October

Fire Extinguisher Training – What You Need To Know

OSHA regulation 1910.157 outlines the requirements for portable fire extinguishers in the workplace, including their placement, use, maintenance, and testing. It also specifies training requirements for employees, depending on the company’s policy as stated in the Emergency Action Plan and Fire Prevention Plan. The training requirements differ depending on if your company policy states employees are permitted to use extinguishers, or if they are.

1. Employees Not Designated to Use Fire Extinguishers

If your company policy documented in your Emergency Action Plan and Fire Prevention Plan is for an immediate and total evacuation of the building for all employees when there is a fire, then the fire extinguisher requirements are as follows:

• Only the inspection, maintenance and testing section and the Hydrostatic testing section of the OSHA regulation apply to ensure that the fire extinguishers provided will work if and when needed.
• The training for the employees would be general in nature and should include at a minimum the location of the extinguishers, maintaining three feet of clearance in front of all extinguishers, and specifics on the emergency action plan and fire prevention plan, including the evacuation process.
• Employee training should also cover how to respond to OSHA if asked about using fire extinguishers. Employees should be instructed that their responsibility is to exit the building, as the fire extinguishers are intended for use only by the fire department.

2. Employees Designated to Use Fire Extinguishers

If your company’s policy documented in your Emergency Action Plan and Fire Prevention Plan is for all employees, or a group of first responders, to know how to use a fire extinguisher to extinguish a small fire (if possible):

• The entire regulation applies to your company, including the training and education requirements for affected employees (employees designated to use extinguishers). The training requirements, 157 (g) are:
  • 157 (g) (1): The employer shall provide an educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage firefighting.
  • 157 (g) (2): Employers shall provide this training upon initial employment and at least on an annual basis.
  • 157 (g) (3): The employer shall provide employees designated to use firefighting equipment as part of the emergency action plan with training in the use of the appropriate equipment.
  • 157 (g) (4): The employer shall provide the training to those designated to use the fire extinguishers upon assignment to the designated group and at least annually thereafter.

Some additional training clarifications:

• For those employees not designated to use the fire extinguishers (meaning not on Fire Response Team) training should include what is described in section 1 of this article.
• For those employees designated to use the fire extinguishers (including anyone who is expected to be a hot work fire watch) training should be conducted at initial assignment and at least annually thereafter. Training should include the following elements:
  • Location and use of the various portable fire extinguishers and what type of extinguisher to use for various situations in the facility
  • How to use the fire extinguishers
  • Review PASS system to extinguish early-stage fires (Point, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep)
  • Types of hazards that employees could encounter in the facility and in employee work areas
  • How to determine when a fire is too big to handle – when deciding to use an extinguisher, the fire needs to be in incipient (initial) stage
  • Periodic practice on extinguishing a live fire (this level of training is not needed each year). Live training exposes employees to the pressure released from a fire extinguisher when squeezing the handle and provides hands-on practice extinguishing a fire. Some local fire departments and most fire extinguisher suppliers offer this type of training
• All training records should be kept up to date and contain who received what training and when.