What is the role of a Fire Warden?

Fires in the workplace are something every business needs to plan for. Having an effective fire safety plan in place ensures that the whole building is evacuated and all employees are accounted for.

Fire marshals and fire wardens play a vital role in this fire safety plan, dividing up responsibilities in the event of a fire to allow for a quick evacuation. Whether you’re a business owner trying to ensure that your organisation has an effective fire safety approach, or a fire warden wanting to understand your role, this article covers everything you need to know about the roles and responsibilities of a fire warden.

Want to become a Fire Warden? Take a look at Virtual College’s Fire Warden Training Courses to find engaging training you can complete completely online.

What is the difference between a Fire Marshal and a Fire Warden?

Some people use the terms ‘fire warden’ and ‘fire marshal’ interchangeably, and it’s true that in practice their responsibilities often overlap. However, they are actually different positions with different responsibilities within a workplace fire safety plan. 

Here are some of the key differences between fire wardens and fire marshals:

Fire Marshal

A fire marshal generally focuses on managing the evacuation process outside the building. Their duties include:

• Taking a headcount at the designated assembly point to ensure all staff are accounted for.
• Keeping employees at assembly points until the evacuation is complete
• Communicating with emergency services and the Fire Safety Manager.
• Educating staff on fire safety procedures and conducting regular training.

Fire Warden

Whereas the fire warden’s duties typically concentrate on the evacuation process inside the building. Their key responsibilities include:

• Starting and supervising the evacuation using one of the 3 categories of evacuation when a fire alarm sounds.
• Searching the building to ensure all occupants have safely evacuated.
• Being the last to leave the site after checking no staff remain within the building.
• Bringing in preventative measures to the business as well as managing any fire safety equipment.

Every site should also have a Fire Safety Manager who takes on overall responsibility in the event of a fire, with both marshals and wardens assisting them in their duties. All these essential people must have an understanding of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the UK law which details what businesses must do to comply with fire safety law.

If a site is particularly small, then there may instead be a ‘Deputy’, who assumes the responsibilities of both a Fire Marshal and Fire Warden by evacuating the building and then performing the necessary checks at the assembly point alongside the Fire Safety Manager.

Just what is it that a Fire Warden is responsible for?

There are a range of responsibilities of a fire warden as part of the role, covering various aspects of fire safety management. These include:

• Working fire alarms
• Clear emergency exits
• Working emergency lights
• Safe storage of materials
• Fire safety awareness and training
• Getting electrical equipment PAT tested
• Organising regular fire drills
• Keeping up-to-date records
• Effectively managing potential fire risks
• Establishing evacuation routes

A fire warden needs to manage all of the above aspects of fire safety and is responsible for taking the necessary action in each case to keep everyone in the building safe. If you’re a fire warden, each of these responsibilities influences the actions you need to take to fulfil your role.

What are the duties of a Fire Warden?

Once you understand the roles and responsibilities of a fire warden, you need to know what the practical duties of the role are. These will be the tasks that a fire warden must carry out, sometimes alongside the building or workplace manager, in order to remove or reduce the risk of fire as much as possible and minimise the impact that it might have.

The duties of a fire warden include:

• Assisting the workplace manager to implement fire safety procedures and improve existing systems
• Checking that fire alarms still work
• Keeping emergency exits clear of obstacles
• Checking that emergency lights work
• Introducing fire safety signs around a building
• Signposting assembly points
• Designing evacuation routes
• Ensuring that heat and fuel sources are kept apart
• Organising PAT tests for electrical equipment
• Organising or delivering fire safety training
• Running fire drills
• Completing risk assessments when necessary
• Keeping fire safety records up to date
• Organising and directing people to safety in the event of a fire
• Ensuring the building is evacuated safely

Some of these duties, such as providing fire safety training, storing fuel and heat sources, organising PAT testing and completing risk assessments, are also the legal responsibility of your employer or the building manager. They may ask you to complete the tasks on their behalf, but they should be involved in the process.

What is the role of the Fire Warden during an evacuation?

In the event of a fire, the role of a fire warden is to ensure that everyone is safely evacuated from the building. They have a duty of care to anyone inside, and whilst they should never put themselves in danger, the role does carry some risk.

The responsibilities of a fire warden during an evacuation include:

• Activating the fire alarm
• Calling the Emergency Services
• Directing everyone out of the building
• Checking spaces like bathrooms and storerooms to ensure that everyone has been evacuated
• Assisting vulnerable or disabled people with evacuation
• Closing windows and doors behind them to reduce the spread of fire
• If safe to do so, using fire fighting equipment to stop the spread of fire
• Directing everyone towards fire assembly points
• Assisting the fire marshal with checking that everyone is present
• Communicating with the Emergency Services when they arrive

If you are a fire warden, you should never put yourself in danger to try and put out a fire or help someone if there’s a chance that you will be injured or trapped in the process. However, you should be one of the last people to exit a building when a fire evacuation takes place and make sure to check every room as you leave, which does present a slight risk that should be managed sensibly.

