Fire safety training for staff is a legal requirement for all UK employers and responsible persons under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Proper training ensures everyone knows how to prevent fires, respond appropriately, and evacuate safely.
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Legal requirements for fire safety training
Fire safety training requirements stem from multiple pieces of legislation:
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO)
Article 21 — Provision of information to employees:
The responsible person must provide employees with:
- Information about fire risks identified
- Measures taken to prevent/reduce fire
- Identities of persons nominated to implement evacuation procedures
- Fire risks notified by other employers sharing the premises
Article 21 — Training:
The responsible person must ensure that employees are provided with adequate safety training:
- On commencement of employment (induction)
- When exposed to new or increased risks (new premises, equipment, responsibilities)
- Training must be repeated periodically
- Training must take place during working hours
Fire safety training isn't optional or discretionary. Article 21 of the Fire Safety Order makes it a legal requirement for all employees. Failure to provide adequate training is a criminal offence with potential prosecution and unlimited fines.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Section 2 — Duty of employers:
- Provide information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary for health and safety
- Applies to fire safety as part of general workplace safety
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Regulation 13 — Capabilities and training:
- Employees must receive adequate health and safety training
- On recruitment and when exposed to new risks
- Must be repeated periodically
- Adapted to take account of new or changed risks
Training is part of your fire risk assessment. Your fire risk assessment should identify training needs based on the fire risks in your premises and the roles staff perform. The assessment should specify who needs training, what training they need, and how often.
Who needs fire safety training?
All employees and workers
Everyone working in your premises must receive:
- Fire safety awareness training
- Specific information about your premises
- Emergency procedures for your workplace
This includes:
- Full-time and part-time employees
- Temporary and agency workers
- Contractors working regularly on site
- Volunteers working under your direction
- Trainees and apprentices
Fire wardens/marshals
Designated persons need additional training:
- Enhanced fire safety knowledge
- Evacuation procedures and responsibilities
- Use of fire-fighting equipment
- Assisting people with disabilities
- Liaison with emergency services
Quantity needed:
- Depends on premises size and layout
- Typically one fire warden per floor or 15-20 staff
- Sufficient to cover all shifts and absences
- More in high-risk or complex premises
Learn more: Fire warden training
Managers and supervisors
Management need training covering:
- Their responsibilities under fire safety law
- How to maintain fire safety arrangements
- Ensuring fire procedures are followed
- Recognizing fire hazards
- Supervising contractors
The responsible person
Ultimate duty holder needs comprehensive knowledge:
- Fire Safety Order requirements
- Fire risk assessment principles
- Managing fire safety arrangements
- Ensuring competence of staff
- Liaison with fire authorities
Learn more: What is the responsible person?
Fire Safety Awareness Training vs Fire Warden Training
Awareness Training (All Staff)
- •1-2 hours duration typically
- •Fire risks and prevention
- •Raising the alarm
- •Evacuation procedures
- •Assembly point location
- •General fire safety responsibilities
- •Can be delivered online
Fire Warden Training
Recommended- •Half-day training typically
- •All awareness training content plus:
- •Detailed evacuation procedures
- •Use of fire extinguishers (practical)
- •Assisting vulnerable persons
- •Roll-call procedures
- •Liaison with fire service
- •Should include practical elements
Bottom line: All staff need basic awareness training. Fire wardens need enhanced training covering their additional responsibilities. You should have sufficient trained fire wardens to cover all working hours and absences.
