Fire protection in companies is a central concern of occupational health and safety. It is a matter of valuable assets such as the physical integrity and protection of the lives of employees and other persons present on the company premises in the event of a fire. Building protection and the protection of material assets such as production facilities, machinery, vehicles and stock are also important concerns. The employers' liability insurance associations and their umbrella organisation, the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), therefore monitor compliance with protective regulations for preventing and fighting fires. DGUV Information 205-003 lists key points on fire protection. In particular, it deals with the necessity of fire protection organisation and the deployment of company fire safety officers, who are primarily involved in preventive fire protection.
Fire safety officers are responsible for advising and supporting the company management with regard to fire safety measures. A fire safety officer is also indirectly involved in fire prevention by instructing fire safety assistants and encouraging the building to be equipped with a sufficient number of fire extinguishers. A fire safety officer can be a company employee with a special qualification or an external specialist.
Tasks of the fire safety officer
A fire safety officer reports directly to the company management and performs planning, organisational and advisory functions. They identify and assess potential fire hazards. When planning operational fire protection, a fire safety officer advises the company management of the necessary measures to prevent fires. In the event of a fire breaking out, the protective measures put in place by the fire safety officer ensure that damage is minimised as far as possible.
Fire safety officers are responsible for a range of planning and organisational tasks. These primarily include
- Creating and updating fire safety regulations in accordance with DIN 14096
- Support in the preparation of operating instructions for fire protection
- Participation in the implementation of official fire protection regulations and compliance with fire insurer requirements
- Review and adaptation of escape and rescue plans
- Inspection of the unrestricted passability of escape and rescue routes by means of inspections
- Planning and realisation of evacuation exercises
- Training for company fire safety assistants
- Monitoring the proper storage of flammable substances
What are the fire safety regulations and what rules do they contain?
The fire safety regulations must be drawn up by a fire safety officer in accordance with DIN 14096. It must contain instructions for behaviour in the event of a fire and regulations on Fire prevention measures are included. The fire safety regulations consist of parts A, B and C. Part A contains instructions for all persons who are in the building when a fire breaks out, i.e. employees and possibly customers, patients, residents of a retirement or nursing home, external cleaning staff, etc. Part B of the fire safety regulations sets out rules for people who are regularly present in the building. They are required to contribute to fire prevention. In the event of a fire, they should behave in such a way that the fire and smoke do not spread further and that the escape and rescue routes remain unobstructed. Part C of the fire safety regulations is aimed specifically at people who are entrusted with fire prevention tasks in the building, such as fire safety assistants, evacuation assistants, employees with first aid training and the fire safety officer themselves. Part C of the fire safety regulations makes it clear how fire safety is organised in the company and contains specific instructions for action in the event of an emergency.
Part A of the fire safety regulations in DIN A4 format must be clearly displayed by a fire safety officer in all floors and corridors of the building. If there are regularly people in the building who do not speak German, it must be written in several languages. In multilingual texts, a fire safety officer must distinguish the language blocks from each other by using different font colours to make them easier to find. Symbols also clarify the correct behaviour during evacuation. Employees must be informed of the regulations in Part B on behaviour in the event of a fire by the fire safety officer through instruction. Part C must be communicated by a fire safety officer to the helpers for whom it is intended. A fire safety officer must update the fire safety regulations on an ongoing basis. Whenever the requirements change, but at least every two years, a fire safety officer must update them and display the new version.
Legal basis for operational fire protection measures
In Germany, the Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV) and the Technical Rules for Workplaces, Measures against Fires (ASR 2.2) in its annex regulate which fire prevention measures a fire safety officer must provide in a company and which regular inspections must take place. In accordance with Section 4 (3) and (4) ArbStättV, a fire safety officer must ensure that the company management installs fire alarm and fire extinguishing equipment. In addition, machines must be equipped with emergency switches, as switching off the systems can, under certain circumstances, contain the spread of a fire. Escape routes, escape routes and emergency exits must be kept clear at all times; escape and rescue plans must be drawn up by a fire safety officer. § Section 4 (4) of the ArbStättV also obliges the employer to ensure that employees can get to safety immediately in the event of danger. A fire safety officer significantly relieves the employer in the fulfilment of these legal obligations with their expertise and commitment.
