Fire Extinguisher Training Question.

[RePressure]

We do a little bit of fire training for some of our customers. A national fire company are trying to poach some of our business on the grounds that we're not allowed to use a trough filled with water and a thin covering of fuel on the surface. They say we should use a clean burn unit (money permitting and in an ideal world we would). We have a risk assessment and use a great deal of common sense in choosing a suitable location. Should we not be doing this, or is this a ploy to belittle us and gain extra work for themselves.

[kurnal]

Good Question. I no longer use live fires in my training courses because I cannot obtain insurance for real fires.

I now hire a gas simulator trailer for fire extinguisher training from another firm for whom I do risk assessments in return. No insurance problems with that.
I dont know of any environmental legislation that prevents the lighting of fires for training purposes other than in smoke controlled areas.

The other big issue is the disposal of any residue and the spillage of foams or powders into the environment. At least with the trailer we can collect and recycle  the media  thus avoiding pollution. There are some significant concerns with foam concentrates entering watercourses and the mess caused by dry powder, though the ABC (phoshates) can be used as fertiliser once the silicones have ben stripped out.

[Mushy]

kurnal

After you've done the training and discharged the extinguishers do you refill and service them yourself...just nosey

[AnthonyB]

LPG rigs are cleaner, safer and easier, but hydrocarbon fires are not specifically excluded - it's all down to risk.

Life or death usage extinguisher training where you must be able to use the correctly and experience that realistically still uses hydrocarbons, particularly motorsport - the perils (mainly to the trapped driver) of poor technique with powder on spill fires from crashes is graphically illustrated on footage in Youtube, mainly in the US, but also some Aussie stuff and a few notable F1 fatals over history - a gas rig is too forgiving.

A good relationship with the trade helps - some extinguishers we use are 'training stock' and I refill them, but a lot are 'scrap'* that we discharge and environmentally dispose of.

*not I hasten to add dangerous scrap but test due CO2 and also powders which are increasingly replaced with new after 5 years and not test discharged & refilled.

[kurnal]

kurnal

After you've done the training and discharged the extinguishers do you refill and service them yourself...just nosey

No.
The company that provides the trailer is  a BAFE member and they provide and refill all extinguishers used on training courses. For me risk assessment and training is core buiness and I believe in sticking to that and letting others  do what they do best.