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How Long Is A Fire Watch Course?
Generally, fire watch training courses are short, averaging anywhere from half an hour to two hours in length. Here at Hard Hat Training, our fire watch course takes approximately half an hour to complete.
Our Fire Watch Course
Our fire watch course is a very short course; however, the responsibility that comes with being a fire watch is enormous. The course material is very informative of the duties associated with a fire watch and the gravity of the consequences if those duties are not taken seriously.
We offer the fire watch course in a variety of options, including online training, a DIY training kit, or onsite training. If you are an employer, we also offer a train-the-trainer option. This option is an additional module with the DIY kit that will prepare you to teach the course to your employees yourself. Our course includes quizzes, a final exam, and a practical exam. All of these need to be passed with a grade above 80% in order to become fire watch certified.
Is an Online Fire Watch Course Shorter?
Taking a course online means that you are able to go at your own pace, starting and stopping whenever you need to. For this reason, taking an online course can be shorter or longer than taking an onsite or in-class option.
Our course program does not allow you to skip through the slides and you will still need to take your time reading through each one. Even though the course is short, we highly recommend taking your time to learn the important safety information included.
What Will I Learn With Fire Watch Training?
There are many important things you will learn with fire watch training. Primarily, you will learn to recognize fire hazards, prevent fires, classify the type and nature of fires, and know what to do in the event of a fire. While these are the main principles of fire watch training, there may be other situations or scenarios that you may face.
You will also learn about hot work and the different systems and alarms that should be used in the case of a fire. Most importantly, you will learn how to prepare a workplace for hot work and plan effectively to prevent fires before the work day begins.
Fire Watch Course Details
Our fire watch course includes two modules with multiple sections:
- Before Operations
- Fire Classification
- Inspections
- Prepare the Work Area
- During Operations
- Monitor Hot Work
- Emergency Response
What Safety Duties Does a Fire Watch Have?
The fire watch is responsible for preventing fires, contacting the fire department in case of a fire, and providing the fire department with information regarding the type of fire. Fire watchers are not necessarily responsible for putting out the fire itself, unless it is small enough for them to take care of safely.
Healthy Hot Work Practices
Hot work refers to any type of work involving operations that create a lot of sparks and use gas tools, such as welding. Hot work uses controlled fire that can quickly become hazardous if used improperly. Some important practices for fire watch over hot work are:
- Prepare the workplace beforehand so that it is clear of flammable materials
- Obtain a hot work permit before any hot work is performed
- Have additional fire watchers posted near combustible materials to ensure the materials do not ignite or burn during hot work operations
- Do not be distracted by phones or co-workers
- Do not leave unless replaced by another trained fire watcher
Adapting Fire Watch For Your Workplace
Fire watch responsibilities are not universal for all workplaces. Necessary responsibilities will need to be adapted according to your workplace. For this reason, a fire watcher should plan carefully for potential hazards before work even begins.