FACILITATOR’S GUIDE

BASIC FIRE SAFETY TRAINING

Version May 2014
 Factory Facilitator’s Guide - DRAFT

Important Notes about this Draft Facilitator Guide

Objectives & Scope

The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety is committed to providing fire and building safety
training for workers and management in 100% of Bangladeshi RMG factories producing for
Alliance members by July 10, 2014. We recognize that training needs are complex—and that it
will, therefore, take time to develop and implement a training program that ensures that factory
workers, managers, and other staff are (1) aware of their roles and responsibilities related to fire
and building safety, (2) equipped with necessary technical knowledge, and (3) supported by and
empowered with internal policies, communication channels, and Worker Health & Safety
Committees to monitor, maintain, and improve factory safety conditions.

This first module of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety’s training program has an
intentionally limited focus on what we view as the most pressing priorities to tackle immediately.
In this foundational training, our goals are:

1. To equip all factory members (workers, supervisors, guards, and management) with basic
knowledge about and skills related to fire safety, with a strong emphasis on emergency
evacuation
2. To ensure that all factory members understand their rights, roles, and responsibilities
related to fire prevention, firefighting, and protection.

We envision that future training modules will focus on more technical adherence to the Alliance
Standard for Fire Safety and Building Integrity, integration of fire and building safety training
and practices into factory management systems, and the establishment and empowerment of
democratically-elected Worker Health and Safety Committees. We aim to incorporate learnings
from implementation of this foundational fire and building safety training, as well as the results
of the Worker Baseline Survey, to inform the design, content, and delivery of future training
modules.

Im plem entation of this Facilitator’s Guide

This Facilitator’s Guide contains the exercises, content, and key messages to be used for in-
factory training of factory workers, management, guards, and supervisors. This guide will be
supplemented by a Train-the-Trainer guide with tips for facilitators and flipcharts and handouts
for in-factory training.

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Table of Contents

Timeline  ..................................................................................................................................  4  
List  of  Materials  ......................................................................................................................  5  
General  Notes  .........................................................................................................................  6  
1.   Fire  Safety  Awareness  ......................................................................................................  6  
1.1  The  Consequences  of  Fire  Incidents  ............................................................................................  6  

2.   Prevention  of  Fire  ..........................................................................................................  11  

2.1   Hazard  Recognition  ..............................................................................................................  11  
2.2  You  See  It,  You  Own  It  ..............................................................................................................  15  
2.3  What  Can  I  do  to  Prevent  Fire?  .................................................................................................  16  
2.4  Fire  Safety  Committee  -­‐  For  Management  ................................................................................  18  
2.5  Regular  FireRisk  Assessment  (Prevention)  –  For  Management  ..................................................  20  

3.   Fire  Protection  ...............................................................................................................  22  

3.1  Types  of  Fire  Protection  Equipment  ..........................................................................................  22  
3.2  What  Is  My  Role  –  For  Workers  ................................................................................................  24  
3.3  Maintenance  of  Fire  Protection  System-­‐&  Regular  Fire  Protection  Assessment-­‐For  Management
  26  

4.   Reporting  a  Fire–  For  Management  ................................................................................  28  

4.1  Reporting  Fire  &Communication  to  the  Fire  Brigade  .................................................................  28  
4.2  Emergency  Protocol  ..................................................................................................................  30  

5.   EVACUATION  .................................................................................................................  33  

5.1  Importance  of  Evacuation  Drill  and  Swift  Evacuation  ................................................................  33  
5.2  Understanding  the  Visuals  ........................................................................................................  35  
5.3  Unobstructed  Exit  Path  .............................................................................................................  36  
5.4  Do’s  and  Don’ts  ........................................................................................................................  38  

6.   Wrap  Up  ........................................................................................................................  40  

6.  Key  Takeaways  ...........................................................................................................................  40  

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Timeline

1. Fire Safety Awareness 20 min

1.1 The Consequences of Fire Incidents   20 min

2. Prevention of Fire 80 min

2.1 Hazard Recognition 20 min
2.2 You See It, You Own It 10 min
2.3 What Can I do to Prevent Fire?   20 min
2.4 Fire Safety Committee - For Management 20 min
2.5 Regular Risk Assessment (RRA) – For Management   10 min
3.Fire Protection 35 min
3.1 Types of Fire Protection 10 min
3.2 What Is My Role – For Workers 20 min
3.3 Maintenance of Fire Protection System- For Management   10 min
4.Reporting a Fire – For M anagem ent 20 min
4.1 Reporting Fire & Communicate to The Fire Brigade 15 min

4.2 Emergency Protocol   10 min

5.EVACUATIO N 50-60 min
5.1 Importance of Evacuation Drill and Swift Evacuation   10 min

5.2 Understanding the Visual 10 min

10 (workers)
5.3 Unobstructed Exit Path  
20 min (guards)
5.4 Do’s and Don’ts 20 min
6.W rap Up
6. Key Take Aways   10  min

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List of Materials
1.1 The Consequences of Fire Incidents
M1: Story-Teller Cap if available

2.1 Hazard Recognition

M2: Plasticized cardboards 20 Garbage bin  
2.4 Fire Safety Com m ittee - For M anagem ent
M3: Markers for 2 groups and big white paper
2.5 Regular Risk Assessm ent (RRA) – For M anagem ent

M4: Big White Paper & Markers  

3.1 Types of Fire Protection
M5: Fire card that shows flames, whistle
3.2 W hat Is M y Role – For W orkers
M6: ‘Spot- a –mistake’ card for each participant

3.3 M aintenance of Fire Protection System - For M anagem ent

M7: Slide
M8: Pens ( 3 functioning, 2 not functioning)  
M9: 5 A4 papers
4.2 Em ergency Protocol  
M10: 100 A4 papers
M11: Markers – 2
5.4 Do’s and Don’ts  
M12: Ping pong balls/ replaced by marbles balls (15 )    

M13: Green cards and Red cards 30 each colour, for each participant for a group of 30

M14: Cards indicating the number of marbles

6. Key Take-Away

M15: Handouts to participants of the key learnings from the training Badges “I
participated in the Alliance for Bangladesh Workers Fire safety training”  

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General Notes
Please refer to the Train-the-Trainer guide for more details on training methodology. This
facilitator guide is based on the following assumptions:

1. The training is given in the factory to workers, supervisors, management and guards.
For this basic training session it is important to make sure that the training for workers
is conducted separately from the training for managers, supervisors and guards, in
order to make sure that workers can speak freely and are not intimidated by the
presence of their supervisors.
2. The training is given by a 2-person team of in-factory trainers or external trainers.
3. Whenever possible a worker committee representative or union representative (if
existing) should be part of the trainer team.
4. Trainers should be familiar with the factory’s systems, resources, and requirements
related to fire safety. For example, trainers should be aware of the factory’s evacuation
route, the factory’s fire alarm system, whether there is a fire safety committee, union
etc. If the training is given by a third party training team, the trainers need to familiarize
themselves with the factory situation before hand.
5. The ideal number of participants per training is 20 workers. In no case shall there be
more than 30 training participants at a time.

