Fire safety training requirements for UK employers

Yes: if you are the employer, or otherwise in control of non-domestic premises, fire safety law expects you to give your staff adequate fire safety training. In England and Wales it comes from article 21 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, in Scotland from regulation 20 of the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, and in Northern Ireland from a separate framework enforced by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service. None of them sets a single mandatory course or a fixed refresher interval. They require training that fits the risks in your fire risk assessment.

Which nations this article covers

Fire safety is a devolved matter, so the rules are not identical across the UK. This article covers England and Wales (the 2005 Order), Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and flags the differences as we go. If you run premises in more than one nation, you need to follow the rules for each site.

The Order's own legislation.gov.uk record describes it as applying in England and Wales. GOV.UK's workplace fire safety guidance notes that different rules apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland and links to separate guidance for each.

Who is responsible for fire safety training?

Under the English and Welsh system, the duty falls on the "responsible person". According to GOV.UK, that is you if you are an employer, owner, landlord, occupier or anyone else with control of business or non-domestic premises, such as a facilities manager or managing agent. Where there is more than one responsible person, they must work together. Scotland uses the term "duty holder" (the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service describes duty holders as those in control of premises to any extent).

GOV.UK lists giving staff fire safety information, instruction and training among the responsible person's duties, alongside carrying out and regularly reviewing a fire risk assessment. It also warns that you could be fined or go to prison if you do not follow fire safety regulations.

What the law says about training

England and Wales: article 21

Article 21 of the 2005 Order requires the responsible person to make sure employees get adequate safety training. In summary, that training must:

• be given when an employee is first employed;
• be given again when they face new or increased risks, for example after a transfer or change of responsibilities, new work equipment or technology, or a new or changed system of work;
• cover the precautions employees should take to protect themselves and others on the premises;
• be repeated where appropriate and updated for new or changed risks;
• match the risks identified in your fire risk assessment; and
• take place during working hours.

Scotland: regulation 20

Regulation 20 of the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 is headed "Training" and follows almost the same pattern: adequate fire safety training on first employment, again when new or increased risks arise, covering the precautions to take, repeated where appropriate, suited to the risks in the fire risk assessment, and during working hours. The text we read was the version as originally made, so check legislation.gov.uk for any later amendments before relying on the exact wording.

Northern Ireland

NIFRS says business owners, managers and operators must make sure employees receive adequate fire safety training. It says what counts as adequate varies by business but generally includes induction training on general fire awareness, periodic refresher training (or extra training where the level of fire risk increases after operational changes), and skills training such as managing fire safety, fire risk assessment, fire warden duties or using fire extinguishers.

Induction: the first training everyone gets

Because the law ties training to the start of employment, fire safety belongs in every induction. Cover what your fire risk assessment says matters: what to do on hearing the alarm, where the escape routes and assembly points are, and who has been nominated to help with evacuation. The Order also requires employees to receive comprehensible and relevant information on the risks identified, the preventive measures, the emergency procedures and the names of the people nominated to help (article 19). Anyone who starts in a different role, or whose workplace layout or equipment changes, needs the training updated.

How often does fire safety training need repeating?

The law gives no number. Article 21 and regulation 20 both say training must be repeated "where appropriate" and updated for new or changed risks. In practice, that means you decide the interval from your fire risk assessment and revisit it when something changes, such as a new layout, a change of use, or new equipment. If a provider or insurer says "annually", that is their requirement or a sensible default, not something the Order itself says. For a wider view across different subjects, see our guide on how often health and safety training needs renewing in the UK.

Fire marshals and wardens

"Fire marshal" is not a job title in the articles of the Order we read. Instead, the responsible person must nominate competent persons to carry out fire-fighting measures (article 13), nominate enough competent people to carry out evacuations (article 15), and appoint one or more competent persons to help put the preventive and protective measures into effect (article 18). Article 13 says those nominated need enough training, equipment and numbers for the hazards on site, and article 18 treats a person as competent if they have sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities.

So the marshals or wardens you appoint need training that fits their role, which is more than the general staff briefing. NIFRS lists fire warden duties and using fire extinguishers as examples of skills training. The Order does not name a specific marshal course or length of course.

Records

GOV.UK's fire risk assessment guidance says you must keep a written record of your fire risk assessment, and its steps include recording your findings, your emergency plan and training. It does not set out a specific training log format in the page we read. In Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service says the law requires a record of a programme of fire safety training for your staff. Whichever nation you are in, a simple log of who was trained, on what, and when makes it easy to show an inspector that you met the duty. Our guide to building a training matrix shows one way to organise it.

Quick reference

A practical way to meet the duty

• Start from your fire risk assessment and list the points staff need to know.
• Build those points into induction, and into changes of role or workplace.
• Decide which people need extra training (for example, those nominated for evacuation or fire-fighting) and train them to the level the assessment supports.
• Record who was trained, what was covered and when.

Frequently asked questions

Do part-time and temporary staff need fire safety training?

The duty in article 21 and regulation 20 is to "employees", and applies from when they are first employed. Part-time and temporary employees are employees, so plan induction for them too. For agency or outside workers, the Order separately requires information to be given (article 20).

Do I need a fire safety certificate to prove training?

The legislation sets the duty to provide adequate training. It does not name a required certificate. A record of what was delivered is the safer evidence to keep.

Is online fire safety training enough?

The legislation does not say how training must be delivered. What matters is whether it is adequate for your premises. Online awareness training can cover general principles, but it cannot show people where your exits are, so pair it with on-site instruction.

Does Wales follow the English rules?

The 2005 Order applies in England and Wales according to its legislation.gov.uk record. Check the guidance of your local fire and rescue authority for any practical differences.

Where to go next

Fire safety training is one strand of a wider compliance picture. Browse the Learnsignal CPD hub for other professional development and training topics, and check your local fire and rescue service for advice specific to your premises.

This article gives general information only and is not legal, regulatory or compliance advice. Fire safety law changes and depends on your premises and nation. Check the current legislation and take advice from your fire and rescue service or a competent fire risk assessor.