Instruction, Training and Competency: important features of the new legislation

Training for fire safety has always made good sense, under existing fire certificates and licensing arrangements it has been a requirement; and under the Workplace Fire Precautions Legislation too. But the new legislation imposes more explicit – and demanding - requirements on employers.

The general requirement¹ specifies the occasions that training should be given: i.e. upon employment and to be repeated periodically as appropriate, and where changes occur in work practices or the significant findings of your fire risk assessment. But this refers only to the general training that every employee should receive, and it states that the training must, “include suitable and sufficient instruction and training on the appropriate precautions and actions to be taken by the employee in order to safeguard himself and other relevant persons on the premises”. It is important to note that the training must include training on the precautions that need to be taken to reduce the risk of fire, not just the action to be taken in fire. It is essential that employees have a fuller understanding of the findings of the risk assessment and the general fire precautions that are necessary to ensure safety in the workplace.

And you may be guilty of an offence if you do not train your employees. The offences² relate largely to the failure to comply with articles 8-22 of the order, which includes article 21 relating to training, but article 8, the requirement to take general fire precautions ( which includes training ), is also relevant.

But instruction, training, and competency do not end there. Employers are under an obligation^4,5,6 to ensure that competent persons are available to assist with the implementation of certain measures identified as necessary through the fire risk assessment. You are required to take measures for fire-fighting, article 13, have procedures for serious and imminent danger and for danger areas, and employers must appoint one or more persons to assist him in undertaking the preventive and protective measures. All of these people must be competent – defined frequently in the Order as having sufficient training and experience or knowledge.

In summary
From your fire risk assessment will be identified the measures necessary to ensure the safety of your employees and other relevant persons who may be at risk. The preventative, protective, and safety measures will only be successful if your employee teams are fully aware of their responsibilities and trained and practised accordingly.