1. Fire Safety Awareness

1.1 The Consequences of Fire Incidents

Objective: Increase risk awareness of workers – Change mindset. Let participants

understand that this is about their safety!

Time: 20 min

Flipcharts: (Note to reviewers: Flipchart descriptions in this guide will be replaced by actual
screen prints of Flipcharts which are still in the making).  

FC 1. Flipchart cover- to be defined

FC 2. Three pictures – what will we do today
FC 3. Picture accompanying the stories:

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FC 4 Stats: Total # of major fire incidents that have occurred since 1990: Since 1990 there have
been 226 major fire incidents in RMG factories. These incidents cost 402 people their lives.

Materials: Storyteller Cap if available

Message of the Facilitator: “Before we start let’s quickly think of our safety.” The facilitator
points out fire exits, gives a short description how the alarm works and what each individual
should do in the event of a fire should be given to the participants.  

Activity a) Icebreaker: (Flipcharts 1, 2)

Goal of the icebreaker is to change mindset and make clear WHY we are here.

Step 1: Facilitator uses a welcoming note/greeting with the following content:

“Good morning – how is production going? Today we are going to talk about something
different from the day to day work (Protidiner kaaj)
“What do you think we are going to do today?”
Step 2: Facilitator shows FLIPCHART 2 and let’s participant voice their thoughts.
a. Watch Bollywood Movie (Bengali Movie Poster)
b. Learn about Fire Safety
c. Do a bit of chitchat (adda)
Step 3: Facilitator concludes and leads to the next activity:“What do you think? I know definitely
you like the first and the third one. Let me start by telling you a Golpo - I am going to tell you
the story of Khalilur and his family.”

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Activity b) Story: (Flipchart 3)

(STORY WILL BE ADAPTED IN BENGALI)

The facilitator tells the following story and shows FLIPCHART 3 while doing so.
Alternatively, the facilitator can tell one of the stories in the “Good to know” section of this
chapter.  
“Today I am going to tell you the story of Khalilur. Khalilur lives with his parents and his young
beautiful wife Kushima. Kushima is 5 months pregnant. The whole family is extremely excited
and can’t wait for the baby to be born.
Khalilur has been working in a garment factory as a senior operator in the knitting department
for two 2 years. He works hard - he is happy about his work and tries hard to put money aside to
make sure he can provide for his family and his future child.
It is a pleasant autumn day when Khalilur gets up before sunrise to get ready for his work.
Kushima is already up and is preparing his lunch box. Before Khalilur leaves, Kushima gives
Khalilur the lunch box, and wishes him a good day. Khalilur tells Kushima that he should come
home early today, as there likely won’t be any overtime. By 10 pm Khalilur is still not home.
It is then that Kushima hears from a neighbor that there has been a fire incident in Khalilur’s
factory. Together with her father in-law she rushes to the factory only to find that Khalilur lost his
life in the fire incident.
A few months later Kushima gives birth to a healthy baby girl. While she is happy about her
newborn child, her days are filled with worry. How will she manage to look after the child, her
aging parents, and her parents in law? Khalilur’s parents are not doing well. Whenever her
father in-law looks at the baby she can see his tears in his eyes. And she heard him whispering “I
wish Khalilur could see you- now you will never know your father””
Activity c): Discussion & Guessing (Flipchart 4)

Step 1: The facilitator asks participants the following question: “Do you think this is a true
story?”
Step 2: The facilitator provides the following information: “This story is true – it happened on
October 13 in Aswad Composite Knit Factory. Khalilur was one 7 victims that died that day in a
fire.
Step 3: The facilitator asks: “What do you think - How many people are affected in Bangladesh
in fire incidents every year?”

Step 4: Facilitator asks every worker to discuss the question with the person sitting next to him/
her, and then asks some participants to share their answers.

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Debrief: After participants share their guesses, Facilitator shows Flipchart 4 with the statistics
and informs participants about the vast impact that fire accidents have in our lives, and the
effect they have had on the lives of workers like Khalilur and their families.

Transition: Now that you have heard the story of Khalilur and also know how many people like
Khalilur are affected in fire incidents in Bangladesh, let us learn how to prevent fire.

Good to Know for Facilitators:  

a) Ansar’s Story:

“I have nothing. Nobody is saying anything,” said Ansar, who came to Dhaka with a dream to
survive with his family. But in November, 2012 his dream became ash. Ansar lost his wife and
daughter in the fire. The 55-year-old man is too ill to work himself. His 16-year-old son, who also
worked at Tazreen, managed to escape but was traumatized by leaving his mother and sister
behind “amid the darkness and ash”. The boy got a job at another factory but was unable to
work because of his trauma. “My son cannot sleep,” Ansar said, sobbing. “He wakes up at
midnight and then cries for a long time. The same thing happens to him every night.” Ansar has
been unable to pay his rent for last two months and fears that if he gets evicted and is forced to
return to his home village in the impoverished north, he may never be compensated.

b) Jabbar’s Story:

Jabbar and his wife came to Dhakanine years back to earn

their living expenses. Both of them started working in
garment industry. They became a happy family. Mahfuza
brought her mother to see her only son Masum, 19 months
old, during her working hour. Both of them used to dream
that their only child would get education and find a
government job. But, unfortunately their dream will not
come true. Mahfuza lost her life in a deadly fire. Jabbar did
not even find her dead body. Masum cries saying, ‘Maa,
Maa (Mother, mother). He does not understand that his mother will never come to take him on
her lap. ‘The baby now often wakes up at night and cries for his mother continuously till he
becomes tired,’ says Jabbar.

c) Story of Tazreen – can be added for management

The Tazreen Fashions fire occurred on November 11th, 2012. The 8-story factory had 1150
workers. The fire started on the first floor, where improperly stored fabrics and yarn (fuel load)
ignited. As some floor managers insisted that workers ignore the fire alarm and continue

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working, smoke filled the stairways. The window grates and emergency exits were locked to
prevent product theft, which meant that workers had no way to escape. As a result of this fire,
112 people died, and the factory owner, Delonar Hossain; his wife Mahmude Acther;
M.Manbubul Morshed, Engineer; Abur Ruzzaq, factory manager and 7 others were charged for
the fire and failed evacuation of the building.

c) Statement of Fire Incident & Death of Workers in RMG Factories (From the year 1990 to 2013):

