Appointing a Fire Marshal within your business is one of the most important key factors to keeping your premises, employees and customers safe.  Have you wondered what is required of a Fire Marshal? Read on….

What is a Fire Marshal / Warden?

Plain and simple, the Fire Marshal’s main duty is to prevent Fires!

It is a legal obligation that workplaces have a sufficient number of fire marshals to deal with fire emergencies. Being a Fire Marshal, which is also sometimes referred to as Fire Warden requires someone that is organised, with a calm and composed mindset, along with strong leadership skills. They have specific duties and responsibilities that they must follow daily, especially if an emergency should occur. They have a very important role to play in evacuating the building and containing / tackling small fires should the worst happen, but it’s the daily duties that can bring the most benefit to any business.

What are the duties of a Fire Marshal?

The Fire Marshal has daily duties and responsibilities to make sure the working environment is safe for all employees, visitors and anyone else that may be on business premises, in case of a fire.  They must check that:

• Emergency exits are free from obstruction, clear and able to be opened
• Fire extinguishers have been serviced, sealed and are indicated by signs in the correct locations
• Fire doors are in good working order and are kept closed
• Fire alarms are visible, not obstructed and indicated by signage
• Fire safety signs are all visible and in the correct locations
• Emergency lighting is working correctly
• Fire alarms are tested weekly and reported if faulty
• Persons whom may require additional help such as pregnant or with disabilities are facilitated in the event of a fire or emergency evacuation
• Fire drills are conducted annually

In the event of an emergency…

The fire marshal should follow procedure and refer to their training in the event of an emergency. The fire marshal’s primary focus is to keep colleagues safe, remembering to evaluate site specific steps before doing so.

In the event of a fire…

1. Raise the alarm
2. Obtain your fire marshal kit (should you have one). Grab it and go.
3. Begin evacuating your site
4. Conduct a site sweep to ensure your site has been fully evacuated
5. Ensure those struggling to leave are assisted and taken to the assembly area
6. Go to the assembly area
7. Conduct a roll call to ensure all colleagues are accounted for
8. Gather information from your colleagues and fellow fire marshals
9. Ensure no-one re-enters the building
10. If it is safe to do so, use the appropriate extinguishers on small fires

You should question

• Has everyone been evacuated?
• Where is the fire?
• How did the fire start?
• Can I inform the fire service of anything relevant?

Report to the fire officer in charge if you have any important information to relay.

How do you become a Fire Marshal?

In order to become a Fire Marshal, ESS offer a half day Fire Marshal/Warden training course to provide you with the necessary training required in order to fulfil the role. This course has been designed to comply and meet the needs and requirements as stated within the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and covers duties and roles, fires and fire spread, evacuation and control, and general fire safety precautions and procedures.

Upon successful completion of the Fire Marshal training course, you will be awarded an ESS Fire Warden certificate valid for 3 years.

To book a Fire Marshal Training Course, click here.

How often should Fire Marshals be trained?

Although the fire marshal certification has an expiry date of 3 years, it is advised that all fire marshals have an annual refresher to ensure that best practice is always met in the event of a fire on your premises. Regular fire drills also ensure that your employees are aware of what to do in case of a fire or emergency.

Online Fire Marshall Training

If you are looking for a cost-effective way to fulfil your legal obligation for Fire Marshal training, or if you’re looking to expand the fire awareness training of your workforce with the benefit of online flexibility; ESS offers a wide range of online fire safety courses to suit your requirements:

• Online Fire Marshal Training
• Online Fire Marshal Training for Care Homes
• Online Fire Extinguisher Training
• Online Fire Safety Awareness Training
• Online Fire Safety Awareness Training for Care Homes

Please note: depending on your working environment, your risk assessment may require you to supplement this online course with hands on practical training.

Bespoke Fire Marshal Training with ESS

If you’re looking to tailor a course to fit around your team’s schedule, why not get in contact with our training team at ESS; our team will go above and beyond to ensure our training falls in with your working requirements. Contact us on 0115 8970 529 or visit our contact page here.