Training
Industrial fire fighting for on-site responders at ETS Emergency Training Solutions Jurassic Park is a simulated industrial environment that realistically represents various parts of an industrial plant
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ndustrial fire fighting refers to the reactive measures and actions taken to contain, control and extinguish fires within the premises of manufacturing, engineering and fabrication, collecting, processing, storing, refining and mining organisations. Industry includes any organisation where a group of people come together and utilise machines and equipment to do work, eg port terminals, airport, freight rail, warehouse or printing press. Premises may include occupancies within industrial parks, factories, utilities, collection points and plants that generate electricity or process minerals or chemicals and installations which store, process or refine combustible and flammable materials. The variety, types and size of the fire incidents that occur within industry are as varied and complex as the array of industries in existence. Fire suppression actions are more often than not performed by employees who volunteer to be trained to a suitable level and are appointed by the employer to fulfil certain expectations in terms of responding to those fires. Fire fighting in these workplaces is part and parcel of managing fire risk. The risk of fire and explosions is common
20 | FIRE AND RESCUE INTERNATIONAL
to almost all industries. There are few incidents that pose a risk to life and the workplace and impact on business continuity as profoundly as fires and explosions do. The risk of fire demands both pro-active and re-active measures to be planned and executed by trained personnel. So where does one begin when putting together a fire fighting response strategy within an industrial setting? It is important to understand that emergency response and more specifically fire fighting, fits into a larger strategy of emergency management namely: • Risk assessment and vulnerability studies • Prevention measures • Emergency planning and preparedness • Emergency response • Recovery and business continuity It is incumbent on employers to assess risk and put control measures in place to prevent and mitigate the effects of those risks. Fire risk assessment is crucial in high-hazard industries and where there is extensive risk of fire and explosion. Based upon these risk assessments, a process of prevention measures and activities must be
An aerial view of the Jurassic Park at the ETS Emergency Training Solutions
established. Emergency planning and preparedness is key and the size of the organisation as well as the hazards found within the organisation, will determine the complexity of the emergency planning and preparedness strategies. SANS 1514:2018 Ed 1, Major hazard installation: Emergency Response planning addresses emergency planning for major hazard installations but may also be seen as a useful guideline for ordinary installations. Response strategies contained in the emergency plan should provide guidance on how fires are tackled safely by containing fire response plans. Response plans may be as uncomplicated as having trained and appointed fire fighters to extinguish small fires when it is safe to do so. An emergency plan organogram is used to identify the role players in emergency preparedness and response and would, for example, indicate the number of employees trained and appointed as basic fire fighters (incipient stage fire fighters). Typically, the capabilities of personnel trained in basic fire fighting, extend to extinguishing small fires with portable fire extinguishers, small hand lines for water (hose reels) without Volume 6 | No 1