Year Total Fire Death of Total Remarks

Incident workers Death
Stampeded Burned/others
1990 01 10 13 23 Saraka Inds. Ltd. 27-12-1990
1991/1992 00 00 00 00
1993/1994 00 00 00 00
1995 03 14 00 14 1. Prostar Ind. – 05 (11-02-1995)
2. Lusaka Fashion -06 (05-08-1995)
3. Faa Garments -03 (05-08-1995)
1996 01 00 12 12 Suntex Fashion Ltd. (24-06-1996)
1997 06 30 11 41 1. Rahman & Rahman – 07 (15-07-1997)
2. Maxborn (BD) Ltd. – 02 (15-07-1997)
3. Jahanara Fashion -20 (30-07-1997)
4. Shanghai Fashion -05 (30-07-1997)
1998 04 00 01 01 B.P. Garments Ltd. (12-02-1998)
1999 16 00 02 02 Rose Fashions Ltd. (09-07-1999)
2000 19 00 12 12 Globe Knitting (BD) Ltd. (27-08-2000)
2001 23 21 00 21 1. Maico Sweaters Ltd.- 03 (08-08-2001)
1. Ajax Sweaters – 02 (08-08-2001)
3. Four Wings -12 (08-08-2001)
4. Europe Sweaters -04 (08-08-2001)
2002 09 00 00 00
2003 15 00 00 00
2004 16 07 00 07 1. Omega Sweaters – 02 (03-05-2004)
2. Shifa Apparels Ltd. – 05 (03-05-2004)
2005 09 00 22 22 Shan Knitting Ltd. (06-01-2005)
2006 15 03 64 67 1. KTS Textiles – 64 (23-02-2006)
2. Sayem Fashion Ltd. – 03 (06-03-2006)
2007 14 00 00 00
2008 06 00 00 00
2009 10 00 00 00
2010 19 00 51 51 1.Garib & Garib-21, (25-02-2010)
2.Matrix Sweater-1 (23-03-2010)
3.Ha-Meem Group-29 (14-12-2010)
2011 18 02 00 02 Eurotex-2 (03-12-2011)
2012 10 00 112 112 Tazreen Fashion-112 (24-11-2012)
2013 10 00 15 15 1. Tunghai Sweaters Ltd. (With MD & a
Police Officer) -08 (08-05-2013)
2. Aswad Composite - 07 (08-10-2013)

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226 87 315 402

Note first fatal fire in 2014: 1-21-14 Asward garment fire in Gazipur 10 people died.

2. Prevention of Fire

2.1 Hazard Recognition

Objectives: To understand the sources of fire at a factory

Time: 20 min:

Flipchart:

FC 5: Fire triangle (with human analogy)

Materials: 20 A4 cards with pictures of fire hazards (see List below), garbage bin/box

Message from Facilitator: Facilitator shows and talks to Flipchart 5 on the basics of fire:

The Fire Triangle

Fire is a bit like a human being: To live it needs food (fuel), air to breathe (oxygen) and to stay
warm (heat). But we don’t want this human-like fire to live or survive. We want fire to starve and
die and real humans to survive.

Fuel: This is anything that will burn (can give examples / ask participants to share examples of
“fuel” in the factory)

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Oxygen: This is necessary for combustion

Heat/ Ignition Source: Heat causes combustible materials to catch fire (can give examples/
ask participants to share examples
All fires start only if these 3 things come together. Knowing what it takes to provoke a fire will
help us to know where and when we have to be careful to avoid a fire.

Activity: Hazard Identification

Step 1: The facilitator organizes workers into 5 groups (each group should ideally have 4
participants).
 
Step 2: The facilitator hands out 20 A4 cards representing 10 good and 10 bad practices to
participants; each group gets 4 cards.
Step3: The groups are given 2 minutes to discuss and identify which of their cards show good
practices and which show bad practices.

Step 4: After around 2 minutes, the facilitator asks each group to present the results for the 4
cards given to them. The facilitator comments on the group presentation and for each card
explains why it is a good or bad practice. Once the group has presented, they can put the “bad
practices” in the garbage bin/box, and post the good practices around the room.

Good Bad
Worker smoking in designated smoking Worker smoking next to material
area outside the factory
Worker working at a sewing machine with a Worker working at a sewing machine with
basket to store the material combustible material stacked close to the switch
board
Worker working in a very clean work place Worker working on an overlock machine with layer
with a rag cloth on the side of fabric dust
Proper conduit / Open Cable wires extending wall/ Overcharged
Permanent wiring plugs
Segregated concrete secondary container Open and unlabeled flammable chemicals
to store the chemicals separately and containers with leakage
properly labeled and sealed
Electric Spot lifting device with the cleaner Electric Spot lifting device with the cleaner
properly plugged plugged to a broken socket
Iron placed properly on a stand on a mat Iron placed on its surface on the material
Worker working on a covered welding Worker working on a Welding machine without any
machine covered protection/ welding shield with sparks on
to the fabric

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Nice, clean, and organized storage room Overfilled storage room

Cable fixed along the wall Cable under the mats and machines (e.g. foot
pieces of sewing machines)
Cooking in the designated area/ kitchen Cooking inside the factory (not in the kitchen, close
to material) under an open window.

Transition

Now that you recognize the hazards and know what can cause a fire,let’s look at the importance
of taking action to avoid fire.
Go the next sub-topic “You See It You Own It”.

Good to Know for Facilitator

Common Fire Hazards (Fuel,Ignition and Sources)

a) Housekeeping:
• Uncontrolled accumulation of materials
• Improper Storage of Flammable Liquids
• Oil soaked or paint soaked clothing
• Accumulation of waste
• Others like lint/fluff, dust on machine/pipe etc. also needs to be considered.

b) Electrical hazards:

• Overloaded multi-plug
• Poor joints
• Incorrect fuse rating
• Loose connection
• Cluttered electric channel
• Poor / Improper electric cables, socket and equipment / appliances
• Breakdown of insulation
• Overloading of circuits
• Connecting multiple machines in one socket

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c) 3. Flammable/Combustible Liquids:
Definition: In simple terms, combustible liquids have to be heated above ambient temperatures to
create vapors that can ignite. Flammable liquids give off vapors at room temperatures. Diesel is a
combustible liquid. Turpentine and acetone are flammable liquids. Bleach is not a flammable or
combustible liquid but rather a corrosive, toxic liquid.
• Oil Paints (Diesel’s use and storage)
• Turpentine
• Chemicals (Acetone, Thinner, Bleach)

d) Machine Hazards:
• Friction generated by the moving parts of high speed processing machinery, jammed
working materials during production
• Overheated motors
• Improper / irregular machine maintenance

e) Naked/ Open Flames

• Kitchen collocated in the floor
• Welding
• Burning
• Torches-battery and Cutting equipment
• Match / lighter used in the ware house

f) 6. Smoking:
• Cigarette butts
• Discarded Matches / lighters
• Smoking at non designated areas

g) 7. Others:
• Portable heaters
• Iron

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2.2 You See It, You Own It

Objectives: To understand the importance of being proactive to prevent fire

Time:

15 min

Flipcharts

FC 6: You can make a differenceFlipchart showing two different scenarios

through a series of pictures a) how a small action of an individual can
prevent a disaster and b) by ignoring and not being proactive how it can
lead to a disaster

Materials: None  

Message from Facilitator:

• Identify hazards, do not ignore them

• YOU can make a difference by doing a small thing on time that has
a great impact – you can avoid a risk of fire by being proactive and by doing what you think
is right in that situation.

