New Research Finds that Almost Half of Brits don't know Where their Fire Safety Assembly Point is at Work
New research has revealed that 2 in 5 Brits (44%) would not know what to do in the event of a fire.
The study, commissioned by Phoenix Health & Safety, surveyed 1,500 participants UK-wide to uncover how well Brits understand fire hazards in the workplace.
Each year there are around 22,000 fires in workplaces around the UK, highlighting the importance of having adequate fire safety knowledge.
We've gathered insightful data to understand if Brits would know what actions to take in the presence of a fire, and how businesses should take action to reduce the risk of fire-related workplace accidents.
Overall, the study found that 2 in 5 Brits (44%) believe they would not know what to do in the event of a fire at work. Commenting on this result, Nick Higginson, CEO of Phoenix Health & Safety, shares; “For fire safety to be most effective in a workplace, it’s key that every individual of every level understands the procedure in full.
“Without a well-rehearsed fire safety procedure, panic and confusion can elevate the risk factor during an emergency, so it’s essential that businesses ensure their staff are fully aware of every aspect of the procedure.”
The study also found that nearly half (47%) of the respondents would not be able to locate where their fire safety assembly is, and only around 1 in 6 (16%) have had a fire safety drill in their workplace in the past year. Not only this, just over a quarter would be able to state who the fire officers in their workplace are.
Nick says: “According to government fire safety regulations, all workplaces should have a fire drill at least once a year and not doing so can result in a fine for the business. Fire drills are important as they allow management to evaluate the effectiveness of the evacuation plan that is in place and make any necessary changes. To see that such a small percentage can recall a fire drill occurring in their workplace in the last year is a cause for concern.
“Not knowing the location of the fire assembly point is just one example of why having a clear and well-rehearsed procedure is so important. All new staff should be made aware of the location of the assembly point and any fire exits, and should be reminded periodically through training to refresh their memory of fire safety protocol.”
Only around a quarter of respondents (24%) stated that they would know which fire extinguisher they could use to put out fires on different types of materials. To test fire extinguisher knowledge, respondents were faced with two scenarios to test their understanding of fire extinguisher types and their differences.
In the first scenario, respondents were asked to identify which fire extinguisher was not safe to use to put out a fire caused by combustible materials such as paper and wood. A large majority of respondents answered incorrectly, with almost three-quarters (74%) unable to identify the extinguisher which wouldn’t be safe to use.
For the second scenario, respondents were tested on which fire extinguisher would be safe to use to put out a fire caused by an electrical fault. Once again, most respondents answered this incorrectly, with over two-thirds (71%) of respondents choosing the wrong fire extinguisher.
Nick says: “Understanding which fire extinguisher to use in the event of a fire could be the difference between the fire being dealt with quickly and safely, or a full-scale emergency.
“In most workplaces, the fire extinguishers available should have a pictograph which shows the classification and what sort of fire it can be used on. Whilst you may want to react quickly, taking a few seconds longer to identify the fire extinguisher and make smart decisions could potentially be life-saving.”
Nick continues: “It is the responsibility of organisations and their fire safety officers to ensure that all fire safety regulations are adhered to and a culture of following the rules is ingrained in the workplace, but it is also the responsibility of employees themselves to ensure the regulations are followed.
Managers and supervisors who want to attain the necessary knowledge and skills to tackle fire hazards can take a relevant fire safety course to get accredited with a NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety.
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