Industrial firefighter

Industrial firefighters are responsible for emergency response in case of a fire outbreak or other hazardous situations in industrial areas or facilities. They actively respond to contain fires and the outbreak of other hazardous substances to protect the industrial crews and premises. They ensure the industrial facility complies with health and safety regulations. They also regulate the clean-up of the scene and assess the damage.

The following job titles also refer to industrial firefighter:

industrial fire team member
fire auxiliary
factory firefighter
site emergency response team member
emergency response team member
industrial fireman
industrial firewoman
site firefighter

A high school diploma is generally required to work as an industrial firefighter.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Industrial firefighter is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to industrial firefighter.

fire service vehicle operator
firefighter
marine firefighter
pump operator
emergency response worker

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of industrial firefighter. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of industrial firefighter with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

fire protection technician
radiation protection technician
fire inspector
fire safety tester
hazardous waste technician

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of industrial firefighter.

• Fire safety regulations: The legal rules to be applied for fire safety and fire prevention in a facility.
• Hydraulics: The power transmission systems that use the force of flowing liquids to transmit power.
• Fire prevention procedures: The regulations concerning fire and explosion prevention, and the equipment, systems and methods used in it.
• Industrial tools: The tools and equipment used for industrial purposes, both power and hand tools, and their various uses.
• Industrial engineering: The field of engineering concerned with the development, improvement, and implementation of complex processes and systems of knowledge, people, equipment, etc.
• Fire-fighting systems: The devices and systems used to extinguish fires; the classes and chemistry of fire.
• Regulations on substances: The national and international regulations on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, e.g. regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.
• Health and safety regulations: Necessary health, safety, hygiene and environmental standards and legislation rules in the sector of particular activity.
• First aid: The emergency treatment given to a sick or injured person in the case of circulatory and/or respiratory failure, unconsciousness, wounds, bleeding, shock or poisoning.

These skills are necessary for the role of industrial firefighter.

• Provide first aid: Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid in order to provide help to a sick or injured person until they receive more complete medical treatment.
• Assist people in contaminated areas: Assist workers in remediation activities as well as people at risk of exposure in safety operations, such as instructing on wearing protective gear, entering and leaving restricted areas, and usage of remediation equipment.
• Select hazard control: Perform appropriate selection of hazard control measures and risk management
• Extinguish fires: Choose the adequate substances and methods to extinguish fires depending on their size, such as water and various chemical agents. Use a breathing apparatus.
• Assess contamination: Analyse evidence of contamination. Advise on how to decontaminate.
• Contain fires: Take the appropriate measures to prevent fires from spreading.
• Dispose of hazardous waste: Dispose of dangerous materials such as chemical or radioactive substances according to environmental and to health and safety regulations.
• Ensure public safety and security: Implement the relevant procedures, strategies and use the proper equipment to promote local or national security activities for the protection of data, people, institutions, and property.
• Work as a team in a hazardous environment: Work together with others in a dangerous, sometimes noisy, environment, such as a building on fire or metal forging facilities, in order to achieve a higher degree of efficiency while heeding the co-workers’ safety.
• Avoid contamination: Avoid the mixing or contamination of materials.
• Manage major incidents: Take immediate action to respond to major incidents that affect the safety and security of individuals in private or public places such as road accidents.
• Work safely with chemicals: Take the necessary precautions for storing, using and disposing chemical products.
• Work with chemicals: Handle chemicals and select specific ones for certain processes. Be aware of the reactions which arise from combining them.
• Manage factory operations: Oversee factory operations, including planning, organising, controlling and directing factory production activities.
• Evacuate people from buildings: Evacuate a person from a dangerous building or situation for protection purposes, ensuring the victim reaches safety and is able to receive medical care if necessary.
• Perform search and rescue missions: Assist in fighting natural and civic disasters, such as forest fires, floods and road accidents. Conduct search-and-rescue missions.
• Use different types of fire extinguishers: Understand and apply various methods of firefighting and various types and classes of fire extinguishing equipment.
• Assess risk factors: Determine the influence of economical, political and cultural risk factors and additional issues.
• Manage emergency care situations: Manage situations in which decision making under time pressure is essential to save lives.
• Monitor chemical process condition: Monitor the conformity of the chemical process, checking all indicators or warning signals provided by the instruments such as recording instruments, flowmeters and panel lights.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of industrial firefighter. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Assess impact of industrial activities: Analyse data to estimate the impact of industrial activities on resource availability and groundwater quality.
• Monitor disposal of radioactive substances: Ensure correct management and disposal of radioactive substances used for medical purposes, in compliance with established procedures.
• Inspect industrial equipment: Inspect equipment used during industrial activities such as manufacturing or construction equipment in order to ensure that the equipment complies with health, safety, and environmental legislation.
• Liaise with industrial professionals: Establish relationships with engineers, geologists, hydrologists and hydrogeologists, and other industrial professionals.
• Manage flammable substances: Managing flammable substances to roasting operations and ensuring that safety measures are in place.

5411 – Fire-fighters

References

1. Industrial firefighter – ESCO