Activity: Flipchart 6

Step 1: The facilitator selects 2 workers to participate in the activity.

Step 2: The facilitator asksthe 2 participants to look at the flipcharts and tell the other
workerswhat they see in each of the scenarios.

Debrief:
Ask participants the difference between a) and b) by referring to the pictures in the flipchart.
Ask “how would you apply your learning to prevent fire in your workstation?”

Transition:
Now that the participants know that it is important to be proactive to avoid a disaster the
facilitator will talk about how they can be proactive.

Move to the next sub-topic of ‘What can I do to prevent Fire’?

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2.3 What Can I do to Prevent Fire?

Objective:

To understand different ways of dealing with fire hazards

Time: 20 min

Flipcharts

FC 7: Five pictures of a worker responding / reporting fire hazard (with supervisor, manager, fire
safety committee or H&S committee, union representative,and hotline). Last picture show
workers joining the Committee.

Materials:
Good & Bad Practice Cards
Message from Facilitator: Refer to the previous activity with two scenarios.
• There are different ways of reacting
• Sometimes you can address the hazard yourself by doing the right thing
• Sometimes you need to identify the right person to report the condition to, and who can
address the issue (e.g. your management and supervisor or the fire safety/ H&S committee
members, or union (if present in factory)).
• If you do not get support from your supervisor and your management, then you should call
the hotline.
• Activity a):

Step 1: The facilitator displays the‘good practice’ cards so that the participants can see them.

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Step 2: The facilitator divides the participants into groups and provides each group with 2 ‘bad
practice’ cards.
Step 3: The facilitator asks the groups to discuss what they can do to improve/avoid the
situations on the cards to prevent the occurrence of fires.
Step 4: The groups select a member to describe their cards and share their group’s ideas with
the other groups.The facilitator can show the group a ‘good card’ as a reference every time a
group member presents.The facilitator should then askquestions to prompt the groups to think
about alternative solutions if their first suggested solution does not work out. For example, the
facilitator can tell the group that if the supervisor does not supporttheir idea, they can approach
the management team or worker representatives (e.g. democratically elected h&S committee or
union, if present) and if that still does not work, they can call the hotline. The facilitator should
also mention that hotline workers will follow up on calls they receive, and though the calls are
anonymous, it is important that the caller can indicatewhichfactory the concern refers to so that
the hotline can make sure there is follow-up action.
Debrief:

Ask the participants ‘What are the sources of fire in ‘YOUR’ factory/ production floor and
station? What would ‘YOU’ do to correct the situation and create a safer environment?
Encourage participants to think about anything that they can think of as hazards (refer to the
triangle—heat, fuel, and oxygen) in their workstations
Activity b):
Step 1: The facilitator asks the workers “What stops you from reacting when yousee hazards
around the workplace?”.

Step 2: The facilitator asks the workers to discuss the questions with their neighbors (they are
not required to present their responsestothe facilitator)

Debrief:
Tell the participants that even though it may be difficult to take action or report fire hazards to a
senior person, it is important to raise your concern. Encourage them to talk to their union
representative or become more active and to participate in their factory’s H&S and/or Fire
safety committee. Tell them that this will give them the chance to make a bigger difference and
help to improve fire safety in their factory. Remind participants of the opening story and how by
following these actions, we are not only helping ourselves but can also contribute to the
wellbeing of our families.

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2.4 Fire Safety Committee - For M anagem ent

Objectives:
To understand the importance of fire safety and how the factory management can best
support the fire safety committee
Time: 20 minutes
Flipchart: None
Materials:
Markers for 2 groups and big white paper
Message from Facilitator:
Discuss personal and company accountability/liability and emphasize that no one wants to be
responsible for the death or injury of workers. Management is spread thin and cannot do
everything themselves. If properly supported, a safety team can maintain a safe work
environment within the factory, obtain better buy-in from the workers and improve worker
engagement at little or no cost. Management needs to support workers with policies that
encourage open dialogue from health and safety committees and unions (where present) and
processes, which encourage safe work practices—and the safety team is a critical component.  
 
Role of the management group:  
• Select leaders within the work group that others will respect and provide safety training.
• Support the team by giving them time to survey the facility and talk at start-up (daily?
Orientation?) meetings about safety topics
• Respond to recommendations. If some are too expensive, offer alternatives or explain
why the suggestions may not be feasible. Recognize the team during start-up meetings
and let them give safety tips to the workers
• Encourage all workers to bring safety concerns to management or a member of the
safety team because you want them to have a safe place to work.
• Comply with recent changes to the Bangladesh labour laws.
• Respect the workers’ right to collectively voice concerns without fear of retaliation and
having a regular and open dialogue about safety.
• Respect all democratically elected worker groups, including h&s committee and trade
unions, and not engage in any form of retribution against them.
 

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Activity:
Fire Heroes
Step 1: The facilitator selectsone participant from the group to represent the workers, who can
also act as a union representative, and one participant to represent the site manager. (Note: all
participants in this section of the training are managers)
Step 2: The facilitator divides the remaining participants evenly between the worker
representative’s group and the site manager representative’s group.
Step 3: The facilitator provides each group with a fire related case study, 1 large piece of paper,
and a marker.
Step 4: The facilitator asks each group to discuss and write about the role of the fire safety team
related to the case study and why they think the group that they represent should be part of the
fire safety team (i.e. why the workers should be part of the fire safety team and why the site
managers should be part of the team)
Step 5: The facilitator asks the worker representative and the site manager representative to
explain their respective group’s responses.

Debrief:
Ask each team open ended questions such as “what was your learning? Is the team really
required? How can they make sure the safety committee is effective?
Then discuss the roles they have written and add following roles if they are not mentioned.
• To identify fire hazards
• Find out who is at risk
• Review Risk Assessment on regular basis
• Follow up on the corrective action plan
• Update the RA if there are any changes|

Ask participants if they have any fire safety committee at the factory? Is there a trained officer
responsible for proper maintenance and upkeep of all firefighting equipment? IF yes, ask them
if it is a committee with worker participation. If it is not, then tell them that the committee
should have worker participation. Does the committee have union representation? If the factory
has a union present, tell them that they should attempt to involve a union representative in the
fire safety committee.

