Fire safety training is an important yet often overlooked aspect of running a business. With so much to take into account, training employees how to respond in the event of an emergency is something that many business owners forget to do. However, by making fire safety a priority and ensuring employees know what to do when disaster strikes, you could minimise the damage and potentially save lives in the process.

Protect employees and customers

The most obvious reason to embrace fire safety training in your workplace is to protect employees and customers. A fire in the workplace can prove deadly, particularly if fire safety protocols have not been followed and staff are untrained.

By training your employees, you’ll have a team of people who know exactly what to do in the event of a fire. Not only will they be able to escape the building themselves, they’ll also be able to guide customers to safety.

Give people peace of mind

In the event of a fire, it’s essential that people stay as calm as possible. If people begin to panic, they might not know what’s expected of them and they may struggle to escape from the building. By training workers, you can provide them with reassurance and confidence.

Some workplaces may require more extensive training than others. For example, if you work in a care home, you’ll have to have an extensive evacuation plan to ensure the elderly or vulnerable people in your care can escape.

Boost employee skills

If you choose to send employees on specialist fire safety training courses, they’ll learn skills that they can continue to use for the rest of their lives. They’ll learn how to identify potential hazards, how to evacuate in the event of an emergency and how to use fire fighting equipment such as extinguishers.

Improve your fire risk assessment

Every business must conduct regular fire risk assessments to determine how safe the premises are and demonstrate their compliance with government legislation. By showing employees what to do in the event of an emergency and providing at least some of your workers with thorough fire safety training, you can improve the quality of your fire risk assessment and minimise the impact a fire could have on your business. Not only can fire safety training protect employees, it could also protect you from legal action.

Abide by government legislation

Not only is fire safety essential for protecting people, it’s also a legal requirement. By training employees and formerly logging their achievements, you prove you have a dedication to protecting your team and minimising the risk of fire.