Staff At Security And Estate Department Of UENR Trained On Fire Safety
The Junior and Senior Staff of the Security Services Unit and Estate Departments of University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), have been taken through a two-day fire safety training to equip them with both theoretical and practical experience and expertise to enable them respond to fire outbreak in and around the University community, the training also sought to equip the participants with knowledge and skills of participants to provide an effective and efficient fire protection practices in any workplace. The training was also a proactive approach to occupational health safety management because fire wardens can identify fire hazards and dangers before it occurs.
A Lecturer at the Department of Forest Science, Mr. Ben Carlis- Paittoo who was the facilitator took participant through the theoretical aspect of Basic and Advanced Fire Safety for UENR. He said it was important to understand that the competencies acquired during the training would help reduce the threat of fire outbreaks and explosions that would perhaps occur in a work environment.
He noted that fire alarms system was a requirement for any building since it would alert occupants the presence of fire. Speaking on developing fire risk assessment, Mr. Carlis-Paittoo said in risk assessment one must identify the hazards in the workplace, identify persons at risk, evaluate, take actions and review. He added that at the end of a risk assessment, it was necessary to know all the hazards, risks and how it would be controlled.
Mr. Carlis-Paittoo identified some of the major causes of fires in an institution as negligent application and use of electrical gadgets and naked lights, ignorance and lack of knowledge in the chemistry of combustion among others. He said that it was therefore necessary for employees and security personnel to be trained periodically during orientation of new staff. Mr. Carlis-Paittoo outlined some of the mode of fire spread as convection, conduction and radiation. He said fire can be extinguished by removing or limiting its oxygen supply, using water and deprivation of fuel supply and demonstrated how to use fire extinguisher in time of fire outbreak. He asked for periodic inspection of extinguishers its location, visibility, pressure gauge among others to ensure that extinguishers were always ready for use.
The Nsoatre Fire Service station training Officer, Frank Dompreh Ampofo introduced to the participants the various parts of the fire tender such as the ladder use to rescue victims uplands, instrumental panel, beacon light among others. He illustrated how to use the life guard fire extinguisher, face mask and a self-contain breathing apparatus that contained oxygen and used in smoky areas. Stno1 Dompreh Ampofo also demonstrated how to handle a fire victim in rescue operation and urged the participants to rescue lives before attending to any outbreak. A four men crew that consisted of UENR Security Officers took turns to also demonstrate how to attend to fire outbreak using the fire tender.