Omanghana
The Ghana National Fire Service in the Bono East Region has organized a one-day sensitization workshop for apprenticeship master-trainers and trade supervisors in Techiman.
The training was designed to equip participants with practical knowledge of workplace fire prevention, risk reduction and emergency response.
Master craftsmen, workshop owners and trainers from several informal-sector trades attended the program. Participants included professionals working in welding, carpentry, automobile repairs and tailoring.
Senior officers from the Bono East Regional Fire Command facilitated the workshop under the leadership of Assistant Chief Fire Officer I Rev. Ofori Adubea Sarpong.
The initiative forms part of efforts by the GNFS to reduce fire outbreaks in commercial and informal workspaces by incorporating preventive measures into apprenticeship training.
Participants were educated on electrical safety, including the dangers of illegal wiring, overloaded sockets and failure to disconnect equipment from the main power supply after working hours.
The officers also demonstrated safe methods of handling and storing combustible materials such as fuel, paint, solvents and wood shavings. Workshop owners were advised to keep such substances in properly ventilated areas and away from potential ignition sources.
Special attention was given to high-risk activities such as welding, metal cutting and grinding. Trainers were encouraged to establish safety zones around these operations to prevent sparks from coming into contact with flammable materials.
The workshop also covered the selection and correct use of fire extinguishers. Participants were urged to provide clearly marked and unobstructed emergency exits for apprentices and other workers.
GNFS officials reminded master-trainers that they have a legal and ethical responsibility to protect young people working and learning under their supervision.
They encouraged the participants to transfer the knowledge acquired during the program to their apprentices and make daily safety inspections a compulsory part of practical training.
Trade associations in Techiman were also advised to request routine fire safety audits for their workshop clusters and ensure that emergency telephone numbers are displayed prominently at every worksite.
The Fire Service expressed confidence that involving master craftsmen directly in fire prevention education would help establish a stronger safety culture across the informal sector and reduce avoidable workplace emergencies.
Source: Omanghana