What training must cover
Fire safety training content should be tailored to your premises but must include:
General fire safety awareness
Fire prevention:
- Common causes of fire in the workplace
- Good housekeeping practices
- Safe storage of flammable materials
- Electrical safety (not overloading sockets, reporting faults)
- Smoking policies and designated areas
- Reporting fire hazards
Fire risks in your premises:
- Specific hazards identified in fire risk assessment
- High-risk areas and processes
- Ignition sources present
- Materials that could fuel fires
Emergency procedures for your premises
Raising the alarm:
- How to raise the alarm (break glass call points, or procedure if no alarm)
- What the alarm sounds like
- Alternative alarms (if different for different circumstances)
Evacuation procedures:
- Immediate action on hearing alarm
- Nearest exits from work areas
- Alternative exits if primary route blocked
- Assembly point location(s)
- Roll-call procedures
- When to re-enter premises (only when told it's safe)
What NOT to do:
- Don't use lifts during evacuation
- Don't stop to collect belongings
- Don't re-enter building for any reason
- Don't assume it's a false alarm or drill
Roles and responsibilities
Staff responsibilities:
- Prevent fires through good practice
- Report fire hazards immediately
- Follow fire safety rules
- Cooperate with fire drills
- Don't interfere with fire safety equipment
Fire warden responsibilities:
- Additional duties during evacuation
- Checking work areas are clear
- Assisting vulnerable persons
- Accounting for staff
- Reporting to emergency services
Fire-fighting equipment
Using fire extinguishers:
- When it's safe to tackle a fire (small, early-stage, safe exit behind you)
- When to evacuate instead of fighting
- Types of extinguisher and their uses
- PASS technique (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep)
- Practical demonstration or hands-on training
Location of equipment:
- Where fire extinguishers are located
- Where fire alarm call points are
- Location of fire blankets (if applicable)
Make clear: safety comes first. Staff should only attempt to tackle very small fires in the early stages, and only if they feel confident and safe to do so. If there's any doubt, evacuate immediately. No property is worth risking life for.
Specific premises information
Your building layout:
- Walk-through of escape routes (ideally in person)
- Location of fire doors and importance of keeping closed
- Fire-resistant compartmentation
- Areas of higher risk
Special circumstances:
- Procedures for disabled or vulnerable persons
- Night-time procedures if applicable
- Procedures for visitors and contractors
- Multi-occupancy buildings (interaction with other occupants)
Training frequency
Induction training (new starters)
When: On commencement of employment, before starting work
Content: Full fire safety awareness training specific to your premises
Duration: Typically 30-60 minutes as part of broader induction
New starters must receive fire safety training on their first day, before beginning work. They cannot wait for the next scheduled training session. This is a legal requirement under Article 21 of the Fire Safety Order.
Refresher training (all staff)
Frequency: At least annually, or more frequently if:
- Your fire risk assessment identifies higher risk
- Complex premises or procedures
- High staff turnover
- Significant changes to premises or procedures
Best practice: Many employers provide refresher training six-monthly or quarterly
Content: Review of key points, updates to procedures, addressing any issues from drills or incidents
Duration: Typically 20-30 minutes for refresher
Trigger events requiring additional training
Provide additional training when:
- Premises layout changes (new escape routes, refurbishment)
- New fire risks introduced (new processes, materials, equipment)
- Fire safety equipment changes
- Procedures updated
- Near-misses or incidents occur
- Poor performance in fire drills
- Staff move to different work areas with different risks
Fire warden refresher training
Frequency: At least annually, some recommend six-monthly
Content:
- Review of warden responsibilities
- Practical extinguisher training
- Updates to procedures
- Learning from drills or incidents
Duration: Typically half-day or 2-3 hours
Fire drills and practical exercises
Fire drills are an essential part of fire safety training:
Legal requirements
FSO doesn't specify frequency, but:
- Drills should be conducted regularly
- Frequency should be sufficient to ensure everyone participates
- Fire risk assessment should specify frequency
Industry guidance recommends:
- At least annually for low-risk premises
- Six-monthly for medium-risk premises
- Quarterly or more for high-risk premises (care homes, hospitals, schools)
- More frequently in high-turnover environments
Planning fire drills
Considerations:
- Announce or unannounced (both have merits)
- Different times of day/week to test different shifts
- Different scenarios (various exits blocked, different alarm zones)
- Coordination with fire wardens
Notify:
- Fire and Rescue Service (may be required, check locally)
- Neighboring premises if alarm affects them
- Security and reception staff
Conducting fire drills
During the drill:
- Activate fire alarm
- Time the evacuation
- Fire wardens perform their roles
- Everyone to assembly point
- Roll-call conducted
- Observers note any issues
Don't:
- Make drills too easy (everyone at desk, daytime only)
- Skip areas or allow people to opt out
- Fail to follow full procedures
Debriefing after drills
Review:
- Evacuation time
- Any problems encountered
- Staff compliance with procedures
- Fire warden performance
- Improvements needed
Record:
- Date and time of drill
- Who participated
- Evacuation time achieved
- Issues identified
- Actions arising
Care home prosecuted after fire - inadequate training contributed to deaths
A fire broke out in a care home for elderly residents during the night. Three residents died from smoke inhalation. Subsequent investigation revealed serious training deficiencies.
