The National Archives holds more than 11 million historical government and public recordsStaff at the National Archives will be provided with fire safety knowledge to help them protect one of the World’s largest collections of government and public records from fire.
Chubb Fire & Security is providing the training for staff at Kew in the use of fire extinguishers. All employees, more than 650, will be invited to receive training and the opportunity to practise handling a fire extinguisher and using it on a controlled fire.
Also, in-depth fire warden training courses for designated members of staff will be provided.
The National Archives holds more than 11 million historical government and public records, going back hundreds of years.
Graham Taylor, National Archives health and safety advisor, said: “If we expect our employees to tackle a fire, we need to take responsibility for equipping them with the information and confidence that will enable them to cope, should that situation arise.”
Jon Beesley, operations manager for the fire consultancy division of Chubb, said companies need to invest in fire safety training. “According to a recent survey conducted by the Fire Industry Association, almost a fifth of companies in the UK have cut back on fire safety in the current economic climate.”
