19 killed 1,200 people injured in workplace fires.

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Shocking figures show that during 2010-2011 19 people in the UK died in workplace fires, sparking St John Ambulance to call for businesses to wise up when it comes to fire safety.

Best known for providing first aid training, the charity offers fire marshal courses for businesses across Wiltshire and has set up an online calculator to enable employers to assess how many trained fire marshals they need on their premises to protect their staff and property.

Pam Harris, a Fire Marshal trainer for St John Ambulance, said: "At St John Ambulance we are all about preventing unnecessary deaths and while we regularly do this by equipping people with life saving first aid skills, we also want to guard against loss of life by educating people in how to avoid fires occurring.

"Nineteen deaths a year as a result of workplace fires is 19 too many and it’s sad to think that lives are being lost potentially due to a lack of planning."

"The average cost to a business that experiences a fire is £50,000, which alone is a terrifying thought, but there’s really no price you can put on a life.

"Our message to employers is that we’re here to help you assess your needs and train up your team to meet them."

Statistics taken from the Government’s communities website also show that in addition to the 19 fire related deaths in workplaces between 2010 and 2011, a further 1,200 people were injured as a result of fires at work, which is an increase of three per cent compared to 2008-2009.

The good news is that Fire Isk Assessments & Training Ltd will soon be able to offer on- line Fire Safety for Staff. This will help Employers with having less downtime for employees attending Courses.

Licences can be bought for as little as £12 + vat. Keep looking for imminent news on our website at: www.fireisk.co.uk