used.
Oxygen equipment not to be used above pressure levels noted on equipment.
Oxygen not to be used in confined spaces.

Fuel

Some workplaces will have more flammable materials than others and these environments can present a much greater fire hazard. Fuel essentially contains flammable material which burns naturally in a standard atmosphere. These flammable materials need to be clearly labelled. In addition, great care should be taken when handling or moving these flammable materials.

Conduct fire safety assessment in areas with flammable materials.
Ensure no timber features or lining in walls, staircases, ceiling etc.
Use Health & Safety Acts as a guide for explosive atmospheres.
Avoid noticeboards with paper or flammable material in common areas.

Establishing Fire Safety Principles in the Workplace

The Health and Safety Authority in Ireland enforces an act which holds employers responsible for educating staff about these principles. Employees must therefore know these practices and be able to put them into practice in the event of a fire. There is also a requirement for employers to appoint a competent person to this role who properly understands the risks, practices and tasks that relate to fire safety.

“Competent” implies this person must be able to demonstrate their knowledge and ability but this appointment does not mean the responsibility of fire safety is out of the hands of the employer. Employers must do everything reasonably possible to ensure their staff are not exposed to the risks associated with fire safety. For instance, employers must also ensure there is safe access, emergency exits and no unsafe substances or articles in the environment.

In case you might be asking yourself, action is taken whenever deemed necessary and government statistics show the number of fire safety notices issued by the Health and Safety Authority in Ireland. Safety notices can be costly for employers but they also point to a moral concern which suggests the business is simply not doing enough to protect the safety of employees and members of the public.

Employers Responsibility for Fire Safety in the Workplace

According to the Health and Safety Authority in Ireland, employers must not only train and educate employees about fire safety but also carry out regular risk assessments to ensure these measures are understood. This involves checking that all staff have sufficient knowledge, training and supervision to protect against the dangers of fire and then record the findings from this assessment in a Safety Statement. Employers are therefore required to provide relevant fire safety courses for their employees and produce certificates of completion in the event of an inspection by the authorities.

Final Thoughts

Fire safety is extremely important and an area which employers cannot ignore for both moral and legal reasons. Fire poses a serious threat to the safety of employees and members of the public and the Health and Safety Authority will issue notices to any business that falls short of the requirements. Employers should make every effort to abide by the law and assess risks and provide access to training which informs on the importance of fire safety.

Please Note – The Fire Services Act 1981-2003 specifies that it shall be the duty of every persons having control of premises (i.e. owner or occupier) to ensure the safety of persons on the premises in the event of an outbreak of fire whether such an outbreak has occurred or not.

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Fire Safety Awareness courses. The eLearn fire safety awareness course is designed to help employers meet their legal requirement to provide information and training to staff regarding specific hazards. Fire safety is an essential part of any safety management system. The course, along with regular fire drills, will help ensure regulatory compliance.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

Mental Health & Well Being in the Workplace

We know how much time is spent working with our colleagues in the same environment. So it is very important that we have a safe and healthy with Mental Health and overall wellbeing in the workplace. A place that we feel comfortable and able to communicate in a safe manner. A place where we are not afraid to speak openly. Where we feel valued, satisfied and respected in our jobs. This is the kind of place where we will be more productive and committed. Everybody needs and safe workplace.

Violence and Bullying

This occurs in the workplace in many different forms and can result in devastating outcomes for the person who is getting bullied. This can be a much broader problem consisting of many acts of threatening, abusing, assaulting, intimidation, degrading, or humiliating a person in the workplace.

There are different types of bullying and ways in which to do it and some of them include the internet harassment and cyberbullying and negative interaction. Click this link to find out what your citizens rights are.

Some forms of bullying

Spreading malicious rumours, gossip or innuendos.
Excluding or isolating someone socially.
Intimidating a person.
Undermining or deliberately impeding a person’s work.
Physically abusing or threatening abuse.
Making jokes that are obviously offensive by spoken word or email.
Tampering with a persons belongings or equipment.

If you feel that you are getting bullied in the workplace don’t suffer in silence and speak to a friend or colleague.

Cancer Linked To Your Occupation

There are over 40,000 people being diagnosed of cancer every year in Ireland.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer followed by prostrate, breast, bowel and lung caners.

While most cancer is notting to do with work, there are well-recognised causes for those that are linked with occupation. The most common causes of work-related cancers are:

Ultraviolet light (mainly from natural sunlight, not exclusively to do with work, but is significant for those who work outdoors);
Ultraviolet light from sunbeds,(where there may be a risk for sunbed operators and their employees).
Some chemicals (such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs] from coal tar, pitch and unrefined mineral oils);
Ionising radiation (e.g. from radioactive substances and X-rays)
Asbestos inhalation can cause serious and fatal illness. People who are exposed to Asbestos breathe in tiny fibres that accumulate and lodge in the lungs. This can cause scarring, inflammation and mesothelioma cancer. It is a rare cancer and no known cure and develops in the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart.

Who is at risk from Asbestos related disease?

Everyone is at risk from this as the tiny particles are present in the air, water and soil. People who become ill are usually those who are exposed to it on a regular basis, a job where they work directly with the material or through substantial environmental contact.

How can you protect yourself from Asbestos related illness?

There are a series of regulations to help protect workers form risks related to exposure. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) plays a major role in enforcing these regulations.

Employers are responsible for their employees who are at risk and must take the following steps to ensure this:

Identify any Asbestos before work starts and plan.
Do a risk assessment and write the plan
Inform employees about the levels of exposure and try to keep this level to a minimum.
Employ specialists where there are high levels of Asbestos.
Provide protective wear that is specific for the type of work and the level of asbestos in the air.
Provide information and training so that employees are aware of the dangers involved with asbestos.
Dispose all waste that contains asbestos.

For more information about asbestos, take our asbestos awareness certified online course.

Elearn Goes International with Online Health and Safety Training

Reiss Global Employees use Elearn to get certification.

ELearn’s Health & Safety Training solution allowed Reiss to provide an online course available 24/7 on any device connected to the internet and in an innovative approach. The training was made available on the point of sale machines within each store. The eLearn system automatically tracks participation and progress and keeps records of the training.

Reiss, modern fashion brand company, had implemented an in-house Health and Safety training practice. This required the trainer to travel to multiple locations from Glasgow to London to deliver “induction” courses. The travel time and distances to be covered created significant inefficiencies and did not automatically record the training given which had to be logged manually and re-entered into a central data base.

With the new online training course, staff have ample opportunity to avail of the training and access the knowledge base. It has led to a significant reduction in trainer’s travel time and is able to reach all REISS stores internationally from England to Japan. This regulated and measured online course gives Reiss confidence and peace of mind that they are delivering excellent training and have records to prove this. It also assists new staff even before they have set foot in a shop.

If you or your company would like to know more about our online training, contact us or simply click on the relevant course.