A fire safety officer is required by health and safety regulations to regularly check that fire protection systems are in good working order. They carry out regular inspections of the company premises to ensure that escape and rescue routes are unobstructed and therefore passable at all times. In evacuation drills organised by a fire safety officer at certain intervals, employees practise how to behave in an emergency.
If not all necessary fire protection measures can be realised immediately due to financial constraints, a fire safety officer prioritises them in consultation with the company management. In doing so, they prioritise measures to protect people. The protection of material assets must take second place to the right of employees to life and physical integrity in the event of financial bottlenecks. However, a fire safety officer always works towards realising all necessary fire safety measures as quickly as possible.
What is the function of company fire safety assistants?
In addition to the fire safety officer, company fire safety assistants are an important fire safety organisation. Every company is obliged to provide at least one company fire safety assistant due to occupational health and safety regulations and DGUV instructions. In companies with more than 20 employees, 5 % of the staff should be trained as fire safety assistants. Their task is to act quickly in the event of a fire. They alert the fire brigade and do everything possible to fight the fire themselves so that it does not spread any further before the fire brigade arrives. They ensure that the evacuation is organised and work to prevent panic from breaking out.
Any employee can be trained as a fire safety assistant, as they carry out purely practical and simple activities in the event of a fire that do not require any specialised knowledge. However, the fire safety assistant should have good communication skills and assertiveness. The training course for fire safety assistants only lasts half a day or a full day at most. It provides knowledge about fire hazards in the company, coordinated behaviour in the event of a fire and the operation of fire extinguishers.
Fire safety officer training: Requirements, content and further training
Which organisations provide training for fire safety officers?
Fire safety officer training comprises 64 teaching units in a suitable training centre. The fire safety officer training can be completed in organisations that are professionally qualified in accordance with the training guidelines of DGUV Information 205-003. These include, among others
- Training institutions of the statutory accident insurance institutions or organisations commissioned by them
- Institutions recognised by the CFPA (Confederation of Fire Protection Associations Europe) for training fire safety officers
- Training centres of non-life insurers
- Training facilities of the specialised and testing facilities for fire and explosion protection
- Fire service schools of the federal states or the Federal Fire Service School
The fire safety officer training programme ends with the successful completion of a written examination lasting 90 minutes and an oral examination. Any committed and reliable employee of a company who has the necessary technical understanding and has completed vocational training can be trained as a fire safety officer. It makes sense for a prospective fire safety officer to have a technical education and a keen interest in this activity.
Fire safety officer training: What do participants learn?
The content of the fire safety officer training is based on Vfdb Guideline 12-09/01 (Guideline of the Association for the Promotion of German Fire Protection). The following contents are taught in the fire safety officer training programme:
- Legal basis for minimum fire protection requirements
- Fire theory with information on the combustion process and heat radiation
- Structural fire protection with fire protection walls, doors and windows of different fire resistance classes
- Technical fire protection systems with information on the installation of fire alarm systems
- Organisational fire protection to limit damage in the event of a fire
- Fire and explosion hazards and special fire risks
- Fire protection management with instructions on the planning, organisation and implementation of fire protection measures
- Cooperation with authorities, fire brigades and insurers
- Practical fire-fighting exercises with hand-operated fire extinguishing equipment
How long is the fire safety officer training valid for?
The DGUV states that a fire safety officer should regularly attend further training courses. This appears to be necessary in order to refresh training knowledge and to keep up to date with the latest legal regulations and Technical equipment for limiting fire damage to achieve this. This is the only way a fire safety officer can continuously fulfil their role to a high standard in terms of employee safety and building protection in the event of a fire. The employer should enable their fire safety officer to attend at least one further training event within three years of training and then at intervals of no more than three years.
Further training comprises at least 16 teaching units, for example in the form of topic-related or industry-specific seminars. Specialisation seminars, including on explosion protection and emergency management or the evacuation of people, as well as specialist conferences are available for the further training of fire safety officers.
Fire safety officer training: How often should I refresh it?
