Peer Pressure Can Kill: Why Fire Wardens Are Essential

By Author: Robert Armstrong
Total Articles: 2
Comment this article

Human behaviour is unpredictable. You might think people would take action if they saw smoke or heard a fire alarm, but this often isn’t the case. Peer pressure and embarrassment are enough to stop people saving themselves. Thankfully, though, fire wardens can make a huge difference.

A recent study by the Interactive Health and Safety Company makes the point very well. They invited two groups of people to an office building for what they thought was a market research event. Both groups were sat down and given questionnaires to fill in before the lady in charge excused herself and left the room. A fire alarm began to ring, but neither of the groups moved; they made jokes and looked uncomfortable, but were unwilling to take action. With the first group, it was over 5 minutes before someone left to see what was going on, and even then they didn’t use the fire exit. With the second group, though, a fire warden came in and the people left immediately via the quickest route.

Fire wardens or marshals are essential because they provide the second piece of information our brains need before we are willing to act. After ...
... all, a fire alarm could be a drill or a technical fault. If we are somewhere unfamiliar, we naturally expect someone in authority to come and tell us what to do. Fire marshals fulfil this role, directing people to the best escape routes and making sure the building is clear.
Other studies support the findings. On one of Derren Brown’s TV shows, people were put in waiting rooms that slowly filled with smoke. Actors in the room were told to just sit there calmly, and of course the subjects of the experiment did the same. People simply don’t want to be the odd one out for fear of looking silly. Unfortunately, this mentality can have devastating consequences; some people may have died unnecessarily during 9/11 for this very reason.

Fire wardens are trained to be the voice of authority if there’s a fire, but have a variety of other roles in keeping people safe. They help test fire alarms and extinguishers, make sure fire doors close properly and check escape routes, lighting and emergency exits. They ensure that their colleagues are given fire awareness training. They have good knowledge of fire prevention, how fires start and spread, as well as basic first aid.

Every company should have a risk assessment detailing how many marshals are needed to make sure everyone is safe during a fire, and online courses are available. You could train to be a fire warden without ever leaving the office. Health and safety companies often offer free trials of their software, so you can be sure you are getting the best training available.

Don’t wait till there’s a fire to decide what to do; invest in some fire wardens today.

iHasco offer a range of products designed to help organisations meet their Carbon Reduction Commitment. Their Voltis voltage optimisation unit offer savings of up to 20% on your electricity bill.
View here