Maintaining Fire Safety Training Culture in Construction Industry

Construction Industry

Annually, there are a high number of fire incidents occurring in the construction industry where workforces are getting injured and even death, the property is also damaged. The construction industry suffers interruption along with unforeseen and sudden financial loss from such incidents which a large number of those are uncovered. For example, there were 204 fires in buildings under construction in 2018/2019 (MDM Publishing Ltd, 2020) in a country located in Europe. It is really a worrying, a major issue and a challenge; however, it can really be combated by an effective training program as the training is considered as a major element of the strong fire prevention strategy.

Therefore, the construction firm needs to provide effective fire training to its workforce about the best method of applying firefighting equipment to assist them to stay safe and unthreatened. The construction workforces need to be made more familiar with the right knowledge, skills, attitudes & abilities KSAA in detecting and eliminating or at least reducing fire hazards to a minimal level within construction sites. However, how do you make construction workforces want to be theoretically and practically trained is a major issue as well? It is all about maintaining a fire training culture within this vital industry.

Globally, fire safety training culture within the construction industry has been increasingly given special consideration within the last three decades. It is without a doubt one which morals and really promotes the performance of the construction industry. Maintaining a fire safety training culture which in turn maintains a fire risk-free environment is an extremely important element to provide massive positive aspects for your firm. It is also considered a smart investment and an asset mainly because it assists you to properly benefit from your workforce's potential and develop firm business with a strong fire prevention strategy. Through workforce involvement towards accelerated efficiency leading to have construction workforces with a strong KSAA, fire safety training culture can be something or an area each construction firm must make an effort to promote.?

Construction Fire Safety Training

Fire safety training is a proactive legal requirement worldwide. ILO clearly states that construction firms should provide appropriate training for all engaged. In the UK, the provision of training has been comprised within the full list of actions, as a part of the planning stage of HSG 65. ISO 45001:2018, the OHSMS standard Clause 7.3: Awareness is a proactive key element to fulfil the requirement of such standard as most of the construction firms are ISO certified. Training is also a main proactive element within clients/customers/owners prequalification system. So the provision and attendance of such pieces of training are mandatory. You need to know the approach in which your firm should make sure that all workforces at all levels are prepared with appropriate training. For instance, In SKD Group, the new construction workforces will be given the first dose of fire training during the Corporate Induction which includes mainly an overview of local legislation which is similar to HS legislation including HAWSA 1974 section 7&8 duties of workforces at work, section 2&9 duties of your firm “employers”, MHSWR1999, and an overview of SKD fire policies and procedures such as fire responsibilities, fire safety, Key management contacts etc. In addition, the workforces will also be briefed about local fire safety law, including and similar to Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – what's often known as the 'Fire Safety Order'. The second dose of fire training will then be given to the workforces during the Departmental Induction course which will include the Departmental specific fire procedures such as fire incident reporting, fire action, first aid, COSHH, Smoking, etc. During this induction, the new workforces will be deeply briefed about the fire and emergency procedures such as evacuation, emergency routes, assembly points; emergency contact numbers internally and externally, the locations of firefighting equipment such as fire extinguishers and fire actions etc. This is in addition to General Office Instructions such as recognition of any duty holders, housekeeping, safe storage, welfare facilities. Do not forget to ensure that Duty Holder Training is being also provided to firm workforces recognized within fire procedure and nominated to help the Firm discharging its legal obligations such as to receive fire training on the execution approach of your firm fire procedures and carry out their duties safely. As SKD Group works mainly in the construction industry, the SKD workforces will then attend fire training presented by the Client as required such as during HS induction, Specific fire training that requires workforces conducting specific jobs i.e. emergency respond team, evacuation team, fire warden, to certify them as competent persons. A project-wide fire training program will be established for all project team members before engaging at the project about job-specific and area-specific fire requirements such as fire risk assessment, JHA, JSA.

The project workforces will then mandatory attend a daily PRE-STARRT at the beginning of every shift where the purpose will primarily be maximizing and strengthening fire prevention outputs, which will definitely motivate engagement and interaction including perceptions and sensory?input out of all involved workforces. Furthermore, the SKD workforces have a regular appointment to attend toolbox meetings at the project where the aim is to train them HS including fire prevention requirements and even community-relevant challenges. The feedback of such training and activities will directly be passed to HS Committee for further discussion and closeout. Workforces who repeatedly fail to attend such training without a justification will not be allowed to enter the project and his name will be suspended at least three months from the incentive program and may influence on annual appraisal report and vice versa.?