It is crucial for fire safety officers to remember what they have learnt during their training and to keep their knowledge up to date. This is why, in addition to training, the focus is on regular further training at intervals of no more than three years. A fire safety officer who completed their training more than three years ago and has not attended any further training events during this time should go through the training again. The repetition of the training content serves to ensure operational safety, as the risk of fire should not be underestimated. A fire can cause enormous damage both in your own company and on neighbouring properties. If a fire safety officer updates their knowledge during training, this makes a decisive contribution to minimising the risk of fire.
A company should be aware that a fire safety officer may be absent for a short period of time if they take part in regular training courses, but that this absence brings benefits for the company. Even if work is temporarily unavailable or colleagues are burdened with deputising, a fire safety officer with the latest knowledge is worth a great deal. Devastating fires are often caused by minor carelessness or ignorance on the part of employees about the necessary safety precautions. If a well-trained fire safety officer works constructively with the company management and informs employees comprehensively about risks, this significantly reduces the risk of fire.
Is a fire safety officer mandatory in companies?
When a fire safety officer must be appointed is not regulated by national law. In principle, every company is free to decide how to organise fire safety. However, state regulations may stipulate an obligation to appoint a fire safety officer. Building regulations of the federal states sometimes contain provisions that make a fire safety officer mandatory, for example if the company is of a certain size. An operational risk assessment can come to the conclusion that there is an increased risk of fire. This is the case, for example, if employees handle explosive materials or highly flammable substances and store them in the building. Under these circumstances, a fire safety officer must be appointed in the company's own interest.
Building protection insurance policies often require a fire safety officer to be in charge of fire prevention and damage containment in the event of a fire breaking out. When dealing with insurance companies, a fire safety officer strengthens the company's position in the event of a claim. Claims against the insurer arising from fire damage are easier to enforce if a fire safety officer has done everything necessary to prevent fires. If a fire has nevertheless broken out, the company must prove to the insurer with documentation that it has has installed technical equipmentwhich contained the fire damage.
If a fire safety officer is mandatory, the company management must formally appoint one. For this purpose, a trained employee or an external fire safety officer must be named in writing.
Fire safety officer: Who needs one?
A fire safety officer may be required for buildings of a particular type and use, such as industrial plants, hospitals and care facilities, high-rise buildings, large retail outlets and large office complexes. The need to appoint a fire safety officer is determined by the building regulations of the federal state in question or is required in the fire safety conditions of a building permit.
In buildings with a large floor area in which a large number of people are regularly present, a fire safety officer fulfils important functions for the protection of physical integrity and life.
How does a fire safety officer protect people in industrial plants and large buildings?
A fire safety officer acts primarily on the basis of an occupational health and safety risk assessment. It contains industry- and company-specific fire hazards and an assessment of the resulting risks. Fire hazards usually arise from these constellations:
- Furniture and other interior design materials
- Physical, chemical and biological effects due to work processes
- Nature of the work equipment used
- Organisation of workflows and production processes
- Inadequate qualification and instruction of employees
The risk assessment generally indicates a normal fire risk in offices. This means that the outbreak of fire is unlikely. In the event of a fire, it can be assumed that the fire will spread at a normal rate and produce relatively little smoke, tolerable heat and moderate pollutant emissions. The risk to people, property and the environment is limited.
The situation is different in chemical laboratories, industrial production facilities and companies with fire-hazardous activities. There is a high probability of an increased risk of fire here. When handling explosive and flammable substances, there is a high risk of a fire spreading explosively, unless there is already a fire hazard. Structural measures for adequate fire protection for example with doors or windows of fire resistance classes T 90 or F 90.
Once a fire has broken out, there is also a significantly increased risk to life and limb in facilities where there is usually a large number of people who are restricted in their mobility, ability to react or mental capacity. In clinics, retirement and nursing homes as well as in workshops for the disabled, the aforementioned restrictions make evacuation from the burning building more difficult. A fire safety officer must plan and organise the rescue of people with particular care.
Number of fire safety assistants and extended qualification of fire safety officer in the event of increased fire risk
If the risk assessment reveals an increased risk of fire or an increased risk to persons due to difficulties during evacuation, a fire safety officer will take special measures to prevent or minimise personal injury and damage to property.
