COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Assess & Control Fire Risks course. This program will equip you with the skills and knowledge to systematically identify fire hazards, assess who and what is at risk, and implement practical controls and emergency planning measures that comply with Australian fire safety legislation and standards. Throughout this course, you will learn how to read your workplace environment through a fire-risk lens, document your findings, and put in place robust arrangements that protect people, property, and business continuity.

This course begins by introducing the core concepts that underpin fire risk assessment and hazard identification in workplaces. This section explains how to use your site plan to show fire hazards and existing preventive measures, outlines the key points to remember before starting to identify fire hazards, and introduces the fire triangle as the basis for understanding how fires start and spread. This section also examines typical sources of ignition, fuel sources, and sources of oxygen in workplaces so that you can recognise where fire risks are created or amplified by everyday activities, equipment, and building features.

The course then examines how to assess fire risks in a structured way and translate that assessment into practical controls and emergency procedures. This section explains how to assess who is at risk, the potential severity of harm, and the likelihood that a fire will occur, and how to identify individuals who could experience difficulties with escape if a fire starts. This section also explores how to consider the potential severity of a fire, set priorities for taking further action, review what fire controls are already in place to reduce risks, and identify further controls that may be needed to reduce the likelihood of a fire starting. This section goes on to address how to prepare for an emergency, the appropriate action if a fire has started, the effective management of fire risks and health and safety hazards in the business, how to produce a plan of action, why records must be kept, and why informing and involving staff is essential to making arrangements work in practice.

The course then focuses on the legal and standards framework that governs fire safety and emergency planning in Australian workplaces. This section explains why you must keep up to date with relevant legislation and introduces the key Australian Standards for fire protection systems, highlighting why fire standards are important for design, installation, maintenance, and performance of fire safety measures. This section also provides an overview of fire safety legislation and standards, including the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and its “duty to prepare, maintain and implement an emergency plan”, and shows how compliance obligations translate into practical requirements for business owners, officers, and managers.

The course then examines in detail the emergency planning standards that apply across general facilities and health care environments. This section explains the AS3745-2010 “Planning for emergencies in facilities” Standard and provides a summary of its requirements for identifying emergencies, establishing emergency control organisations, developing emergency response procedures, and training occupants. This section also outlines the AS4083-2010 “Planning for emergencies – Health care facilities” Standard, summarising its additional requirements for planning in settings where occupants may be vulnerable, immobile, or unable to self-evacuate, and highlighting how these specialised standards build on general obligations to ensure safe, orderly responses in complex environments.

By the end of this course, you will be able to use site plans and workplace knowledge to identify fire hazards and existing controls, assess who and what is at risk, and prioritise additional measures to reduce the likelihood and consequences of fire. You will understand how to develop and document a practical fire risk action plan, keep appropriate records, and engage staff in prevention and emergency response. Most importantly, you will be able to align your fire risk assessment and control activities with the requirements of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and the key Australian emergency planning standards, ensuring that your workplace is better prepared to prevent fires and respond effectively if they occur.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• How to use your site plan to show fire hazards and preventive measures in place?
• Points to remembering before starting to identify fire hazards
• The fire triangle
• Sources of ignition
• Fuel sources
• Sources of oxygen
• Assessing fire risks: who is at risk; severity of harm; likelihood that a fire will occur
• Identify the individuals who could experience difficulties with escape if a fire starts
• How to consider the potential severity of a fire if one started?
• The priorities for taking further action
• What fire controls are in place to reduce risks?
• What further controls might be needed to be introduced?
• How to reduce the likelihood that a fire will occur?
• How to prepare for an emergency?
• The appropriate action if a fire has started
• The effective management of fire risks & health and safety hazards in the business
• How to produce the plan of action?
• Why you should keep records?
• Why you should inform and involve the staff?
• Keeping up to date with relevant legislation
• Australian Standards Fire Protection Systems
• Fire Standards – Why are they important?
• Fire Safety Legislation & Standards
• The Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011
• Summary of Requirements: “Duty to prepare, maintain and implement emergency plan”
• The AS3745-2010 “Planning for emergencies in facilities” Standard
• Summary of Requirements: “Planning for emergencies in facilities”
• The AS4083-2010 “Planning for emergencies – Health care facilities” Standard
• Summary of Requirements: “Planning for emergencies – Health care facilities”

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.