How to become a Fire Warden

The role of a fire warden is appointed to someone by the ‘responsible person’ in a building or workplace, to act as a support in implementing fire safety and prevention measures. Many people volunteer for the role of fire warden, as it’s a great way to gain more responsibility at work and learn new skills that have practical applications in other areas as well.

Individuals that volunteer or are chosen to become a fire warden must attend a fire warden training course to learn what is expected of them in the role. After undertaking a fire safety training course, they will receive an official qualification and are then expected to perform the necessary duties that we outlined earlier in this article.

Fire warden training can be completed online or in person, and will usually be organised by an employer. If you’re looking for an online fire warden training course, Virtual College offers a ‘Fire Safety for Fire Marshals and Wardens Training Package’ which covers general fire safety training and specific training for the roles of fire marshal and fire warden.

How should organisations appoint Fire Wardens?

Organisations should first seek volunteers for the fire warden role, as these individuals typically show greater commitment. When selecting candidates, look for reliability, good communication skills, and the ability to remain calm under pressure. All appointed fire wardens must complete certified training before assuming their duties. The appointment should be formalised in writing with clear responsibilities outlined, and a backup system should be established to maintain coverage during absences.

How many Fire Wardens does a workplace need?

The number of fire wardens required in a workplace depends on several factors, including:

Building size and layout: Larger buildings or those with complex layouts require more fire wardens to ensure complete coverage during evacuations

Number of employees: Generally, organisations should aim for a ratio of approximately one fire warden per 20 employees

Operating hours: Workplaces that operate across different shifts need fire wardens present during all operational hours

Risk level: Higher-risk environments may require additional fire wardens

Occupant characteristics: Workplaces with visitors or staff who may need assistance during evacuation require more fire wardens

As a minimum standard, organisations should ensure they have enough fire wardens to:

• Cover all areas of the building during an evacuation
• Account for absences due to holidays, illness or off-site work
• Provide adequate support for people with additional needs
• Enable fire wardens to perform their duties without putting themselves at unnecessary risk

A fire safety risk assessment will help determine the specific number of fire wardens your organisation needs to meet legal requirements and ensure effective emergency response. Many organisations find having at least two fire wardens per floor or department provides appropriate coverage while allowing for absences.

In summary

Fire wardens and fire marshals are both essential roles that must be filled for a building or workplace to meet fire safety requirements and be able to conduct a safe fire evacuation when necessary. 

Understanding just what is a fire warden is and what their specific fire warden duties involve is a vital part of creating a safe and compliant workplace. If you’re taking on the responsibilities of a fire warden, it’s important to understand what you’ll be responsible for and what your day-to-day duties will be in order to meet the requirements of the position.

For more information on the roles and responsibilities in a fire-related emergency, our Fire Marshal and Fire Warden Training Course, which goes in-depth on what you need to do in the event of a fire and helps to provide a high standard of staff fire safety training.

FAQs

What is the primary role of the fire warden?

The primary role of a fire warden is to implement fire safety measures in a building or workplace that reduce or remove the likelihood of fire. These measures should be proactive, aim to protect the people in the building, and be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that everyone is kept as safe as possible.

What are the 6 fire marshal responsibilities?

The duties and responsibilities of a fire marshal cover a wide variety of areas, but the six main responsibilities are:

• Identifying and assessing potential fire risks
• Reporting potential fire hazards
• Taking action if a fire is discovered
• Using fire fighting equipment to stop fires if it is safe to do so
• Administering first aid for minor injuries related to fire evacuation
• Assisting with evacuation in the event of a fire

How often should fire warden training be refreshed?

General guidance is that fire warden training should be refreshed every three years. This ensures that fire wardens are given the most up-to-date advice on how to prevent and manage fires and that they’ve had their training refreshed so they remember it all in the event of an emergency.

What is a fire safety plan?

A fire safety plan maps out how everyone should evacuate, where to gather outside and who takes charge in the event of a fire. The plan covers practical elements like equipment checks and safe storage of materials that might catch fire. Make sure you plan regular fire drills to help your team become familiar with these procedures.

Having a fire plan is a great tool to ensure you’re properly prepared for an emergency. It’s also necessary in order to meet the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

How do fire wardens assist vulnerable people during evacuations?

An extra aspect of Fire Warden duties is ensuring that everyone, including those with disabilities or vulnerabilities, can evacuate safely during emergencies. They must identify who might need extra help, assist in developing personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) and practice these plans during fire drills. 

During an actual fire, fire wardens give assistance to make sure that vulnerable individuals have the support they need. This could be a buddy system or even specialist evacuation equipment.