If there is an increased risk of fire due to the materials used in a building or due to fire-hazardous operating procedures, more fire extinguishers must be available than usual. These must be directly accessible over short distances. The walking distance to the nearest fire extinguisher should not exceed five to ten metres in hazardous areas. The extinguishers should be evenly distributed so that they can be quickly accessed by all fire safety personnel. In the event of a fire, several people can fight the fire together in this way, which is essential in the case of rapidly spreading fires.
The extinguishing agents in the fire extinguishers must be matched to the fire class of the surroundings. Fire classes A to D and F are categorised according to the type of extinguishing agent that is suitable for fighting fires that occur on a specific combustible material. In fire class A, for example, this is organic material such as wood, straw or paper, whereas in fire class C it is burning gas such as hydrogen, methane or propane gas, or in fire class F it is burning cooking oil and fat in a deep fat fryer or deep fat fryer. Depending on the fire class, either water, aqueous solutions, foam, powder or CO₂ are used as extinguishing agents.
In environments with an increased risk of fire, a fire safety officer trains more employees in the use of fire extinguishers, as a larger number of extinguishers must be used in the event of a fire. To ensure that sufficient fire safety assistants are available in the event of illness, holiday or other absences, more employees should be trained as fire safety assistants than the number of extinguishers available. In companies with an increased fire risk, higher requirements than usual must be placed on a fire safety officer. He or she should have an extended qualification, such as fire service training or be a trained occupational safety specialist.
Fire safety officer: How many in the company?
For a good fire safety organisation in a company, it is sufficient to appoint a fire safety officer with sufficient specialist knowledge and a high level of reliability. It is important to bear in mind that no deputy is available when a fire safety officer is absent. However, it should be possible to bridge normal absences due to short-term illnesses, hospital stays or holidays. A fire safety officer primarily performs organisational tasks that are documented and implemented immediately. Facilities for preventive fire protection, such as equipping the premises with fire extinguishers and fire alarms or displaying escape and rescue plans, are permanent and do not depend on the presence of the fire safety officer. However, problems can arise if the fire safety officer is absent for a long period of time, for example due to illness or an accident. If his or her return is not foreseeable in the near future, the company management will consider training another employee as a fire safety officer. Alternatively, an external fire safety officer is a good solution for bridging a long-term absence.
If only one fire safety officer is present in the company, this is an advantage when coordinating fire safety measures. There is no need for discussions between several fire safety officers about the assessment of fire hazards and the equipping of the building with facilities that could cause a fire. Prevent fire or contain the spread of fire. All proposals for ensuring adequate fire protection are in the hands of one person who, as the fire safety officer, communicates with the company management. If there are disagreements between the fire safety officer and the company management, these can be resolved more easily if a second fire safety officer is not involved. Avoiding lengthy disputes that prolong the decision-making process is urgently required in the interests of occupational safety, personal protection and the protection of property.
Internal or external fire safety officer?
A company's own employee is often appointed as the fire safety officer. Another option for dealing with fire safety issues is to employ an external fire safety officer. This person fulfils their duties on the basis of a contract for work and services with the company or is permanently employed. Some companies make use of service providers who send a fire safety officer to the company for as long as necessary. Both solutions have advantages and disadvantages.
Internal fire safety officer Advantages and disadvantages
- Internal fire safety officer knows the structures, locations and processes in the company
- Internal fire safety officer has a better connection to colleagues than an external fire safety officer
- Operational blindness on the part of an internal fire safety officer can lead to essential things being overlooked
- Work is lost when an internal fire safety officer takes part in training and further education
External fire safety officer Advantages and disadvantages
- External fire safety officer often has a high level of expertise and extensive experience
- Company saves costs for training and further education as well as lost working hours
- External fire safety officer communicates more easily with company management as a neutral dialogue partner
- As an outsider, an external fire safety officer is not as familiar with the company's premises and processes
How much does a fire safety officer earn?
A permanently employed external fire safety officer receives a salary in accordance with collective labour agreements. In the case of permanent employment of external fire safety officers in a service company that places them with companies or in the case of direct employment in a company, these are collective agreements from the construction industry. If employed by a public authority, an external fire safety officer receives a salary in accordance with the collective agreement regulations for the public sector. As things currently stand in July 2024, the gross salary for a fire safety officer is between around €3,700 and €4,700, which is in the average range.
