Staff Fire Marshal Training
Fire Marshal Training: Do Your Staff Need It, and How Often?
"Fire marshal" and "fire warden" don't appear as defined legal terms in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — but the role they describe absolutely does. Understanding the difference between the label and the legal requirement is where a lot of the confusion comes from.
What the law actually requires
The RRO 2005 requires the Responsible Person to appoint one or more "competent persons" to help implement fire safety measures — and, depending on the building's use and complexity, to nominate people responsible for things like raising the alarm, directing evacuation, and checking areas are clear. In practice, this is exactly the role a fire marshal or fire warden fulfils. So while the RRO doesn't say "you must have a fire marshal," in almost any commercial building with staff present, some form of trained fire marshal role is the practical way to meet the requirement.
Who typically needs it
At least one trained fire marshal per floor or fire zone in an office building, more in larger or higher-occupancy premises
Cover for absence — if your only trained fire marshal is on leave, there's a gap
In multi-let buildings, coordination between individual tenant fire marshals and any building-wide fire safety management is essential — this is often where the gap actually is
What fire marshal training covers
A proper fire marshal course (typically half a day) covers:
Fire behaviour and how fires spread
Use of fire extinguishers (theory and, ideally, practical use)
Evacuation procedures specific to the building
Roles and responsibilities during an evacuation
How to conduct a sweep of an area before confirming it's clear
Assisting occupants with disabilities during evacuation (linking to Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans, or PEEPs)
How often should it be refreshed?
There's no single legally mandated interval, but best practice and most insurers expect refresher training every 1–3 years, along with additional training whenever:
The building layout or evacuation procedures change
A new fire marshal is appointed
A drill or real evacuation reveals gaps in understanding
A common gap in multi-let buildings
We regularly find that individual tenants have nominated fire marshals for their own space, but there's no clarity on how that coordinates with the building's overall evacuation strategy — who directs a full-building evacuation, who liaises with the fire service on arrival, and who's responsible for common areas. This should be explicitly addressed in the building's Fire Risk Assessment and fire safety management plan, not left to be worked out during an actual incident.
Getting your team trained and compliant
If you're not sure whether your building has adequate fire marshal coverage — or whether your current arrangements would actually hold up during a real evacuation — that's worth reviewing alongside your Fire Risk Assessment.
Accura Fire Risk Ltd can advise on fire marshal requirements as part of a Fire Risk Assessment, and point you toward appropriate training providers for your team. Get in touch to discuss your building's needs.