What Are the Duties and Responsibilities of a Fire Warden?
America is a nation on fire. An American fire department responded to a blaze every 24 seconds in 2019. That includes fires in residential and commercial buildings.
The best way to prevent a fire in your commercial building is to have a fire official with you at all times. Yet this can be expensive. Having an employee serve as a fire warden is a good solution.
But what are fire warden tips that they should follow? What do they need to do to diminish an office’s risk of a devastating fire? What should they do after a fire?
Answer these questions and you can keep your entire office safe from flames and smoke. Here is your quick guide.
Remove Fire Threats
One of the most important fire warden duties is to monitor fire threats. A warden should walk through their office at least once a week and examine any potential sources of flame.
Some sources like stoves cannot be removed. But they should throw out anything that is not necessary for an office’s duties.
They should also remove almost all flammable substances. Posters, insulation, and walling can spread flames and throw up toxic chemicals.
There is no one fire warden role or fire warden guide to follow. A fire warden should go over their fire warden responsibilities with their supervisor. They can work on personalizing the role to meet the warden’s personality.
Develop an Evacuation Plan
A fire warden should work with supervisors on an evacuation plan. They should determine how everyone can leave the building in the event of an emergency.
Once they find fire exits, they should make them clearly visible. They can do this by installing illuminated signs and placards around the door. They should also remove any obstacles in front of the exits.
After they figure out where the exit points are, they should organize fire drills. These drills should occur without warning. Everyone in the building should respond to fire alarms and leave through the nearest door.
Respond to an Emergency
When a fire breaks out, a fire warden should serve as a first responder. They should go to the scene and try to put out the fire themselves.
If they cannot, they should tell employees to evacuate. They should then call the fire service and ask them to come to the scene.
They should try to document what is going on. This will help investigators determine how the fire broke out. This will also allow firefighters to go straight to where the fire is.
Help the Wounded
A fire warden can also help with first aid. They should do so after they have led the evacuation out of the building.
They can respond to minor burns, breathing problems, snd heart issues. But they should leave more extensive injuries to the professionals. They can also ask an employee with medical experience to help them.
What a Fire Warden Should Do
A fire warden must carry out many responsibilities. They should start by removing threats from the office space. This includes flammable substances that can produce toxic smoke.
They should then write a formal evacuation plan. Every worker in every part of the building should have a path out. All workers should know what to do through fire drills.
A warden must respond to a fire as soon as it happens. They should also contact the authorities. Once outside, they should help with the injured.
Office safety depends on intelligent employees. Follow our coverage for more office safety guides.