The level of earnings for a fire safety officer depends on the employer and the applicant's previous professional experience. As a rule, a comparatively lower salary can be expected in the public sector than in private companies. However, permanent employment in the public sector offers greater job security. With increasing professional experience in the private sector, an external fire safety officer can expect a higher salary than a career starter. The maximum annual salary for fire safety officers in 2024 is just under €70,000, which corresponds to above-average earnings. However, a fire safety officer can only expect a salary at this level at a large company that places increased demands on fire safety.
Summary: Fire safety officer training, tasks and salary
A fire safety officer fulfils a central safety function in a company. He or she identifies fire hazards and encourages the company management to implement current legal requirements for fire protection. He draws up the fire safety regulations in accordance with DIN 14096, informs the company's employees about the correct behaviour in the event of a fire by posting notices and carries out evacuation drills. A fire safety officer checks the passability of rescue and escape routes and emergency exits. In order to carry out these important safety-related tasks to a high standard, a fire safety officer undergoes training that provides them with the necessary specialist knowledge.
There is no nationwide legal regulation on when a fire safety officer is mandatory. Rather, the obligation to employ a fire safety officer results from building regulations of the federal states or fire safety requirements in the building permit. A fire safety officer is often a separate employee of the company who carries out this activity in addition to their actual duties. In some companies, an external fire safety officer is responsible for preventive fire protection. Both options have advantages and disadvantages for a company. It is up to the company management to decide in favour of one solution. An external fire safety officer with a high level of knowledge and many years of experience is preferred in companies with an increased risk of fire.
FAQs: Frequently asked questions about fire safety officers in companies
What is a fire safety officer and what are their tasks?
A fire safety officer takes on advisory and organisational tasks in a company in the context of preventive fire protection. He develops a concept for operational fire protection, which is an important concern for the protection of labour, people and property. In his work, a fire safety officer takes into account the results of the operational risk assessment and aligns the preventive fire safety measures with the intensity of the impending fire hazard. In addition to planning and organisational tasks, a fire safety officer is also responsible for instructing fire safety assistants and ensuring that escape and rescue routes are kept clear at all times.
Does a fire safety officer need training?
According to DGUV Information 205-003, training as a fire safety officer is necessary to enable an internal employee without prior knowledge to fulfil this responsible task. After training as a fire safety officer, further training should follow at intervals of no more than three years. The information provided by the DGUV is not binding legislation, but purely recommendations, which is why there is no obligation for prospective fire safety assistants to take part in the training and further training. However, the need to take part in the training arises from the importance and scope of the work of a fire safety officer. If a fire safety officer undergoes training and regular further training, this increases operational safety and strengthens the company's position in relation to insurance companies.
Is a fire safety officer mandatory in every company?
A fire safety officer is mandatory if this results from the building regulations of the federal states or from the fire safety requirements of the building permit. Not every company is obliged to appoint a fire safety officer. However, a fire safety officer is mandatory in companies or facilities where there is an increased risk of fire or where the evacuation of people is difficult.
How is a fire safety officer appointed?
If a fire safety officer is mandatory, he or she must be formally appointed in writing. This is done by means of a written agreement with an internal employee who is available as a fire safety officer following training. An external fire safety officer is employed directly by the company under an employment contract, works under a contract for work and labour or is provided by a service provider.
How many fire safety officers does a company need?
There is usually only one fire safety officer in a company. This makes it easier to plan the necessary fire protection measures and coordinate them with the company management. If there were another fire safety officer in the company, a competitive situation could arise that would lead to discussions about the necessary measures. This would be extremely counterproductive when it comes to operational safety.
How much does a fire safety officer earn?
An internal fire safety officer takes on fire safety tasks in the company in addition to their actual work, for which they are paid as normal. An external fire safety officer, on the other hand, is either employed directly by a company under an employment contract or works for a service provider that assigns fire safety officers to companies according to an agreed schedule. An external fire safety officer receives a salary of between around €3,700 and €4,700 per month.