Transition:
The facilitator tells the participants that the Fire Safety Committee and Union (if present) are
valuable teams to assist management in their responsibility to maintain a safe factory and must
be aware of possible fire sources and take necessary actions. The committee / union should be
led by a fire safety officer who will be responsible for overall maintenance and regular

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committee meetings. Tell them that it is time to discuss / understand that one of the key roles
of the Fire Safety Committee or union (if present) is to review the risk assessment on regular
basis and when required (which is the next exercise).

2.5 Regular FireRisk Assessment (Prevention) – For Management

Objectives
To understand the importance of reassessing of fire hazards after change and to teach
how to train on the importance of Regular Risk Assessment
Time: 20 minutes
Flipchart: None
Materials: Big White Paper & Markers for each team

Message from Facilitator:

Explain the importance of RRA in relation with the exercise
The following factors may lead to new fire hazards
• Alterations to the building
• Introduction of new equipment
• Changes to furniture and fixings
• Changes in hazardous substances
• Changes to work activities
• Changes in storage of goods

Review of fire risk assessment to consider whether:

• There have been any changes
• There are improvements you still need to make
• Your employees have spotted any problems
• You have learned anything from 'near misses
• Because changes happen all the time, risk assessments have to be done regularly
• Systematically - The best way to do this systematically is to prepare a checklist and to
regularly go through this checklist
• This checklist can also be shared with h&s committee or union members for tracking and
feedback

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Key Learnings for Management:

• Lead fire hazards identification in the workplace

• Eliminate or reduce the risk of fire as reasonably as possible
• Provide proper storage for hazardous chemicals
• Avoid the use of flammable materials wherever possible or substitute flammable
materials with less flammable ones
• Act promptly on any fire hazard noticed and/or reported by the workforce
• Ensure competent person has been appointed of carrying out the activities
• Minimize fire risks to ensure business continuity and improve worker morale
Activity:
Step 1: The facilitator asks the participants to prepare a checklist with the elements they need to
consider every time they do a risk assessment (in groups of maximum 5 people).

Step 2: The facilitator asks the participants to present their checklist.

Debrief: Give the participants the following tips

• Keep electrical equipment machinery and work areas clean: oil dust, waste and water
can be fire hazards around electricity
• Move flammable materials away from electrical apparatus, heat sources, and lights
• Make sure all electrical equipment is properly grounded
• Check electrical cords to make sure they are not running across doorways and under
mats (e.g. in childcare center), sewing machine foot panels or other highly combustible
materials)
• Keep access to panels and junction boxes
• Plug power tools into grounded outlets installed with grounded Fault circuit
interrupters
• Now ask each team open-ended questions such as
• What were your major learnings from this exercise?
• Can you relate with the changes that are happening in YOUR factory everyday? Why?
• What should you do to accommodate the risks caused by these changes?
• Do you now believe Regular Risk Assessment is a must? Why?
• What may prevent you from conducting Regular Risk Assessments? What can you do about
it?

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Transition:
The facilitator shows the participants various ways to identify and prevent fire. And then moves
on to Fire protection. Make sure participants understand that assessing fire hazards is only the
first part of the fire assessment – it is equally important to regularly assess fire equipment –
which will be part of the following modules.
The participants are told that for training purposes, they will have a little simulation and practice
how to evacuate from their room. Facilitator gives a whistle to one of the participant, and
explains that he will blow the whistle when the fire card is shown. The whistle is used as the fire
alarm. Once someone blows the fire alarms all the participants have to evacuate to the
allocated assembly point. (Facilitator must have identified a suitable spot as the assembly point
for this exercise and show it to the participants).

3. Fire Protection

3.1 Types of Fire Protection Equipment

Objectives:
To understand the different types of fire protection that are there in the factory and how
to use the fire alarm
Time: 10 min for workers /15 min for management
Flipchart:
FC 8: Fire safety equipment: smoke detector, fire alarm, fire extinguisher (of different types), fire
hose reels, hydrant points

Material:
Fire card that shows flames, whistle

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Activity a):
Step 1: The facilitator encourages one of the participants to come forward and point out the fire
protection equipment in the flipchart that they have seen in their factory.
Step 2: The facilitator asks to point out the fire alarm in the flipchart that is the same as or
similar to the fire alarm in their factory.
Step 3: The facilitator asks someone who knows how to use the fire alarm to come forward,
demonstrate how to use it, and imitate the sound of the system.
Activity b):
Step 1: The facilitator shows the red whistle to the participants and explains this is the fire alarm
during the training program in this class room. Also the facilitator shows the fire card to the
participant who has to blow the whistle as pre arranged.

Step 2: The workers go through the evacuation simulation, and then the facilitator brings the
workers back to the room. The facilitator mentions to the group that the chaos experienced
during the evacuation will be explained later under the evacuation topic.

Debrief: Tell the participants that fire protection equipment should be in good working
condition. “You could all hear the whistle. None of you would have gotten up and left the room
had you not heard the whistle blow. So in case of a fire emergency you want to use the fire
alarm. If it does not work notification of the fire emergency would be delayed and that would
put lives at risk.”

For management go through each Fire Safety Equipment Element and discuss their function &
importance. Discuss the importance of regular assessment of all fire safety equipment.

Transition:
The facilitator now talks about the importance of having well maintained and functional
equipment that can be used during a fire emergency. He/she asks participants “What can you
do if you to contribute to the maintenance of fire safety equipment?”

Good to Know for Facilitators:

There is a common misunderstanding of the difference between a smoke alarm and a smoke
detector. The majority of the factories have smoke alarms installed in various places in their
factories. These are useless. They were designed and intended to be used in residential
applications. In a noisy factory, a smoke alarm will unlikely be heard and since it is a single-
station device it will not notify anyone beyond the area where the fire occurs. These devices are
battery-powered.
A smoke detector is a line powered device that is tied to the fire alarm system. Upon initiation
it will activate the fire alarm system. A smoke alarm will not.

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3.2 What Is My Role – For W orkers

Objective:

To show how participants can contribute to maintain functional fire protection systems?

Time: 20 min

Flipchart:

FC 9: ‘Spot- a –mistake’ card including the solution:

Pictures of supervisor, manager, hotline and a fire safety committee member.

Material:
• ‘Spot- a –mistake’ card for each participant
• Picture cards with various defects / obstructed fire protection equipment Hidden/
blocked Fire Call point
• Damage/ blocked Hose Reel
• Fire extinguisher without a safety pin
• Fire extinguisher outdated / out of charge (in red zone recharge or overcharge)
• Smoke detector blocked by carton boxes
• Broken emergency light  

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Activity a)

Step 1: The facilitator provides every worker with a ‘Spot a mistake’ picture card of a piece of
fire protection equipment that is faulty and then asks the workers to spot the defects. The
workers can discuss the defects amongst themselves.

Step 2: The facilitator reveals and explains the correct answers by referring to flipchart no 10.

