Why Your Employees Need Fire Extinguisher Training Online

Nobody expects a fire in the workplace, but they are more common than you may think. There were over 16,500 fires in office spaces in 2020 alone.

While many people know what to do in the event of a house fire, a fire emergency in an office building can prompt a different response. One of the best ways to help prevent fires in the workplace is by having employees take fire extinguisher training online. These courses can empower your employees to feel confident about what to do if a fire breaks out during the work day.

Most people notice fire extinguishers in their offices, but many don't know how to use them the correct way. Let's take a look at why providing training on how to use fire extinguishers in an office will keep your staff safe.

Fire Risks at an Office

An office building will have different fire risks than the homes or apartments that your staff lives in. Having a training program tailored to your type of building will help your staff identify more likely fire risks.

Make sure to understand which areas of your building are more prone to fire hazards. Locations like kitchens, heating sources, and electrical areas are areas with a greater fire risk.

Once you identify these areas, learn how a fire can start there. This will help prepare you for what to do should the unthinkable happen.

Fire Extinguishers and Fire Class

One thing you'll learn in fire extinguisher training online is about the different types of fires. Not every fire acts the same, which means not every fire extinguisher will work to put it out. If you use the wrong type of extinguisher on certain fires, you can make the fire worse instead of better.

There are five main classifications of fires.

• Class A fires: Wood, paper, fabric fires
• Class B fires: Fires from liquids or gasses
• Class C fires: Electrical fires
• Class D fires: Fires made from metallic substances
• Class K fires: Grease and oil fires

Class A Fires

Class A fires are the type of fire that is seen the most. This sort of fire happens when paper, fabric, wood, or plastic catches fire.

You'll see this type of fire in many types of offices, so it's vital to have extinguishers that can put out a Class A fire. Even though these fires are common, they can still wreak havoc on a building. Water works well at putting out fires in this class.

Class B Fires

Fires in this class happen when flammable fuels or gases catch on fire. If paint, propane, or gasoline catches on fire, it is considered a Class B fire.

You can't put Class B fires out with water. Instead, you have to smother the fire to remove the oxygen to put it out.

Class C Fires

The next class of fire is most common in industries that use a large amount of electrical equipment. You'll see these fires most often at construction sites, data centers, or other industries that use appliances or power tools.

Water is not a great option for putting out Class C fires. You'll want to consider a clean agent suppression as it will stop the fire and reduce damage to the electronics in your building.

Class D Fires

The rarest type of fire on this list is a Class D fire, which happens due to flammable metals. You'll see these fires more often in labs that use materials like aluminum, potassium, and titanium.

You can't use water to put out a Class D fire. Instead, dry powder fire extinguishers are the best way to smother a Class D fire flame.

Class K Fire

Finally, Class K fires refer to cooking fires. These are fires that come from oils, fats, and liquids used in cooking.

This is another situation where water will make the problem worse. You'll want to smother your Class K fire or use a fire extinguisher filled with a wet agent to stop the fire.

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher

Before you can use a fire extinguisher, you'll need to know where to access one in your building. Identifying a fire extinguisher location will help you access one should an emergency arise.

Using fire extinguishers isn't a hard task, but it can feel overwhelming in an emergency if you don't know what to do. One way to remember how to use a fire extinguisher is by remembering to PASS.

Pull

Pull out the pin located at the top of the fire extinguisher. Next, you'll point the fire extinguisher nozzle at the base of the fire.

Aim

A common mistake is to aim at the flames. If you do this, you won't put out the fuel of the fire, and the fire will keep burning.

Squeeze

Squeeze down on the level at the top of the fire extinguisher. This will allow you to release the fire extinguishing agent from the extinguisher.

Sweep

Make a sweeping motion over the base of the fire to put the fire out. Make sure you are as far from the fire and work your way forward. Continue this motion until the fire is out, and make sure the location doesn't reignite.

Assessing a Work Fire

Another important element of a fire extinguisher training course is to know when to stay and when to go. Some fires are too big, and the safest option is to evacuate the building. You'll learn which option makes the most sense for your situation.

How Fire Extinguisher Training Online Helps

If a fire breaks out at your business, you'll want your employees to know how to react. Having your staff take fire extinguisher training online will equip them with the knowledge they need to stay safe.

Are you looking for a high-quality online fire extinguisher training course for your business? If so, Compliance Training Online has got you covered. Our company has helped over 31,600 companies stay safe.

Are you ready to sign your company up for high-quality online compliance training? Get the process started by sending us an email today.