Similar to most global construction firms, SKD Group has an annual HS Awareness training that internally conducted for all project members mainly the supervisors to enable them to attend an In-house formal training package such as fire prevention responsibilities, fire risk assessment, SWP, PTW, Confined space Safe work etc and most importantly, how to employ latest fire prevention management and application of supervisory skills. External fire training is also taking place by approved training providers upon expiry of existing certificates associated with competency such as first aiders, fire-fighters, etc. To achieve all those, a separate training department has been established at the SKD HR building to formulate and administrate the different training programs for SKD staff in different departments. Produce a reason for optimism and is quite impressive as compared to other construction firms that do similar business. The purpose is to maintain a positive fire training culture, strong fire prevention strategy by having a high quality of workforces who have strong fire knowledge, skills, attitudes and capabilities.

?Maintaining Fire Safety Training Culture

The method fire training develops within construction sites is usually changing. The application is no longer regarding a sample training class or even a workshop where workforces need always to attend. It is really beyond that, it is really regarding ongoing training and maintaining a culture of fire training to guide and strengthen it. Maintaining a fire training culture needs usually time to effectively work, however, it is definitely a value and a smart investment. Moreover, making a remarkable change within construction culture to a model which promotes fire training culture is not an easy task that takes place immediately; however actionable stages are there to correctly move within an adequate path.

To recognize what sort of a fire training culture is to be maintained, it is necessary to recognize how the firm co-operate culture is well maintained and promoted. The construction organizational culture is considered as a significantly inherited and identified of your firm. Even, there is no standard definition of just what exactly construction organizational culture accurately is, It is defined as “a significant influencing factor of the success or failure of a construction project”. This influencing factor is the thing that professionally encourages your workforces and moves initiatives they capture. Regardless, you realize and recognize or otherwise not, your firm currently has a construction organizational culture. In case you have not yet defined yours. The workforces have already formed their own one via their perceptions and belief of the initiatives which project management has done and also the principles they take. It is a demonstration of your firm’s values, norms and beliefs and requires enough time to promote.

Promote Fire Training a Heart of Firm Value

To correctly maintain or promote fire training culture, the construction workforces should be made to positively detect the project management supports and help them. So, you have to clearly define fire training as a part of the main value with your firm and project management team. The main values accelerate decision making and direct initiatives firms do. Investing in fire training includes the provision of required resources by your firm/project team who should effectively participate and support the fire training.?Fire training should be viewed as the duty of both construction firms and workforces who should seriously deal with construction fire issues and immediately eliminate them. They can encourage indirectly fire training culture via useful initiatives such as creating fire training policies, instructions and procedures, participating in a fire risk assessment, while project supervisors deal as the link between management and sites; they watch workforces compliance to fire prevention strategy and prepare feedback to workforces about their attitudes.

Build up Individualized Fire Training Plans

Individualized Fire training plans produce training a great deal and more strongly related to construction workforces which becomes just like a trip. Through creating smartly fire training goals, objectives and strategically building up the related fire training plans to successfully attain them, the workforces can deeply be involved within the whole fire training process. It is very important to complete the fire training course with a full attendance rate, but most importantly, that the real image, assisting and encouraging the workforces to attain their occupation desired goals and make them willingly attend and participate in all fire activities. They should be made an initiative and more proactive rather than active by doing their fire training needs analysis, request any further training and development opportunities. In SKD Group, a high number of workforces do such activities and find internal and external training courses to develop their KSAA, building a unique CV and obtain client requirements to get a gate pass to work there. However, the HSE Department does an annual fire training analysis either internally or externally together with Training Department and sometimes with external training providers.

Offer Individuals Occupation Mentoring

Some fire training initiatives and encouragements set up through occupation aspirations. Whenever firms feature individualized training, they will be able to assist individuals to recognize current and future occupation opportunities, options and promote individualized fire training needs and plans. Fire training essentially, is usually an excellent path to steer for example self-direct training within the correct path, find out and check the readily obtainable methods, resources, information etc and maintain your candidates accountable.??????

Be a Good Example

Construction firm senior management members and project management team should usually be influential and cooperate with employees to maintain a healthy work environment. When you are interested, involved and committed to your own ongoing training, this accelerates the fire training culture in the right direction. The best methods you can apply within this stage of work?is to have your own fire training and development plan, goals, objectives, a membership with a professional body such as the Institution of fire and safety managers(IFSM), The Institution of Fire Engineers(IFE) via CPD, IPD etc. Apply and discuss your previous, current and future fire training within your work environment such as during project fire training i.e. toolbox, fire risk assessment meetings, workshops, regular inspection of project fire equipment etc. You have to be well prepared and in an accessible and reachable position for any advice, suggestions, corrections and any feedback to any concerns raised by workforces. This can be successfully obtained by establishing social media networking such as Instagram, WhatsApp, etc. Such programs have been introduced by SKD HSE Department and have a positive effect on the construction sites. The purpose of such programs is to assist the project management teams at all levels to promote their capabilities to manage the fire risk, boost leadership skills and enhance business intuition within a healthy workplace.?

