Are you aware that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) per 29 CFR 1910.157(g)(1) requires that, “Where the employer has provided portable fire extinguishers for employee use in the workplace, the employer shall also provide an educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting”? OSHA requires this training upon initial employment and annually thereafter.
In order to meet this requirement, the training professionals at Ryan Fireprotection can help educate employees on the various sources of fire and the appropriate class of fire extinguishers to use for each.
There are some situations where it is better for a building owner or employee not to try to fight the fire with a fire extinguisher. During a Ryan Fireprotection extinguisher training course, employees will be instructed on the hazards involved and what situation(s) to use a fire extinguisher.
If a fire emergency happens, it is crucial that employees know exactly how to position themselves for safety and effectiveness and how to operate a fire extinguisher.
P.A.S.S.
In the event of a fire, it is important for employees to quickly remember how to use an extinguisher. A Ryan Fireprotection expert will go over the mnemonic “P.A.S.S.,” which stands for:
- Pull—pull the pin.
- Aim—point the nozzle at the base of the fire.
- Squeeze—squeeze the lever.
- Sweep—move the nozzle from side to side while aiming at the base of the fire.
Hands-On Training
While classroom training is important, there is no substitute for hands-on training. In the past, actual controlled fires were set in places like parking lots, and people would practice the use of a fire extinguisher. Clearly, there are some safety issues and other concerns with this practice. To eliminate these concerns, Ryan Fireprotection uses the state-of-the-art, laser-driven, hands-on, fire extinguisher training—the BullEx® BullsEye. The system has a specially-designed flat screen monitor that provides a realistic simulation of a fire without the danger. Coupled with realistic fire extinguishers that are equipped with lasers, the system can detect if the appropriate class of extinguisher is used, if the trainee is aiming and sweeping correctly, and if they are at an effective distance from the base of the fire. A friendly competition has also been known to happen between our trainees as to who can extinguish a fire the fastest!
Ryan Fireprotection will conduct this approximately one-hour class for building owners and their employees either onsite or at our facility. Contact Ryan Fireprotection today to schedule this important OSHA-mandated training.