- ✗Night staff had never received fire safety training
- ✗No record of any fire drills in previous 2 years
- ✗Staff didn't know how to operate smoke compartment doors
- ✗No training on evacuation of mobility-impaired residents
- ✗Fire wardens had never received practical training
- ✗Staff attempted to use wrong type of fire extinguisher
- ✗Confusion about whether to evacuate or defend in place
The care home operator was prosecuted for multiple breaches of the Fire Safety Order, including failure to provide adequate training. The company was fined £300,000 and the director received a suspended prison sentence. The operator's license was revoked. Civil claims from families exceeded £2 million.
Fire safety training in care settings is literally life-critical. All staff, including night staff and temporary workers, must be properly trained. Fire drills must be practiced, especially evacuation of vulnerable persons. Training records must demonstrate all staff have been trained. The human cost was devastating, and the financial and legal consequences were severe.
Training delivery methods
Face-to-face training
Advantages:
- Interactive and engaging
- Can be tailored to specific premises
- Allows questions and discussion
- Can include practical exercises (extinguisher use, walking routes)
- More memorable
Disadvantages:
- Requires organizing sessions
- Staff time away from work
- Scheduling challenges for shift workers
- Cost of trainer if external
Online/e-learning
Advantages:
- Convenient and flexible
- Staff complete in their own time
- Consistent content delivery
- Automatic record keeping
- Cost-effective for large organizations
Disadvantages:
- Less engaging for some learners
- Cannot include practical elements
- Must supplement with premises-specific information
- Requires verification of completion
Blended approach
Recommended combination:
- Online general fire safety awareness module
- Plus in-person premises-specific briefing
- Plus practical fire drill participation
- Combines benefits of both methods
For fire wardens, in-person training is essential. While basic awareness can be delivered online, fire wardens need practical training including hands-on extinguisher use and walk-throughs of the premises. Don't rely solely on e-learning for fire wardens.
Record keeping requirements
You must keep records of fire safety training:
What to record
For each training session:
- Date of training
- Names of attendees
- Trainer name and qualifications
- Training content covered
- Duration
- Assessment results (if applicable)
- Signature or confirmation of attendance
For each employee:
- Induction training date
- Refresher training dates
- Role-specific training (fire warden, etc.)
- Fire drill participation
- Next training due date
How long to keep records
Minimum 5 years — Fire officers may request historical training records
Better practice: Keep for length of employment plus 5 years
Rationale: Demonstrates ongoing compliance and due diligence
Training records as evidence
Training records demonstrate:
- You've met legal obligations
- Due diligence in event of incident
- Systematic approach to fire safety
- Staff competence
Fire officers will request:
- Training records during inspections
- Evidence all staff have been trained
- Evidence of regular refreshers
- Records of fire drills
"We provide training but don't keep records" won't satisfy fire officers or courts. If you can't produce training records, you cannot prove you've complied with Article 21 of the Fire Safety Order. Keep meticulous records.
