UNIT 1  |    REGULATIONS

On completion of this Fire Marshal training online learners will know:

• Fire safety regulations
• How fires start in the workplace
• Common steps that help prevent fires
• The responsibilities of a Fire marshal
• Importance of fire risk assessments
• Actions to take in the event of a fire
• If, when and how to fight a fire
• Emergency fire first aid

Fire safety regulations require ‘competent people’ to assist the person who has overall responsibility for fire safety in carrying out fire safety measures.

These ‘competent people’ include fire marshals or fire wardens.

Often there is no difference between the role and responsibilities of a fire marshal and fire warden. These are simply two different terms for the same thing.

Occasionally, larger organisations appoint both fire marshals and fire wardens. This is a choice of the individual business rather than a requirement under the regulations.

In this case, fire wardens tend to have a pro-active fire safety role, taking responsibility for day-to-day fire management duties such as spot checks and fire risk assessments, and fire marshals will have a more re-active fire safety role, with responsibility for emergency response in the case of a fire in the workplace.

The main role of a fire marshal is helping the ‘responsible person’ in meeting these duties and preventing fires occurring.

Specific Fire Marshal duties will be outlined by individual organisations Fire Risk Assessment but typical duties of a fire marshal include;

• Checking fire safety equipment like alarms and extinguishers are always in good working order.
• Ensuring fire doors are closed and emergency exits are clear
• Ensuring staff know what to do in the event of a fire.
• Conducting fire drills and roll calls at the fire assembly point.
• Ensuring safety control measures detailed in the the fire risk assessment are always followed
• Maintain a Fire Marshal kit close to hand in case of a fire.
• Assist staff during an evacuation
• Keep an eye out and resolve any unsafe behaviours.  For example poorly maintained electrical equipment.

A Fire Marshal Kit, or fire emergency bag, contains equipment to assist in clearing a building of staff and public, to identify the Fire Marshal, to mark cleared areas and to help ensure no one re-enters the building. Fire Marshals should keep a kit bag easily accessible in case of a fire.

Recommended equipment in a Fire Marshal Kit bag includes:

• Megaphone – complete with batteries
• Emergency whistle – to help navigate colleagues where visibility is poor.
• Non-flammable gas airhorn – to help raise the alarm
• High visibility fire marshal vest – so you can be easily identified
• Identifiable safety helmet – so you can be easily identified.
• Fire Marshal identification arm band – so you can be easily identified
• Safety light-sticks – to help illumination of evacuation route
• Hazard Barrier Tape – to help prevent re access to the building until it is safe

Fires don’t just happen. They are mostly caused by people in one or more of the following ways:

1. Accidentally – by what you do. 

2. By omission or carelessness – by what you don’t do. Carelessness and a disregard for fire safety are fire hazards. Remember, fire safety is everyone’s responsibility. 

3. Deliberately – by arson. Unfortunately, around 18 percent of fires are started deliberately. So report any suspicious behaviour or activity.

These factors manifest themselves in a few key areas. Faulty or poorly maintained electrical equipment is the cause of around a quarter of workplace fires. 

Heating appliances, human error, flammable substances and improper storage of combustible materials are other common causes. 

FIRE AWARENESS – For all staff.  Understand the how to reduce the chance of workplace fires and how to respond if they do occur.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER TRAINING – How to tackle small fires at work.

PAT TESTING – How to maintain electrical equipment safely.

RISK ASSESSMENT – How to determine workplace risks and create appropriate safe systems for work.

UNIT 1  |    REGULATIONS

On completion of this Fire Marshal training online learners will know:

• Fire safety regulations
• How fires start in the workplace
• Common steps that help prevent fires
• The responsibilities of a Fire marshal
• Importance of fire risk assessments
• Actions to take in the event of a fire
• If, when and how to fight a fire
• Emergency fire first aid

Fire safety regulations require ‘competent people’ to assist the person who has overall responsibility for fire safety in carrying out fire safety measures.

These ‘competent people’ include fire marshals or fire wardens.

Often there is no difference between the role and responsibilities of a fire marshal and fire warden. These are simply two different terms for the same thing.

Occasionally, larger organisations appoint both fire marshals and fire wardens. This is a choice of the individual business rather than a requirement under the regulations.

In this case, fire wardens tend to have a pro-active fire safety role, taking responsibility for day-to-day fire management duties such as spot checks and fire risk assessments, and fire marshals will have a more re-active fire safety role, with responsibility for emergency response in the case of a fire in the workplace.

The main role of a fire marshal is helping the ‘responsible person’ in meeting these duties and preventing fires occurring.

Specific Fire Marshal duties will be outlined by individual organisations Fire Risk Assessment but typical duties of a fire marshal include;

• Checking fire safety equipment like alarms and extinguishers are always in good working order.
• Ensuring fire doors are closed and emergency exits are clear
• Ensuring staff know what to do in the event of a fire.
• Conducting fire drills and roll calls at the fire assembly point.
• Ensuring safety control measures detailed in the the fire risk assessment are always followed
• Maintain a Fire Marshal kit close to hand in case of a fire.
• Assist staff during an evacuation
• Keep an eye out and resolve any unsafe behaviours.  For example poorly maintained electrical equipment.

A Fire Marshal Kit, or fire emergency bag, contains equipment to assist in clearing a building of staff and public, to identify the Fire Marshal, to mark cleared areas and to help ensure no one re-enters the building. Fire Marshals should keep a kit bag easily accessible in case of a fire.

Recommended equipment in a Fire Marshal Kit bag includes:

• Megaphone – complete with batteries
• Emergency whistle – to help navigate colleagues where visibility is poor.
• Non-flammable gas airhorn – to help raise the alarm
• High visibility fire marshal vest – so you can be easily identified
• Identifiable safety helmet – so you can be easily identified.
• Fire Marshal identification arm band – so you can be easily identified
• Safety light-sticks – to help illumination of evacuation route
• Hazard Barrier Tape – to help prevent re access to the building until it is safe

Fires don’t just happen. They are mostly caused by people in one or more of the following ways:

1. Accidentally – by what you do. 

2. By omission or carelessness – by what you don’t do. Carelessness and a disregard for fire safety are fire hazards. Remember, fire safety is everyone’s responsibility. 

3. Deliberately – by arson. Unfortunately, around 18 percent of fires are started deliberately. So report any suspicious behaviour or activity.

These factors manifest themselves in a few key areas. Faulty or poorly maintained electrical equipment is the cause of around a quarter of workplace fires. 

Heating appliances, human error, flammable substances and improper storage of combustible materials are other common causes. 

FIRE AWARENESS – For all staff.  Understand the how to reduce the chance of workplace fires and how to respond if they do occur.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER TRAINING – How to tackle small fires at work.

PAT TESTING – How to maintain electrical equipment safely.

RISK ASSESSMENT – How to determine workplace risks and create appropriate safe systems for work.