Effective Measures for Your Construction Site Security
- Admin
Understanding Fire Marshal
A fire marshal is a trained person who is responsible for guiding people to safety and ensuring minimum risk during a fire hazard. Landlords, managers and owners should hire fire marshals to maintain fire safety by ensuring that all the fire safety standards are followed, developing fire risk assessment methods, and offering fire awareness training.
Every company in the United Kingdom should have a fire marshal who understands how to carry out his/her duties effectively.
Who Should Hire a Fire Marshal?
The person in charge should hire a fire marshal who will work to ensure that all the fire risks are identified. In the case of an emergency, the fire marshal’s responsibility is to ensure that all individuals exit the fire areas and the building safely. The person in charge could be:
- Landlord
- Employer
- Building owner
- Manager (risk assessor or building managing agent)
Responsibilities of a Fire Marshal in Preventing a Fire
There are various steps a fire marshal can take to avoid a fire.
- Examining fire escape signs
- Examining fire escape routes
- Keeping fire extinguishers in good condition
- Removing dangers on a routine basis
- Examining fire alarms
- Keeping risk assessments up to date
- Keeping fire staff informed of any modifications to fire safety procedures.
- Completing fire safety training for new employees
Besides these, a fire marshal’s responsibilities also include looking for people who may be highly vulnerable to fire in case of an emergency. This includes any disabled person or elderly who may not be able to exit the fire spaces easily.
Fire marshals should check their surroundings frequently to ensure they have taken all possible measures to prevent a fire.
What is the responsibility of the Fire Marshal in an emergency?
People generally panic and fail to remember the previous fire training when a fire breaks out. This makes the evacuation become chaotic, raising the risk of injury or death. In this case, a fire marshal must stay confident and calm to handle the situation.
In case of emergency, a fire marshal performs the following duties:
Raise the Fire Alarm: It is done to notify that the building is under emergency.
Help with Evacuations: A fire marshal helps children, the disabled, visitors, and the elderly to move out of the building safely.
Prevent the Fire from Spreading: A fire marshal will close all the doors and windows to keep the smoke and fire from spreading.
Put Out the Fire: A fire marshal will fight the fire when it is safe.
Emergency Services Communication: A fire marshal will contact emergency services to inform the location and condition of the fire.
Coordination with Other Fire Marshals: The fire marshal coordinate with the other fire marshals in the building to ensure a successful evacuation.
What are Not the Responsibilities of a Fire Marshal?
It’s worth noting that fire marshals aren’t in charge of everything related to fire in your organisation. If a fire breaks out in your building, it is not their responsibility to lock the fireproof safes.
How Many Fire Marshals Are Required?
Depending on the size of the building, many fire marshals may be required. The precise number will vary depending on the number of people in the building.
For a building that is considered to be at minimum danger and the newer buildings, one fire marshal for every 50 people would suffice. More fire marshals will be required for older buildings or those where a fire could spread quickly. These details can be determined by a fire risk assessment.
Training for Fire Marshals
A training course for fire marshals will cover fundamental fire training:
Some topics covered in the training are
- Current fire codes
- Assessment of fire dangers
- Understanding how the fire spreads
- How to use fire protection equipment
Participants are issued a certificate at the end of the training which shows that they have completed the required training and can take all the fire marshal responsibilities.
