Posted By Coshh Assessor If you want to give practical training, then you can use a trainer who will provide extinguishers for the purpose. Alternatively, since extinguishers need to be discharged and refilled / exchanged at intervals, you might be able to combine the servicing and the training. But you may decide you don't need to give practical training in which case you could show a video.

Posted By Mike Nixon Your Fire Extinguisher servicing complany would refill them. However much better to request them to supply appropriate extinguishers on loan in advance of training. Alternatively use a trainer that can bring the extinguishers with them.

Posted By FAH Hi Jervis It will depend entirely on WHY the FEs have been provided! [Yes, I know it's to deal with fires - doh!]. Is the provision of FEs intended to be a "protective" measure to enable persons to achieve a place of safety [outside the building]; or is it to save the insurers money by attacking fires? The training to enable escape will very definitely NOT be the same as that for attackiong a fire. Frank Hallett

Posted By Phil Rose Frank - I don't normally 'challenge' your posts but that seems a rather strange position to adopt. I can't see that the training would be substantially different for either of the 2 scenarios suggested. Fighting fires to save property goes MUCH further than saving the insurer money; surely. It can of course save entire businesses, and the jobs of employees of both that company and others that may depend on it.

Posted By FAH OK folks, I'll attempt to clarify the underpinning reasons for my earlier statements! First though - Hi Phil, thanks for the compliment; however, I'm not going to get into a discussion here about the value of attacking a fire vs the value of evacuation by by-passing the fire. I've made my views as clear as posible on that in previous posts. Any fire trainer who'se worth the money must be able to take your FRA & the accompanying instructions & emergency procedures to determine what aspects of training you really require rather than simply do the "bog-standard" version of "Here is how to attack a fire with a FE". This is important 'cos, amongst other things for instance, you really don't want the trainer telling people to attack fires if all you want them to do is leave the premises asap. What this means is that the buyer of the training must ensure that it meets the needs specified in their own FRA; not assume that the trainer will provide the right stuff 'cos they're the trainer. Specifically on the FE, if you provide FEs to assist persons to get past a fire rather than knock it out completely, the extinguishing medium may need to be different; & the means of projecting it will need to be different to the standard "jet". This is one of those things that rumbles on, & on, & on because, when it comes down to it, there are as many points of view as there are people - and that is why the FRA MUST specify the expectations & especially the emergency procedures for that premises under those conditions. Frank Hallett

Posted By Crim Can I pull you all back to the original question? It is not about the why's and wherefores but just about training for use of fire extinguishers and how to refill afterwards. Jervis wants an answer to his question not a debate about all the other good things to do with extinguishers. Rant over!

Posted By Phizzle ...in our oganisation all employees are given a theoretical overview of extinguishers at Induction. This is done by myself in case they need to use one in an emeregency situation. Practical demonstrations are given during training (by external IFE, ex-brigade trainers) for appointed Fire Marshalls. Ian