Fire Extinguisher Training

Fire Extinguisher Training

OSHA 1910.157

If you expect your workers to use portable fire extinguishers, you must provide hands-on fire extinguisher training in using this equipment.

U.S. fire departments responded to over 1 million fires.

In 2019, local fire departments responded to an estimated 1.3 million fires. These fires caused roughly 3,700 civilian fire deaths and 16,600 reported civilian fire injuries. Property damage was estimated at $14.8 billion.

On average, a fire department responded to a fire somewhere in the US every 24 seconds in 2019. A home structure fire was reported every 93 seconds, a home fire death occurred every three hours and 10 minutes, and a home fire injury occurred every 43 minutes.

More than one-third of the fires (481,500 or 37 percent) occurred in or on structures. Most fire losses were caused by these fires, including 2,980 civilian fire deaths (80 percent); 13,900 civilian fire injuries (84 percent); and $12.3 billion in direct property damage (83 percent).

As reported by the NFPA, August 2019

Lets face it, everyone has seen fire extinguishers hanging on the wall for their entire lives but how many people have actually used one? OSHA states that as an employer, if you have an expectation in the event of a fire that an employee would use a fire extinguisher, you must train them annually.

This 3-hour fire extinguisher training course combines lecture, demonstration, application of company’s in house incipient Fire Response Plan and practical drill with live fire. This fire extinguisher training course satisfies 29 CFR 1910.157 requirements.

Fire Extinguisher Training

OSHA Standard 1910.157

1910.157(g)
Training and education.
1910.157(g)(1)

Where the employer has provided portable fire extinguishers for employee use in the workplace, the employer shall also provide an educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting.

1910.157(g)(2)

The employer shall provide the education required in paragraph (g)(1) of this section upon initial employment and at least annually thereafter.

1910.157(g)(3)

The employer shall provide employees who have been designated to use fire fighting equipment as part of an emergency action plan with training in the use of the appropriate equipment.

1910.157(g)(4)

The employer shall provide the training required in paragraph (g)(3) of this section upon initial assignment to the designated group of employees and at least annually thereafter.

Do employers have to provide portable fire extinguishers?

No. But if you do, you must establish an educational program to familiarize your workers with the general principles of fire extinguisher use. If you expect your workers to use portable fire extinguishers, you must provide hands-on fire extinguisher training in using fire extinguishers safely.