Is your business prepared to deal with a fire emergency? If yes, we are confident that you have likely enlisted the services of Fire Wardens to ensure the safety of your place.
A Fire Warden is responsible for implementing the necessary fire safety measures to prevent a fire, maintaining workplace continuity, and preparing for a fire emergency. No fire emergency plan is complete without fire wardens, so understanding their responsibilities is crucial.
Here, we discuss their responsibilities in detail.
What is a Fire Warden, and What Does Fire Warden Training Involve?
Non-domestic buildings must have a designated “responsible person” for the premises. In the case of a workplace, this role may be filled by a building manager, landlord, or supervisor. It is their responsibility to ensure that the building is completely fire-safe and complies with all laws, and they must appoint fire wardens to assist them with this task. All fire wardens must complete fire warden training to ensure they understand their responsibilities and are aware of potential hazards within the building.
It is completely untrue that a fire warden’s responsibilities only start during a fire. Fire wardens, also known as fire marshals, play a vital role in the daily management of the building and usually fall into one of two categories: routine or emergency.
Emergency Planning and Drills
One of the main duties of a fire warden is to assist in developing and executing a workplace fire emergency plan. This plan describes what to do in the case of a fire, including evacuation procedures and assembly points. They also organize and participate in regular fire drills to make sure that every employee is aware of the evacuation procedure. The responsibilities include:
- Create clear and effective evacuation routes and ensure they are free from obstacles.
- Identify and designate secure meeting spots where staff members can gather during an evacuation.
- Organize and supervise regular fire drills to improve the evacuation procedure.
Fire Extinguishers and Alarm Checking
The fire alarms have been found to be malfunctioning on several occasions, and the fire extinguishers are present at places that are inaccessible when a fire breaks out. A fire warden’s primary responsibility is ensuring the fire alarms are working properly. If not, he may proceed with the necessary steps.
Additionally, he verifies whether or not fire extinguishers receive regular service. He completes this task once a month.
Safe Evacuation of Workers
Fire wardens are responsible for safely evacuating workers and visitors from a workplace after a fire alarm is sounded.
During an evacuation, a fire warden needs to:
- Encourage everyone to evacuate the building using the proper channels and exits (and not inappropriate exits such as lifts).
- Verify all accessible areas in the vicinity, including the bathroom, to make sure everyone has evacuated. This should be done as they leave the building so the fire warden avoids endangering themselves by returning to the evacuation area.
- Shut the doors to help to isolate the fire.
- Direct everyone to the assembly place and assist in checking that everyone has arrived at their destination safely.
So, fire wardens should be granted full authority to conduct evacuations, and workers should be informed of this authority.
Fire Wardens Indulge all People in Fire Safety
Indulging all people in fire safety is crucial to guarantee maximum protection from fire hazards.
Interactions between fire wardens and residents include:
- Raising awareness among them about workplace fire hazards, kinds of fire and fire extinguishers, and how to utilize an extinguisher.
- Educating employees on responding in an emergency and designating distinct roles to different people.
- Ensuring all workers fulfill their obligations and are held responsible during an evacuation.
- Ensuring that everyone receives fire safety training. It can be updated annually.
- Preparing all people for emergencies and aiding those with specific requirements, such as a wheelchair user, to evacuate.