Activity b)
Flipchart 11
Step 1: The facilitator identifies 5 workers to play the roles of a supervisor, manager, hotline
operator, union member, and fire safety committee member. The facilitator will prompt the 5
workers what to say when they are approached later in the activity.

Step 2: The facilitator forms 5 groups with the remaining workers, and each group choose a
member to play the role of a proactive worker.

Step 3: The facilitator gives each group a picture card of a piece of obstructed fire safety
equipment and asks the group to discuss what they would do if they saw this issue and what
they would do to ensure that the issue is corrected.

Step4: The worker representing the proactive worker from each group will explain what their
group would do if they saw their issue to the other groups. Then, the same worker will role play
with the 5 previously selected workers to demonstrate how they would correct the issue (i.e.
approach the appropriate person and report the issues).

Debrief: Tell the workers how they could have tackled the challenges they were facing. For
example, if workers realized that the supervisor is not helpful, they then need to approach the
management, or even the hotline operator or fire safety committee, or the union (if available) if
they do not get adequate support from the management.

Transition: The facilitator talks about the importance of fire drills that guide the workers to
evacuate in times of a fire.

Transition for management:

The facilitator after talking about the contribution of each worker towards the functional fire
protection equipment now takes a more detailed look at the systematic maintenance of fire
protection systems.

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3.3 Maintenance of Fire Protection System-& Regular Fire Protection

Assessment-For Management

Objectives:

To understand the importance of maintenance of fire protection systems

Time: 10 min

Flipchart:  

• FC10: Flip chart with key points, such as:

o Maintenance is essential for fire safety equipment
o In the factory, we do not check and maintain fire appliances.
o The following equipment is subject to maintenance and inspection:
• portable fire extinguishers, automatic sprinkler systems, and fixed
extinguishing systems
• detection systems for smoke, heat, or flame;
• fire alarm systems;
• Emergency backup systems.

Materials:

Blocked whistle  

Empty water bottle

Mobile phone (battery removed)  

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Message from Facilitator:

• Install required detection and protection systems within the factory

• Ensure that firefighting, fire detection and warning systems equipment are in working order
and good repair.
• Fire protection systems are designed to provide early detection and notification to allow
time to successfully evacuate the building. The fire sprinkler and hydrant system are
designed to control or put out fires.
• Regular checks of the systems will ensure the equipment is operational and in “automatic”
mode so it will be ready to respond in the event of a fire.

Activity:
Step 1: The facilitators select 3 participants and ask them to come forward to represent three
duties which required in emergency.

Step 2: The facilitator explain the duties of blow a whistle as fire alarm, empty ware bottle as fire
extinguisher and battery less mobile phone as communication devise.

Step 3: The facilitator show the fire card and ask the 3 representatives to react according to
given duties.

Step 4: After the 3 representatives fail their assumed duties the facilitator explain the impotency
of maintain fire protection equipment.

Debrief:

Ask each team open-ended questions such as “what did you learn through this exercise?”
Discuss the importance of maintenance of fire appliances. Focus on the following:

• Maintenance is essential for fire safety equipment

• In factory we do not check and maintain fire appliances.
The following equipment is subject to the maintenance and inspection:

• portable fire extinguishers, automatic sprinkler systems, fire hose pipes/reels, fire
pumps and other fixed extinguishing systems
• detection systems for smoke, heat, or flame
• fire alarm systems
• emergency backup systems

Discuss with the participants why we do not check them on regular basis?

Is the responsibility given to someone in the factory? If yes, who is responsible? If not,

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Transition for management:

The facilitator, after stressing the importance of systematic maintenance of fire protection
systems, now talks about how to report fire effectively.

Good to Know for Facilitator    

It is part of the Alliance’s Fire Safety requirement to have a person assigned to regularly check
all fire safety equipment and installation. It is important for factories to clearly define this role
and if they do not yet have a clear responsibilities assigned the factory should do so as one of
the first step after the training. The involvement of worker representatives from committees or
unions can prove to be critical elements of carving out the aforementioned responsibilities.  

4. Reporting a Fire– For M anagem ent

4.1 Reporting Fire &Communication to the Fire Brigade

Objective: To learn where, whom and how to call in case of emergency and how to
communicate with the fire brigade

Flipchart:

FC 11: Poster with emergency number / numbers (Big Numbers)

Timing: 15 minutes
Materials: None
Activity:

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Step 1: The facilitator selects two participants, one participant will play the role of the fire
department and another will play the role of worker experiencing a fire-related emergency.

Step 2: The facilitator shows the worker a picture of a factory fire and tells the worker to inform
the fire department about the emergency.
Step 3: The facilitator asks the other workers to give feedback on the content of the
conversation.
Step 4: The facilitators will play the role of the fire department and the factory communicator for
better clarification.

Debrief:
Discuss Systems for Reporting Fires. While reporting fire you must explain the following
information clearly to the fire department:
• The name of the factory or building on fire
• The address (Location, nearest road etc.)
• Size of the building (how many stories)
• Which floor and when it caught fire
• Whether there are people trapped
• Any flammable / explosive material storages
• Hydrant system, water capacity
• Internal support by ERT
The information above should be communicated first, as it is most important for the fire brigade
to know in order to respond.
Add the following information if there is sufficient time (and you have this information)

• What caught on fire

• How big the fire is
• Size of workforce present during incident
• Number of people with disabilities
• Whether there are any explosions or toxic gas leakage

At the end, ask open ended questions such as “what did you learn? What went wrong?” Allow
participants to answer and open up. Ask “how would you use your learning to communicate
with fire brigade?

Emphasize that “The person who reports the fire must send someone to nearby road or
intersection to guide fire brigade to accident place”.

There will be someone/internal fire-fighting team responsible to show fire brigade the source of
water inside or outside the factory.

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Usually security makes this call to the fire brigade, and security may not have all of the
information about the fire (e.g. how many trapped, what caught fire, etc.). This information
should be given by internal emergency team. Details will be discussed in next chapter.

Transition:

The facilitator tells participants that that they need to be calm in emergencies because people
often forget the communication methods and protocols in emergencies. Thus, regular practice
and drills are necessary to embed the correct way of communication and to follow the protocol
which we will be covered in the next topic.

Move on to the next sub-topic Emergency Protocol

4.2 Emergency Protocol

Objectives:

To understand the roles of emergency teams

Time: 15 minutes

Flipchart: None

Materials: 10 A4 papers Markers

Activity:

Step 1: The facilitator selects one participant from the workers to act as a fire fighter. :
Step 2: The facilitator asks each participant to write down an emergency message on a piece of
paper and throw it to the fire fighter. Facilitator need to add few massages related to duties
which fire fighter can’t handle.
Step 3: The fire fighter tries to catch and read all the messages and react as much he can.
Step 4. The facilitator selects another three participants as leader, first aider and rescuer in
addition to the fire fighter and re do the activity.  
Team realizes the importance an emergency response team to handle various duties in addition
to fire fighters in an emergency situation.
Debrief: At the end of the activity ask each team open-ended questions such as “what did you
learn? What went wrong?” Ask “how would you use your learning to maintain the protocol
during emergency? What stops you from maintaining protocol in YOUR factory?”

