First intervention team: required for every employer

A fire at work always seems like something that happens to others. Yet Belgian law requires every employer to have a team ready to act immediately. In practice this is called the first intervention team (eerste interventieploeg, EIP). What does that involve?

The first intervention team is mandatory

The law speaks of a "fire-fighting service". In practice we call it the first intervention team. Every employer sets one up, regardless of the number of employees (Code, Book III, Title 3, art. III.3-7).

So a small office is not exempt. The team can be smaller, but it has to exist.

What does the first intervention team do?

The team's tasks are broad:

• passing on fire reports;
• following up alarm signals;
• fighting a fire in its early stage;
• evacuating people;
• guiding the emergency services on site;
• contributing to the risk analysis and procedures;
• reporting situations that could hinder an evacuation or cause a fire.

How many members, and where?

After advice from the prevention advisor and the Committee, the employer determines:

• the number of members;
• their competence;
• their spread across the workplace (art. III.3-8).

Again: think about shifts, holidays and multiple floors or buildings. A team based in one spot is not fast enough everywhere.

Which competences are needed?

Annex III.3-1 lists what members must be able to do:

• understand how fire behaves;
• recognise fire risks;
• use extinguishing equipment correctly;
• put out small fires safely;
• know the evacuation routes;
• respond correctly to an alarm and evacuate quickly.

Training combines theory with hands-on exercises with extinguishers, followed by regular refreshers. Holding an extinguisher once in class is not the same as using it under stress.

Difference with the first aider

The first intervention team and the first aider are often confused, yet they are separate roles:

• First aider: gives first aid to casualties. Covered by Book I, Title 5 of the Code.
• First intervention team: fights an early-stage fire and organises the evacuation. Covered by Book III, Title 3.

A different task, different legislation. In practice, though, they are often the same people. That makes sense: someone who stays calm in a fire often stays calm at an accident too. Read First aider, designated person or EHBO: who is who?.

Practice makes the difference

A team on paper is not enough. At least once a year you practise the evacuation. How to go about it: Evacuation drill: at least yearly, but how?.

In a fire, clear action cards on the wall help too. They show at a glance what to do first, as with the card on burns.

You can follow this training at P12 Training, a recognised training centre (included on the list of the FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue). In Dutch, French or English, on site at your premises. Request a quote.

Source: Code, Book III, Title 3 – Fire prevention in the workplace (FPS Employment, pdf, NL)