Posted By shaun mckeever
Mark, is the CD solely about use of extinguishers?

My view on fire training for staff is that all staff, irrespective of their role within an organisation, must be trained in what action to take on discovering a fire and on hearing the fire alarm. All staff must be walked along the emergency exit routes to the assembly point, particulalry routes that are not in common use. All staff must know the whereabouts of their nearest manual call point, fire extinguisher and exit routes. All these are best done hands on rather than via a CD.

As for extinguisher training, there is no requirement for every member of staff to be trained in the use of extinguishers although I personally think it is a good thing but there is a requirement to provide extinguishers (in most instances) and if extinguishers are provided there is a requirement for a sufficient number of staff to be trained to use them. There is no requirement for staff to tackle a fire just because they have been trained. I don't believe a CD is the best way of training but if you have 900 people then it is probably the cheapest. Trainees cannot ask questions of a CD. Practical live training and demonstration of extinguishers is the best form of training. Basically the more senses involved the better - see, touch, smell, hear (forget the taste!)

Posted By gham
with regards to

"must be trained in what action to take on discovering a fire and on hearing the fire alarm. All staff must be walked along the emergency exit routes to the assembly point, particulalry routes that are not in common use. All staff must know the whereabouts of their nearest manual call point, fire extinguisher and exit routes"

Have you thought about delegating this to the Line Managers/Supervisors/Team Leaders or fire wardens to carry out with their existing staff and subsuquent new staff, rather than doing all the running around hard work yourself. The CD Rom could suppliment and verify the information and instruction give has been taken in. Obviously you would need to train the trainers (or information conveyors rather)