Effective fire safety training
2026-01-14 Courses PiD Kurs
Implementing effective fire safety training in a dynamic environment like a shopping mall is a challenge. With many different roles, high activity and limited time available, training can easily become a low priority or ineffective.
A blanket approach rarely works, as it leads to employees spending valuable time on irrelevant information, while critical, role-specific knowledge is lost.
Tore Nordahl
Senior fire safety advisor/partner at PiD Solutions AS
🎯 Role-based and targeted training
Our approach is based on a simple principle: “not everyone needs to know everything, but everyone needs to have sufficient knowledge and skills to perform the activities that belong to the job and the workplace.”
This mindset is the basis for our role-based training model. The model is based on a thorough functional analysis, where we have defined the unique responsibilities of key roles in the business – such as general manager, operations manager, managers with human resources or security responsibilities, as well as employees in the property’s operations and management organization.
By mapping the precise knowledge and skill needs for each role, we ensure that training is relevant, targeted and effective.
📋 A structured training model for increased safety
For the fire protection discipline, we have developed a 5-step model that systematically builds competence throughout the organization. We combine digital learning forms with practical training where necessary:
- Online course: Basic fire protection
- Online course: Evacuation, roles and tasks
- Physical course: Evacuation training for managers
- Physical course: Evaluation and documentation of evacuations
- Physical course: Firefighting training by role and risk
Most of the training takes place digitally, so that employees can learn flexibly without disrupting store operations. Practical courses are conducted where skills must be tested physically, and the digital platform makes it easy to repeat knowledge over time.
🛍️ Specially adapted for shopping malls and other complex buildings
The model is equally well suited for shopping malls as for hotels, restaurants, commercial buildings and other businesses with many roles, high activity and varying risk profiles.
It takes into account the unique challenges of buildings:
- Online courses that can be taken when it suits you, without affecting operations
- Concise, effective courses for busy weekdays
- Practical training where skills must be tested, such as evacuation and fire extinguishing
- Role-based training that ensures that everyone learns what is relevant to their job
- Easy repetition of knowledge to prevent forgetting
⚙️ A model that covers more than fire protection
The role-based approach is not limited to fire protection alone. The same philosophy is also used in training in other critical HSE areas. This includes training that enables managers to follow up on deviations, control and document systematic safety work, and use the property’s most important management tool – PiD Drift – in the work with risk management of operational and fire protection tasks.
📈 Structured training improves safety
With our training model, shopping centers get a holistic and targeted approach to safety training. The result is increased safety, better preparedness and more efficient use of time and resources. Do you want to know more about how this model can be implemented in your shopping center?
Contact us by calling, sending an email or filling out the contact form.
