Fire Training; An Essential Managerial Responsibility

Business managers today must cope with the headache of liability and legal regulations concerned with fire safety procedures and action plans. As a result of current legislation, ensuring staff members have had adequate training to ensure they know what to do in the event of a fire is an essential managerial responsibility. Training is so vital because the effects of a fire can be disastrous; not only to business assets but more importantly to the lives of workers. Training has a two fold approach however, purely focussing on what to do in the event of a fire is ill advisable, fundamentally managers need to train staff so they recognise the ways to prevent fires. Many people die... Read more »

Why Scissor Lift Training Is Essential

The Work at Height Regulations (2005) have worked hard to increase the safety of all workers who work on scaffolds or powered access machinery. Parts of the regulations ensure persons working on items such as the scissor lift have had suitable training. By making sure all those using machinery have had adequate training, safe working procedures are followed meaning that all work in a safer environment. The scissor lift also falls into the mobile elevated work platform category or MEWP. MEWPs make working at height easier for a variety of different industries allowing them to reach work areas quickly and easily. The modern scissor lift also has guard rails which are put in place to ensure workers do not fall and injure themselves. Additionally... Read more »

Why Training Is Needed To Use Fire Extinguishers Effectively

The fire extinguisher is an essential piece of equipment in many workplaces. Legal obligations require businesses to ensure that there are a suitable number of fire extinguishers on premises to ensure that if a fire does break out; staff members have some form of tool to combat the blaze. But with so many different types of fire extinguisher out there, the need for adequate training is vital if they are to be used effectively. As a business owner, giving staff members the knowledge of which extinguishers to use that will combat the different types of fire is a fundamental responsibility. Basically there are four different forms of fire extinguisher on the market today, each of... Read more »

How PASMA Have Worked Towards A Safer Working World

The Prefabricated Access Suppliers and Manufacturers Association or PASMA for short is a body that has been in existence since 1974. Its predominant work has been improving the safety for those working on scaffolds and towers in the construction and decorating industry. The importance of safety when working at height cannot be underestimated, ensuring all workers who use scaffolds have had PASMA training is a vital part of ensuring this safety. Currently a PASMA certificate is a vital element for all who work at height. Since 2005 when the Work at Height regulations came into effect PASMA training has become even more important. The body have worked towards designing... Read more »

IPAF; Ensuring The Safety Of Those Working At Height

The International Powered Access Federation or IPAF for short is a body that over the last twenty five years has strived to promote safe working procedures for powered access machinery workers. It has attempted to pursue these goals by producing training schedules for these workers so they have knowledge of safety issues and how to implement safe working practices. Formed in 1983 IPAF has worked towards these objectives as a non-profit organisation producing training guidelines and setting the standard in terms of safety procedures in the world... Read more »

What Is Involved In A Fire Risk Assessment?

As of 2006 government legislation demands that all business premises have had a fire risk assessment to assess the risk of fire and ways to reduce it. In the past the fire safety system in the UK depended upon fire certificates that deemed whether a premises was safe or not. Today this has changed with a major shift of emphasis; now legislation is more focussed upon reducing the risks of fire in the workplace. This means that anyone who is deemed responsible in a work premises, such as a manager, has a responsibility to take steps towards making that premises safer for the workers who inhabit it on a day to day basis. For... Read more »

How Training Can Help Ensure The Safety Of Staff Members

In the modern world of fire regulations and legal obligations training staff members is a vital responsibility of business managers and owners. There are many liability issues with ensuring your staff members have had suitable fire safety training concerned with evacuation and extinguisher usage. By doing this managers can reduce the risks of fire on their business premises and hence improve safety. Despite this move towards adequate training, many people still die in fires in commercial as well as residential premises. In the commercial sphere, the responsibility of the manager to ensure the safety of their... Read more »

The Responsibilities Of A Fire Warden During An Evacuation

Companies and businesses now have a legal responsibility to ensure a competent person is on site at all times should a fire happen to break out. A competent person is also termed as a fire warden, that is; a person who has had sufficient training to ensure the safety of staff members and anyone else who may be on the premises. The fire warden must have an understanding of the risks of fire on any part of the premises and actions to follow in the event of a fire. In addition they should also have had enough training to competently use the fire fighting equipment on the premises. But what are the responsibilities and duties of the... Read more »

The Legal Necessity For Abrasive Wheel Training

Abrasive wheels are used in all manner of industries; to many job roles the abrasive wheel is an essential piece of equipment that is used on a daily basis. They can however be extremely dangerous without effective training. In fact, it is legally defined that all abrasive wheel operators must have had suitable training in order to operate the machinery. Without this training the abrasive wheel has the potential to seriously maim or even kill. Understandably, health and safety officials have determined a minimum set of standards for all that use this equipment. Training for those who are inexperienced can help to reduce the instances of dangerous handling and operation of abrasive wheel technology. The piece of legislation that directly... Read more »

Why Managers Must Adhere To IPAF Recommendations

IPAF is the International Powered Access Federation; it is dedicated in promoting safe usage of powered access machinery through effective training courses. Its worldwide stance has meant the organisation has become an authority in all training issues surrounding powered access machinery, operating in many countries globally. Set up in 1983, this year sees IPAF celebrating its twenty fifth year as a non-profit organisation that strives to create safer working procedures for all powered access workers. By creating training guidelines, its work has been fundamental in strengthening the safety aspects of powered access operating. IPAF performs this... Read more »