Maintain an adequate Incentive Programs

In each industry especially in construction, many HS professionals understand the effectiveness of encouraging construction workforces as a part of promoting their knowledge, skills, attitudes and capabilities leading to enhance the whole culture. It is very important to apply this vital element within fire training.?It is really true and has a major impact on workforces and firms in terms of maximizing the workforces and firm performance. Whenever it is well maintained, the incentive program can significantly assist and aid you in maintaining a fire training culture. This element will continue applying best practices, positive attitudes, and achieve full compliance in terms of local law, clients & ISO standard requirements. The rate of incidents will be eliminated or at least decreased etc. In terms of fire training, the impact is unlimited as the workforces will positively participate in many fire activities such as fire training, fire inspection and maintenance, reporting unsafe conditions and acts, improper chemical storage, poor housekeeping etc. The workforces’ team will be more proactively rather than actively, cooperate with all fire requirements. There are many useful incentive examples such as cash, meals, tangible goods, and public recognition. The construction firm can provide such incentives based on individual or group performance depending on the design of the program. Frankly, the incentive program is increasingly applied nowadays in construction sites and the purpose is to assist firms to motivate, attract, retain and enhance workforces productivity and encourage them to effectively participate in any safety activities such as attendance fire training, fire risk assessment, near-miss reporting, fire investigation, etc. This is really true, SKD Group has applied such a program for a long time and the impact is really high as it has offered to attain multiple goals such as gaining a high degree of performance from workforces, retaining and attracting high quality and smart workforces, providing the workforces with the ownership interest feeling of the firm. Moreover, this program allows these incentives to grow over time, increasing the degree to which workforces are excited about their achievements and successes.

Provide Best Suited Training Environment

Different options and solutions are available there for training platforms and have a major impact in terms of fire training success. They play a significant element to encourage the workforces to continue attending and effectively engaged in fire training courses. The training environment your firm employs needs equally assist in and strengthen the fire training culture. It should be provided with the latest uncomplicated technology, easy to operate and use, with a high-reliability system and allows new information and knowledge sharing and discussing, leading to have an effective interaction between candidates. Just remember that fire training needs to be theoretically and practically conducted by a highly qualified person. So, you have to make sure that you have an appropriate training workshop with suitable fire equipment such as fire extinguishers, PPE for both you and the candidates.?When you adequately provide it, sure the candidates will come and enjoy it.

Support Knowledge Sharing and Discussing

In this stage of work, you have to maintain effective knowledge sharing and discussing as it is considered an essential element of maintaining a fire training culture. Frankly, informal fire training and social training tend to be major elements of fire training culture development. Whenever workforces are properly motivated and recognized for sharing and discussing knowledge and best practices, they become more initiatives, involved in any fire training courses and activities. This is true, it assists to maintain a strong fire training culture.?In SKD Group, the workforces are encouraged and recognized once they report any fire incident at any construction project to learn from others mistakes. This is included in a regular incentive program and the participation rate is good.?

Instil Fire training within Recruitment System

Traditionally, workforces especially in the construction industry always prefer employed by firms that offer them a high income, facilities and benefits. However, for the last three decades, they also prefer firms that provide a high quality of different training programs and career development opportunities; along with demonstrating them with proper and equal care, a real sense and perception of belonging. Such indications strongly become visible in the Construction industry. So, to maintain a positive fire training culture via a proactive strategy, you must include and offer a high quality of different training programs such as fire training and licenses on firm recruitment processes such as advertisements, interviews and job promotion.

Build up an Effective Fire Training Program

In this stage of work, you have to develop and design an effective fire training program. It must reach its potential. An ineffective training program is without doubt increases the likelihood of workforces’ injuries and minimizes the chances to adequately and safely conduct the right knowledge, skills, attitudes and capabilities. So, it is very important to clearly include the said things within your program to safely handle any firefighting functions. The aim and objectives are SMART, the program duration is another issue, you have to critically estimate cost, expected outcomes,?the needed number of training program hours, a competent trainer to be properly selected and recruited and an effective evaluation system.?You need to maintain an effective fire training program and strongly related to workforces’ particularly worksite and activities and try to always perform collective or group training exercises rather than workforces training individually. Frankly, this can assist workforces to have effective interaction, communication, share knowledge, work together, creating trust. Doing so allows construction firms to correctly recognize and fix related fire issues, maintain a positive fire training culture and a strong fire prevention strategy.?

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