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Focus on the following:

• Explain to them that everybody responds to fire differently. There was no team work.
Nobody was given any responsibility. But it should not happen in case of real fire in the
factory.
• Explain that there needs to be dedicated emergency response team like firefighter, fire
warden, first aider, and rescuer for emergency.
• Explain that each team should be given their roles and responsibilities during emergency
and they must be trained on it.
• Discuss with participants whether they have such teams at their factory or not.
• If yes then ask whether they respond accordingly when there is fire or a fire drill.
• If NO, then ask why they do not respond correctly?
• If YES, then ask why they find them useful and where are there still gaps?
• Explain how a dedicated team can improve the speed of dealing with fire emergencies
• Explain how line managers achieve a delegation power to solve different issues with
dedicated teams more efficiently than solving alone
• Explain that management should identify the number and nature of disabled persons in the
factory and should arrange proper system to evacuate them from factory in case of
emergency.
• Explain to them how to form these teams at site. Emphasize on the following points: The
site manager, HR manager, and Fire Safety Director should establish a fire emergency team
on each floor of the factory;
• The team should cover all work shifts;
• It is recommended that every shift has its own fire emergency team including security
personnel, with a shift team leader
• At least 25% of the workers are trained on firefighting.
• The emergency response team should consist of a Fire Marshall, Firefighter, First Aider, and
Rescue

Good to Know for facilitator

The different roles of em ergency team s:

Fire Marshal / Incident Commander

• Leads & coordinate the Fire Fighter, First Aider, Rescuer teams  

• Regularly conducts drill with mock fire/smoke and escalate the existing plan  

• Ensure all staff members use designated escape routes  

• Search all areas, including toilets and canteens to ensure that the area is clear  
• Ensure that fire escape routes are kept open and clear at all times      
• Ensure that all doors and windows are closed before leaving the area  

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• Conduct roll call at the assembly area (Headcount of line or section to find out who is
missing)      
• Meet the emergency services on arrival and inform them of all relevant details.  
   
• Assign group members to do preparation work on other floors to prevent the fire from
spreading    
• Before the incident becomes worse (when you realize you cannot control the fire) pull out the
firefighters and let public fire brigade takeover.    
• As soon as the fire brigade gets to the scene, hand over command  
• A team would be prepared to remove the crowd and help the fire brigade access the fire.  

Firefighter

• Reach location of fire

• Try to understand the source (gas/electrical/solid, etc.) & gravity of fire      

Own safety is important    

• Wear/use appropriate cloths/device (mask, boot, helmet) prior to fire fighting

• Use the appropriate Fire Extinguisher to extinguish the fire. (Always listen to incident
commander if he thinks water hoses need to be used first)
• If you can’t control the fire with the fire extinguisher use the water hose, direct the hose
towards the base of fire, open the hydrant
• Provide relevant factory information to public fire brigade.
• Always respect the decisions of the incident commander.

First Aider

First Aid Team (FAT) will check whether anybody has been injured and will provide necessary
First Aid treatment when necessary
They will act in the event of
! Burns
! Respiratory distress
! Fractures
! Cuts/Abrasions
! If required, FAT will organize transportation of the victim to the nearest hospital or clinic
• FAT will accompany the injured party to the hospital and will organize necessary
requirements

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Rescue

! Try to understand what types of rescue operation need to be set

! Equipped with necessary tools/device (e.g. mask, torch, cutter, rope, stretcher)
! Rescue all injured persons from building
! Watch over persons who may have visual or hearing impairment
! Ensure that all disabled persons are assisted in reaching a safe place
! Identify trapped persons inside the factory and try to rescue them
! If unable to rescue, list all trapped and disabled persons inside the factory and inform the
fire brigade about their location.

Notification of Workers with Disabilities:

! Employers should ensure that their emergency plan takes into account disabled persons
• Persons Requiring Assistance (PRA) should be identified prior to emergencies
• Means of communication with disabled people must be considered
! Buddy system (neighbors) can be implemented for both disabled and pregnant workers

Transition: The facilitator, after stressing the importance of timely and systematic reporting to
get immediate help, tells the participants that they must ensure that everybody must evacuate
from building to save him or herself from fire. Move on the next topic: Evacuation.

5. EVACUATION

5.1 Importance of Evacuation Drill and Swift Evacuation

Objective: To understand the importance of taking fire drills seriously and the need for a
swift evacuation
Time: 10 min
Flipchart:
FC 12: Story of Ha-meem Fire
FC 13: Pictures of a rising fire (3 pictures)

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Materials: None

Activity 1: (Flipchart 12) Story of Ha-meem Fire:

Step 1: The facilitator explains the following scenario: “The fire alarm went off during lunch. A
supervisor is eating lunch. His friend tells him to check the situation. He says ‘I am sure there is
nothing wrong’. He continued to eat his lunch, and even went to clean his lunch box. As he
walked down the stairs – he was engulfed by smoke and died.”

Step 2: The facilitator asks the workers to divide into 5 groups to discuss what happened in the
scenario.

Step 3: The facilitator asks two groups to share the outcome of their discussion. The facilitator
then asks if there are any different outcomes from the other groups – if yes, the groups present
their outcomes.

Activity 2:(Flipchart 13) Guessing Game

Step 1: The facilitator displays a flipchart that shows three pictures of a growing fire.

Step 2: The facilitator asks the participants to guess how much time it takes for the fire severity
to move from picture 1 to2 and 2 to 3. The facilitator then indicates the actual time it takes to
emphasize that there is no time to lose during evacuation as fire can spread quickly.

Debrief: Emphasize that it is not only necessary for each person to get out of the building, but
that we want to make sure that even the last person in the building can get out safely.

Transition: The facilitator tells participants that in order to evacuate in a swift and orderly
manner it is important to understand the Visual (exit signs/ arrows). Move on the next topic:
Understanding the Visual (Exit signs/ arrows)

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5.2 Understanding the Visuals

Objective: To familiarize yourself with the visuals inside your factory

(NOTE TO FACILITATOR: Familiarize yourself with the emergency exit signs and evacuation
route of your factories, to be able to point out to the workers which of the signs on the flipchart
are specific to your factory and to answer any question are specific to your factory)

Time: 10 minutes

Flipcharts:

Flipchart 14:4-5 different signs:  

• Exit signs and ARROW  

• ASSEMBLY POINT  
• FLOOR MARKS / direction signs. Emergency Lights    
• Fire Alarm (switch / gong bell) sign    
• Fire alarm visual notification appliances (e.g. strobes, beacons)

Materials: None
Activity a)
:Flipchart 14  
“Which of the signs have you seen in your factory and do you know where they are?”

