What is Required to Become a Fire Warden?

Fire wardens play a pivotal role in keeping people safe and ensuring a swift evacuation takes place in the event a fire occurs. To comply with commercial fire safety legislation and keep everyone on your premises safe, it is essential to have at least one fire warden on site. 

But what is required to become a fire warden?

In this article, the team here at Millennium Fire Protection will outline the key responsibilities of a fire warden and the requirements and qualities required to become one. 

person in high vis jacket inspecting fire extinguisher

What is a fire warden?

Before we take a closer look at what is required to become a fire warden, also referred to as a fire marshal, let’s first define what a fire warden actually is.

According to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is the legal responsibility of business owners or managers to appoint a ‘responsible person’ to be in charge of fire safety. This responsible person must also appoint ‘competent persons’ to assist with the task and, usually, they take the form of fire wardens. 

The fire wardens will ensure that the building is completely fire-safe and compliant with the necessary fire safety regulations (although it’s worth noting that the responsible person has overall responsibility for this). In order to effectively do this and safely carry out the various fire marshal responsibilities, all prospective fire wardens must attend an accredited and certified training course.  

How to become a fire warden

All individuals who wish to become a fire warden must be at least 16 years of age and, as mentioned above, attend a fully accredited fire safety training course to prepare them for the role. 

This safety course will cover the following:

  • Fire safety legislation
  • Common fire hazards 
  • The fire triangle 
  • The different classifications of fires
  • The different types of fire extinguishers 
  • How to use fire extinguishers
  • The different types of fire safety signage 
  • The costs of fires for businesses 
  • Understanding how people react differently during a fire 
  • The different types of evacuation equipment and how they can be used

Following the completion of the course, an exam will take place and if it is passed the new fire warden will be presented with a certificate. 

What is the role of a fire warden?

You may think that a fire warden’s responsibilities only come into play during emergencies, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

In fact, fire wardens are required to carry out their duties on a day-to-day basis to ensure a building is as safe as possible. 

A fire warden’s daily and weekly responsibilities include:

  • Conducting fire alarm tests
  • Making sure there is no build-up of combustible materials 
  • Ensuring all fire fighting equipment is in the right position and there are no obstructions 
  • Checking that all fire doors are in good working order and have not been wedged open 
  • Ensuring all escape routes are kept free of obstructions, including combustible and flammable materials
  • Making sure all fire safety signage is clearly visible and not damaged 
  • Ensuring fire assembly points are clear of obstructions 
  • Reporting any problems immediately

A fire warden’s monthly responsibilities include:

  • Emergency lighting testing
  • Checking that all portable and fixed fire fighting equipment has been serviced and is within the next test date period
  • Ensuring all electrical equipment has been tested
  • Making sure a fire drill has been carried out in the last 12 months
  • Reporting any problems immediately 

At Millennium Fire Protection, we have more than 50 years of fire safety experience and provide a wide range of services to customers across Harrow, Ealing, Watford and the surrounding areas. This includes fire safety training that can help give your fire wardens, and all employees, a full understanding of fire safety legislation and how to keep your business safe.