Costs and providers
Training costs (indicative)
Online fire safety awareness training:
- £10-£30 per person for off-the-shelf e-learning
- One-time fee plus annual refreshers
On-site group training:
- £300-£800 per half-day session for groups up to 15-20 people
- Scales well for larger staff numbers
Fire warden training:
- £150-£400 per person for external courses
- £600-£1,500 for on-site training (group of 8-12)
- Half-day to full-day duration
Annual refreshers:
- £100-£300 for fire warden refreshers
- Often combined with practical extinguisher training
Choosing training providers
Look for:
- Accreditation (IFSM, IFE, IIRSM, or equivalent)
- Experience in your sector
- Practical content (not just theory)
- Good reviews and references
- Premises-specific customization offered
- Clear certification provided
Questions to ask:
- Is training accredited?
- What's included (materials, certificates)?
- Can content be tailored to our premises?
- Does fire warden training include practical extinguisher use?
- What ongoing support is provided?
In-house training
Advantages:
- Lower cost per person for large organizations
- Fully tailored to your premises
- Can train fire wardens from existing qualified staff
Requirements:
- Trainer must be competent
- Should have fire safety qualification
- Training content must cover all legal requirements
- Must keep records
Enforcement and penalties
Fire authorities enforce training requirements:
Inspection findings
Common deficiencies fire officers find:
- No training records available
- Staff unable to describe fire procedures
- New starters not trained during induction
- No refresher training provided
- Fire wardens not designated or trained
- No fire drills conducted
Enforcement actions
Informal:
- Advice on implementing training program
- Letters highlighting deficiencies
Formal:
- Enforcement Notice — requiring training program implementation
- Prohibition Notice — in extreme cases where lack of training creates imminent danger
Prosecution:
- Criminal offence under FSO
- Fines unlimited (summary conviction up to £5,000)
- Imprisonment up to 2 years for serious breaches
- Personal liability for directors/managers
Recent penalties
Training failures contribute to prosecutions:
- £15,000 fine for hotel with no staff training records
- £45,000 fine for factory where staff unaware of fire procedures
- £300,000 fine for care home where inadequate training contributed to deaths
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Article 21 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires employers and responsible persons to provide fire safety training to all employees. This includes training on commencement of employment (induction) and repeated periodically. Failure to provide adequate training is a criminal offence.
All new employees must be trained during induction, before starting work. Refresher training should be provided at least annually for all staff. Additional training is required when risks change or procedures are updated. High-risk premises or those with vulnerable persons may require more frequent training (six-monthly or quarterly).
Yes. Anyone working in your premises must receive appropriate fire safety information and training. This includes temporary staff, agency workers, contractors, and volunteers. Training should be provided before they start work and cover the specific procedures for your premises.
This depends on your premises size, layout, and occupancy. As a guide, one fire warden per floor or per 15-20 staff is common. You need sufficient fire wardens to cover all shifts and absences. Your fire risk assessment should specify how many fire wardens you need for your specific premises.
Basic fire safety awareness training can be delivered online, which is cost-effective and convenient. However, you must supplement online training with premises-specific information (your escape routes, assembly point, procedures). Fire warden training should include practical elements (extinguisher use) and ideally be delivered in person.
You must keep records of all fire safety training including dates, attendees, content covered, trainer details, and training duration. Records should be kept for at least 5 years. You also need records of fire drills. Fire officers will request these during inspections to verify compliance with Article 21.
The Fire Safety Order doesn't specify frequency, but industry guidance recommends at least annually for low-risk premises, six-monthly for medium-risk, and quarterly or more frequently for high-risk premises like care homes or schools. Drills should be frequent enough that all staff participate regularly.
Failure to provide adequate fire safety training is a criminal offence under the Fire Safety Order. Penalties include unlimited fines and potential imprisonment up to 2 years for serious breaches. Fire authorities can issue Enforcement Notices requiring training programs to be implemented. Lack of training can also contribute to more serious charges if fire causes injury or death.
Next steps
Assess your fire safety training compliance:
Understand fire warden specific requirements:
Review your broader legal duties:
What is a fire risk assessment? →
Need to implement a fire safety training program for your staff? Accredited fire safety training providers can deliver comprehensive training tailored to your premises, including fire warden training and ongoing refresher programs.
Related articles:
- Fire warden training
- What is the responsible person?
- Fire Safety Order explained
- What is a fire risk assessment?
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