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Ask group to name different locations and following groups to name locations that have not
been mentioned yet.
“Why do you think we have these signs?”
Debrief:

Facilitator needs to make sure that a minimum of the 3 good answers come up during the
discussion.

• Find your way even when you cannot see due to smoke / darkness.
• Speed up the evacuation process
• Safe our lives
Move on the next sub topic

5.3 Unobstructed Exit Path

 
Objective:

To understand the importance of preventing blocked and locked exit ways to provide
fast egress out of a building in the event of a fire or other emergency.

Time: 10 min (workers); 20 min (guards)

Flipchart:

FC 15: Key actions listed:

Materials: None

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Activity: Story

Step 1: The facilitator reminds participants of Khalilur and tells the participants that one very
common reason why workers die in fires is because the exits are either locked or blocked.

Step 2: The facilitator can tell the event in China in early 2013 when workers at a poultry factory
tried to escape a fire but couldn’t because the doors were locked. 119 workers died.
Step 3: The facilitator shares a few examples of things that workers can do to ensure that exits
remain unblocked.
• Maintain adequate aisle clearance. Never put material/machinery into aisle ways or in
front of exit doors.
• Remind your co-workers for your safety and theirs not to block aisles / exits if this
happens. Never walk past a block exit without taken action.    
• Report to your supervisor/management / union representative/ hotline if you observe
blocked aisles or exits    
• Report any locked doors to supervisor / management / union representative/ hotline
(facilitator encourage worker to insist on unlocked doors to speak to the hotline in case
management is not supportive)
• Use doorstop to prevent doors from closing
• Make sure automatic door closers are removed from door.  
Message to Guards: Your priority is to protect life.
Activity for specialized training for Guards & Management:

Discuss in groups (max 5 participants per group):

Question1:

Why are doors locked? (After a 2 min discussion, each group presents their key points.)

Facilitator can bring up following examples if not mentioned by guards:

• Avoid workers going out without permission (to bathroom, smoke…)

• Avoid theft of material

Question 2: How could you achieve these goals without locking the doors?

Facilitator can bring up following examples if not mentioned by guards:

• e.g. CCTV
• Extrusion Alarms (alarm when the dorm is opened)
• Proper Inventory Controls

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Debrief:

Facilitator summarizes discussion: Safety of workers should be guard’s first concerns and
guards should not prevent evacuation procedure of workers (e.g. not do body checks during
emergency!).Move on the next sub-topic: Do’s and Don’ts

Good to Know for Facilitators:

• Fire doors are important because they

o Reduce the spread of fires
o Prevent toxic smoke and gases
o Enable people to reach a place of safety

5.4 Do’s and Don’ts

Objective

Get a very clear understanding of the correct actions in case of a fire. Time: 20 min
Flipchart:
FC 16: List of Don’ts
FC 17: List of Do’s

Materials:
• Ping pong balls/ replaced by marbles (15)
• Green cards and Red cards 30 each color, for each participant for a group of 30
• Cards indicating the number of marbles.

Activity a):

Step 1: The facilitator spreads Ping-Pong balls across the floor and sets up an assembly point
for this evacuation exercise.  

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Step 2: The facilitator chooses 5 participants from the group for collect the ping pong balls prior
to evacuation.

Step 3: The facilitator provides each participant with a card that indicates how many balls the
participant has to pick and bring to the designated assembly point. However, the participant
cannot look at the card until the whistle blow.

Step 4:The facilitator instructs the participants not to run but to walk, and the facilitator starts
the race.

Debrief:

Discuss with participants what just happened - of course the winner is the one who did not have
to pick up any ping pong balls. Point out that this is what happens if in an evacuation you go
and look for your mobile phone – your bag, your friend – you will lose precious time, potentially
cause chaos because you have to go in different directions etc. (Refer to the Ha-meem Fire)

Transition: The facilitator now asks the participants to look at different behaviors during
evacuation and think about the whether we should or should not do this during the evacuation.

Flipchart 17 with list of do’s and don’ts:

Don’t

• Complete what you’re doing until someone calls you

• Verify that there is a fire
• Look for the source of the fire
• Shut down machines or processes
• Look for or lock up valuables
• Collecting personal belongings
• Look for friends or colleagues to make sure they get out
• Assume the fire alarm is for a drill
• Walk out
• Go out the way you came in the building rather than the fasted way out of the building  
Do
• If you observe fire, Press the fire alarm if it has not yet been activated Choose the
nearest exit
• Follow the marked visuals and sign to choose evacuation route
• Perceived urgency of evacuation – walk fast & don’t run
• Keep walking until you reach the assembly point
• Stay at assembly point until you are accounted
• In case of a lot of smoke, go down & crawl for clear visibility
• Go upward to the roof if your downward exit is COMPLETELY blocked. (Facilitator
emphasize that is ONLY if downward exit is completely blocked)
• If you have already caught by fire, roll on the ground & don’t run.

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Go upward to the roof if your downward exit is COMPLETELY blocked. (Facilitator

emphasize that is ONLY if downward exit is completely blocked) (Talk about this point
ONLY if workers ask – it is not something we should emphasize as it can easily be
misunderstood and lead workers to wrong action). This point is intentionally not
included in Flipchart.

Activity b)

Step 1: The facilitator gives every participant a green card to signify “do’s” and a red card to
signify “don’ts”.
Step 2: The facilitator reads a list of do’s and don’ts without telling the participants which are
which. After reading each one, the facilitator asks the participants to hold up either the green or
red card to indicate if they think it is a door a don’t.
Step 3: Once all workers have voted, the facilitator comments on correct answer, explains why,
and asks participants to put a green/ red sticker on the do’s and don’ts flipchart next to each
discussed point (or the facilitator can make a mark with a green/red whiteboard marker).

6. Wrap Up

6. Key Takeaways
Objective:

Remind participants about the key takeaway messages from the session

Time:  15 Min

Flipchart: FC 18: Things to remember

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 Factory Facilitator’s Guide - DRAFT

Materials: Handouts to participants of the key learnings from the training

• Badges that say “I participated in the Alliance for Bangladesh Workers Fire Safety Training”
Activity:

The facilitator asks the participants to spend 2 minutes to recollect what they have learnt in this
training with the person sitting next to them. After 2 minutes, the facilitator collects feedback
from the workers.

Debrief:

If the group doesn’t bring up the story of Khalilur then remind the participants about the story,
and talk about the reasons for why it is so important to take the correct actions to save your life
during a fire.

• PREVENT
• Do not do anything that could cause a fire

• If you see that might lead to a fire, you must report it

• PROTECT (Rokha koro)

• Do not obstruct or damage fire safety equipment or exit paths

• EVACUATE

• If you see a fire, press the fire alarm

• If you hear the fire alarm, evacuate immediately and go to the assembly point

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