Fire training for staff and use of extinguishers

[merry weather]

Does anybody know what view the environment agency take over the use of live fires when I train my staff in the use of fire extinguishers?

I am thinking of making things more realistic than has been done in the past (under carefully controlled and risk assessed conditions of course) to set fire to some papers in a bin outside on open ground and letting them have hands on with a water extinguisher and then a gallon or two of paraffin in  trays to try out the powder and AFFF.

I am sure I can do it safely but I dont want to upset anyone at the environment agency. Tried the Council and they just told me I wasn't in a smoke control area, phoned the EA several times and never got a reply.

I am registered for waste disposal so thats not a problem and will contain the effluent and have it properly disposed of, but when I phoned several commercial trainers I was offered gas simulators by some ( but the powder and foam may still spill over)  and others seem to rely on  showing a video.

Thanks for any advice

[Chris Houston]

My personal opinion on this is that the amount of environmental damage you do will be so minscule, that the average car driver produces more pollution.  A couple of litres.......think how many tons went up in Buncefield!

[merry weather]

Thanks Chris
but two companies ( at the cheaper end)  who gave me a quote for training said they couldnt discharge powder extinguishers for training purposes  because of an ultimatum from the EA, one of them said they only burned  MEK on their course as its less of a pollutant. But  that sounds a bit too iffy to me- may burn me fingers!